Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-13
IN EVIDENCE
Alleged Confession Of Mrs.
Bancroft Read in Court.
PLANNED EUROPEAN. TRIP
Mother.iu-Law Tells Of 0vertaking
Defendant Just Before
Ship Sailed.

WILMINGTON, Del. January lathe
defense In the divorce suit brought by
John Bancroft, jr., against Madeline du
Pont Bancroft strove in vain yesterday
to keep out of the evidence letter. said
to be in the nature Of confession. which
was written by Mrs. Bancroft shortly
after the birth Of her second chtld-the
child her husband has made co-defendant
in the remarkable suit under the name Of
Max Heibler, jr."
The letter was read in court. 1t was
addressed to Mrs. Pauline bancroft
Chadwick. sister-in-law Of Mrs. Bancroft
Mrs. Chadwick identified it The name
of Max Heibler. the German musician.
is said to be mentioned in 1t.
Another striking development of the
trial was the testimony of Mrs. John
Bancroft. mother Of the p plaintiff: WIG WIG
attempted a flight" to Germany in
February of last year. a few months
after the birth of the child.
Planned Hasty Departure.
Mrs. Bancroft. ST., testified that Mad
eleine Bancroft called her on the tele-
phone and declined dinner invitation
on the plea that she was going to Brook
lyn to spend few days. The mother
in-law became suspicious, and, going to
her sons home Che was away at the
time). she found evidences of a hasty de-
parture on the part of her daughter-in-
law. All of her clothing and the clothing
of the child had been removed.
Mrs. Bancroft, sr., said she summoned
her husband, and they fastened to New
York, where they were Joined by Charles
B. Terry, a lawyer They located Made
leine Bancroft at the Hotel Belmont. she
said. and learned that her baggage had
been ordered on board the steamship
George Washington, sailing for Germany
the next morning.
The pursuers found the young mother
and her baby son having breakfast IN
their apartments. According to Mrs.
Bancroft, ST., Madeleine Bancroft at
tempted to fee to another room and
throw letters out Of the window. She
her.
These letters, which may have an i'm
portant bearing on the case, were mark
ed for identification. Ernest Stoessel of
to testify for the plaintiff. identified the
letters as being in the handwriting Of
Max Heibler. the musician.
Pleaded to 90 to Germany.
Mrs. Bancroft, sr.. resuming her testi-
mony, said her daughter-in-law pleaded
to be allowed to go to Germany. saying
that it would surely be best for all con-
cerned. But she was persuaded to re-
turn quietly to Wilmington and take up
her abode once more in her husband g
Bayard avenue home.
When court adjourned the bench was
considering the admission of alleged love
letters" said to have been sent by Max
Heibler to Mrs. Bancroft, and also the
birth certificate of the child, who has
been called Max Heibler. jr.''
A great part of the days testimony was
given by physicians. DR.. Samuel Rum
ford, who attended Mrs. Bancroft at the
time of the birth of the child. answered
several short hypothetical questions, and
ended by saying that MAX" was a per-
fectly normal boy.
Miss Mary E. Robinson, a trained nurse,
who attended Mrs. Bancroft, testified to
several CONVEX sations which she had
heard in the sick. room.
1t was announced yesterday afternoon
that the case would be adjourned until
next Thursday. as the supreme court
meets in Dover Tuesday, necessitating
the presence of Judge Pennewill, the
chief justice. in the Bancroft case.