Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-01-14
THE TRIAL OFF MRS. scHENK.

THE TRIAL OF MRS. sCHENK.
Another human element-the Sec
ond man Of the inevitable triangle
was SUDDENLY introduced into the trial
OF Mrs. Laura Farnsworth Schenk,
charged with poisoning her husband,
the wealthy pork packer. in Wheeling,
w. Va. yesterday when Dan q: Phil
lips, whom the state alleges to have
been the lover OF Mrs. Schenk, was put
on the witness stand.
The woman on trial-she was the
cynosure of all eyes while Phillips
was giving his testimony-looked at
him with the glance of hate which can
only come into the eyes OF a woman
who thinks that she has been betrayed
by the man she once loved.
The witness had hang-dog express
sion on the stand and looked nowhere
in particular, keeping his eyes for the
most part on the floor while he gave
his testimony. Not once did he cast
them at the woman.
Mrs. Schenk kept her gaze rivetcd
on the witness throughout the time he
was on the stand, and, if looks had
the power to harm one, ie would
never have lived to leave the chair.
The testimony of the man supplies
the human motive for the poisoning
declared Mr.. Handlan, the prosecuting
attorney.
Phillips told OF joy rides at night
with Mrs. Scbenk in her automobile,
big, able-bodied, lusty Limousine,
painted black and well known there.
He said that he would meet the accused
at a trysting place previously agreed
upon and that she would bring along
beer and sandwiches, so that they
could have quiet luncheon together.
The witness said that the chauffeur
would be sent off after the car had
been stopped beside the road and that
he would leave them alone in the
automobile. He said that the driver
was Instructed not to return to the
car until the horn was blown, a pre-
arranged signal.
Phillips told OF costly presents that
Mrs. Schenk had bought for him, and,
as he wove his tale, he never raised
his eyes from the floor to meet those of
the woman whom he was leaving not
shred OF reputation.
Phillips said Mrs. Schenk had often
spoken to him Of Mr.. Schenk's death,
which, he declared, she had prophesied
would occur at an early date. He told
how she had talked OF a divorce from
the wealthy packer so that she could
marry him-the man whom she loved
Before the man had completed his
narrative he had told all-made a
clean breast OF it-and his shame and
humiliation were complete, for he
never raised his eyes to meet those of
the woman who, according to his
story, had .lavished affection on him.
Phillips said that after their first
meeting Mrs. Schenk called him up
frequently OH the telephone and came
into the store two or three times a
month to see him. Mrs Schenk fire.
ouently asked him to take rides in her
automobile in the evening. That be-
gan about year and q half ago.
He declared that they simply enjoy
ed social rides in the suburbs and that
at first the chauffeur and children were
usually along, but that sometimes only
Mrs. Schenk, the chauffeur and he
made up the personnel OF the party. 1t
was always agreed that they should
meet either at bridgeport, Ohio, or
Martins Ferry, also in Ohio, both
small towns just across the river.
Phillips said Mrs. Schenk would
either call him on the telephone or else
send the chauffeur to him with notes
directing him when and where to meet
her.
He declared that she always pro-
vided' beer aud sandwiches for these
little journeys.
Then Prosecutor Han6lan took one
step toward the witness and asked:
Did you ever have any criminal
intimacy with this woman?"
Il decline to answer" replied the
witness.
Mrs. Schenk bit her lips and flushed.
The prisoner looked down and Sam"
Boyce, one of the attorneys for the de-
fense, was on his feet with an objection,
At first the Judge overruled him and
Mr.. Handlan demanded that the wit
ness answer the questions Mr.. Boyce
asked that the jury and witness
leave the room while he gave his
reasons for objecting to the question
This was done and then suddenly the
defense withdrew its objection and
Judge Jordan changed his ruling, barr
ing the question, because, he said, the
witness had constitutional right to de-
cline to answer, as it might incrimiuate
him. The jury and witness thereupon
filed back to their places.
Phillips admitted that when Mrs
Schenk first began to visit the store she
became so frequent a caller that he
was compelled to tell her it embarrassed
him. Then she used the telephone.
did she say anything to you about
getting divorce from her husband?''