The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-22
Mrs. Schenk's Attorneys
Make L~amentably
Weak Effort.
IS CLOSED
UNEXrE CTEDLY
Woman Accused of Trying to
Murder Rich Husband Fails
to Take Stand in Own Be-
half-Defcnsc Confined to
Attempted Impcaching OF
Testimony of State.
fsneclal 10 rhe rlmcs.plsrntch.l

tspecial to The Timcs-I,ispatch.J
Wheeling. ". Va, january Ill
After presenting a defense that was
/ ragged, incohercut and lpmcntabiy
weak. the attorneys for Mrs. La.u,a
Farnsworih Schcnk. on trial for hav-
Ing tried 10 kill her millionaire hus-
band, rested their case this ofternoon.
Contrary to all expectations, they lid
not place the woman on Tia: starr
10 tell her life story. ana thus gain
the sympathy of the jury.
Neither did they. present any OF thu
sensational evidence uhcy said thcs
had. showing that Albert Schcnk. her
brother-in-law. "a given her hus-
band the poison because he hatel her
and wanted her driven IL Disgrace
from the rich family. In fu:t. ali Tie
defense did was to assail the char
acters OF the states two most i'm
por,ant wi,ncsses-Miss Elinor Klein,
the detectivc-nurse. Who sworc that
Mrs. Schenk offered her "A $1,000 bride
10 kill the millionaire. and DT. John
W. Meyers, who tes,ihel that lie gave
Mrs Schcnk poison OF the sort which
was afterward found in hey husbands
medicine.
No Conspiracy shnwn.
Tie attorneys did mannge 10 show
that Albert schenk hateD his sister
in.law. but that had been common
knowledge in Wheeling tor yeurs.
Thcy could not show = single indi-
cation. however. of "a conspiracy
against Mrs. Schenk. The most dam
aging thing brought gu, against Al
bert was that, according TO = woman
Witness. no once said:
John has gone and bought Laura
q big 5000 automobile. We'll, every.
time I sue her driving around i'll It.
pray that she may break her d-n
neck. I'd do anything to get her out
OF the family"
Despite the Weakness OF the defense,
Mrs. Scienk aud her lawyers arc con
hdent that she VIII 90 free. They
contend that The Jury will believe that
III. Nycrs-the only person whose ,cs-
timony went to prove that there had
been poison in the wonian's posses-
sion-is a malpractitioncr. whose word
could not be taken - oath; and THAI
Miss Klein, whose testimony about the
bribc was most damaging. is q NOR
Prime fiend and also unvcracious. They.
say that II these two witnesses arc
~disregarded the States case falls TO
pieces.
Another thing Mrs. Schcnk and her
attorneys think Is In their favor is
tie fact that the jurors apparently
have begun 10 take the whole business
rather lightly. During the past couple
Of days there have been countless dis
putcs over points OF law. during which
time the twelve men have been sent
out OF the room. Last night and to-
day they began to regard this as II
joke, and would go out laughing and
return with their faces wrcathed In
smiles. Several times when disputes
began they arose without instruction
and departed.
Goes to Jur. Monday.
n jury probably will receive the
case Monday. Following the rest of
the defense to-day. Prosecutor Hand
Ian began his rcbuttal. which con-
sisted entirely in bringing forward
witnesses to swear that DR.. Myers
and Miss Klein were persons of good
reputation, who might be believed.
Dr. 5. l.. Jcpson. an expert, was the
iirst witness for the defcnse this
morning. He said that, in his opinion.
John Schenk was not suffering at
the time of his wifc's arrest from
either lead or arsenic poison. DR.. John
d. osborne, the defcnse's other en-
pert, said the same thing yesterday.
That Will be one. OF the things urged
oN the defense i'll its summing M
that the millionaire was not poisoned
at all, but was suffering from an
obscure malady.
Mrs. Jane Hedges. 4 dashInS brunette
With a Southern drawl aud IL piece of
chewing gum. who said she didn't
know whether she was married or
not, because she hadn't heard from
the divorce court lntcly.'' tncn tool;
j tho stand to tell of Albert schenk's
hatred for Laura Tarnsworth Schenk,
she was questioned for several hours,
but the only thing Of vital Importance
she could tell was Alberta remark
about hoping Laura would brenk her
neck in the motor car.
In cross-eHamination the prosecutor
tried TO develop that Mrs. Hedges was
ini1nical to Albert Schenk because he
had purchased some property from her
and she had to go to Law about thu
proper payment for it. She said that
vas not SO.
Friendly with Albert.
why, I'm so friendly with him thai
n day I walked up beht,d him on
the street and placed my hand in Ills
pocket. and We walked along Joking,
she said.
You say Albert told you that he'd
do anything to get Laura out of the
family. Did he ever mention any
particular thing he'd do? D,d he ever
say he'd poison his brother, or that
he'd do any one physical nar5a to gain
his end?'
No, he mover said anything like
that" admitted Mrs. Hedges.
Mrs. John Lascli, n gentle mannered
old woman who had known John
! Schenk and his wife for about ten
years. and lived near them on Wheel.
ing Island. declared that tho Schanks
always appeared loving and devoted,
and that the defendant was especially
devoted to her husband.
As she left the stand, Mrs. Lasct
passed the table at which Mrs. Schank
sat. Stopping for n moment, she put