New-York tribune., 1912-04-04
by January May Be Dead

The letter closed In endearing terms. y
miss you so. Frankie" she wrote, but |
know you hate me. and ! won't bother YOU
again. When the baby comes then | Will
have something 10 keep me from being
lonesome, and | won't bother you any more.
Besides, by January I may be dead"
The baby did not live, and though the
young woman came very close to death she
did not die. Nurses from tho Lebanon Hos
pitsl testified that she tore the dressings
from IN. wounds she had inflicted on herself
when she heard that she was likely 10 get
well and her FRANKIE" 10 die.
Mrs Nicodemus continued her story. say
ing that about the first OF October 4 sister
NJ her husband told her that Frank was
back In New York and wanted to see her.
II thought" said Mrs Nicodemus. and
she hesItated, whilo her bosom rose and
fell with the sobs she was forcing back,
II thought that frankie had changed. and
that he wanted 10 be kind 10 me. he was
when ve were first married. 7 went right
10 a telephone and called him up and told
him tina, would meet him. was very eK-
oit"d and very happy when | ran around
toward his house
btl your bot0fr 10 WIN YOU dNh''
Mr.. Levy. Her brother Archie had testi-
fed that his mother told him TO 20 along
ri,h hts sister. becaus" she Was acting %
strangely.
Il don't remember anything about
Archie" she said All know Is that was
very. very happy. and had been sad 30
long saw frankie and ran straight 10
him. thought hs would kiss mo and pot
me-. bu'-hut''--. The witness paused
While she wiped away tho tosrs that were
rolling down her face.
~" struck me. Tre struck mo in the fsca
with his 1st'
"DIdnt he say snythr5 nr,t," asked Mr.
Levy.
81 Meant 10 Shoot Myself"
Yes When sar how he looked 7 told
him that | vas going 10 XIII myself n ns
was 50 moan 70 me, and he said Vel.
then. II YOU are going 70 di. may as well
tell YOU once and for all why | married
YOU All ever wanted If you was 70 max"
money for mo had tho revolver IN my
hand meant 70 shoot myself what
happened next don't remember hll 7
know Is that woke up after while 10 tho
noSpital, ana lnrN ''h Nv ] 10" Hi''e
Frankie.
81 didn't mean 10 shoo' him, T didn't
want him to die God knows J loved him
better than anything else on this earth aud
do stll Ir.only ho Wcr" alive now -
Mrs. Nicodemus was racked by sobs and
had 10 calm herself before Frank Moss.
the Assistant District Attorney, could b"-
gin his cross-exaninstion. He asked only
p few questions. and three minutes later
Mrs. Nicodemus was back i'm her seat. her
face oxcep, by Its paleness showing little
OF the storm she had been through.
Detective John F. Rrennicke testified for
Mrs Nicodemus. lie said that he had
known Frank Nicodemus for five years.
that he associated with suspicious charac-
ters. and that his reputation was not of
tho best on cross-eXamination he was
unable TO Identify a photograph OF the
Young man shown him by Mr.. Moss
Or. Arthur c. Bush was the last witness.
He Ia a specialist In diseases Of the mind
and nervous system, and for twenty years
has been in charge of tho observation ward
at the Kings County Hospital. He exam
Ined Mrs. Nicodemus In the Tombs last
thetical question embodying all OF the tes-
tmony for the defence. 1t took fifty min
utes to PROFOUND the question.
Or. Bush answered that assuming the
facts stated. he would say that Mrs. Nico-
denus was under such mental affliction
AT the time OF the shooting az to not know
the nature and quality OF her act or to
know that It was wrong. His tests showed.
he said, that she subject to hysterical
mania. and such treatment as she had re-
ceived. eliminating In the acute disap-
pointment OF finding that her husband. in
stead OF seeking a reconciliation, sought
only TO teer at her, he thought would put
her In a condition Of mental Irresponsible
ity.
On cross-oxamination DR. Bush told Mr..