Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-09-02
HELD FOR USING
POISONED Pen"
Harriet Dewitt Under $500
Bail For Trial.
Big LEGAL FIGHT EXPECTED
Accused Woman's Father Employs
Noted Lawyers to Defend Her--May
Lay Bare Many Family Skeletons.


Miss Harriet Dewitt, accused of
sending slanderous and scurrilous let.
ters through the mails to people In
Easton, Pa, was held by Commits
sIoner Turner In $500 bail for trial In
the United States court at Philadel-
phia. after hearing which lasted al
most all day.
When the hearing was begun for
mer Judge w. S. Kirkpatrick. one OF
the leading lawyers at the Northamp-
ton county bar. appeared with Mar
shall Miller. of Phillipsburg. N. j., for
Miss Dewitt.
Only three witnesses were heard.
They we're Rev. Elmer Z. Snyder, pas
tor of Christ Lutheran church. who had
received many of the anonymous let.
tiers: Mrs. David White. a neighbor Of
Miss Dewitt, and Valentine Sheen
berger, a postal inspector.
Much time was consumed by Judge
Kirkpatrick's cross-exanination Of the
witnesses. Several of the letters which
the defendant Is accused Of having
written we're produced and identified
by the witnesses who received them,
but they were not read aloud.
Many of the most prominent resi-
dents of Easton are awaiting with
trepidation the developments in the
POISONED Pen" case.
So far the authorities have jealousy
guarded the worst of the letters, which
It is asserted were sent by Miss De.
Witt. who is the daughter Of wealthy
George Dewitt, and which have
threatened to wreck a score Of homes.
The great question disturbing many
minds in Easton is what will be dis
closed. For the Poisoned Pen" made
many family skeleton dance.
Next to an alleged similarity be-
tween her handwriting and that of the
scurrilous letters, which have been
coming to hundreds of people in the
last ten years, the chief evidence
against Miss Dewitt is said to be con-
tanned in letter to a member of the
flock of Rev. Elmer T.. Snyder, accus-
ing the pastors wife of hanging out
clothes still soiled, although supposed
iy fresh, from the washtub.
II is contended that the back yard
Of the parsonage where the clothes
are hung can be seen only from bay
window of the Dewitt home. A high
board fence hides the back yard from
the street. II Is admitted that 1t was
this letter which first directed suspi-
cion toward Miss Dewitt.
The writer of the anonymous letters
boasted in one of her latest that she
had written fully 1900 missives to
members of the Evangelical Lutheran
church. telling what she described as
unpleasant truths not only about the
pastor. but about his beautiful young
bride OF year. The writer went SO
far as to suggest that Mrs. Snyder had
danced In inadequate attire and had
been far from conventionally clothed
when she swept off the front porch.
The chief difficulty in the present
case is the absolute lack OF motive on
Miss DeWitt's part. The only explana.
tlon of her luminosity toward the min
lister. II any exists, goes back almost
to the time when Mr.. Snyder, just out
OF Lafayette college. took charge Of
the old church ten years ago.
At that time, the neighbors say,
Miss Dewitt was las good as engag-
ed" to young man from Martins
Creek. who was college and frater-
nifty mate of the young minister. When
this man came to Easton he stopped at
the parsonage. After several such Wis.
its he ceased to visit Easton. and
whatever attachment there was be-
tween him and Miss Dewitt was
broken off.
II may be that Miss Dewitt blamed
the estrangement on the minister. II
so, he declares he was innocent OF any
desire to come between the couple.
although he admits that he never was
attracted to Miss Dewitt.