The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-04
second TRIAL OF
! HfNWOOO TUESDAY
Famous Denver Murder Case
Will Be Given Anoth-
er Airing.
(National News Association

(Eational News Association)
DENVER. Mar. 1.-THE second trial
of the most Sensational murder case
in the history of Denver. will begin
Tuesday morning. when Frank Hen
wood, the New York travelling sales
man, already under sentence OF life
imprisonment for killing George f.
Copeland. will be brought to court to
answer an indictment charging him
with the first degree murder Of Syl-
vester Won Phul. the well-known st.
Louis clubman and balloonist.
Henwood shot and killed Won Phul
after the latter had knocked him down
during . quarrel which occurred in
the grill.room of the Brown Palace
hotel. on the morning Of May 25, 1910.
A stray bullet from Henwood's revolt
YER struck Copeland. an innocent by
stander, who died as a result Of the
wound.
The quarrel between HenwoOd and
Won Phul was the result of dispute
over Mrs. Isabelle Patterson Springer.
who was at that time the wife of
john w. Springer the millionaire head
Of the Continental Trust company Of
Chicago. The scandalous revelations
brought out at the beginning of Hen.
woods trial for the Copeland killing
caused Springer to begin divorce pro-
ceedings, which ended in his being
granted q decree without any OppOei-
tion.
During the Copeland murder trial,
Mrs. Springer was called az witness
for Henwood, but her testimony prov.
ed Of far greater value to the prosecu.
ton. although 1t 10 believed her story
was somewhat influenced by her hus-
bands pending divorce suit. Whether
she will testify at the coming trial is
. matter that 10 causing considerable
speculation on the part Of both the
prosecution and the defense. In case
she does her testimony ia expected to
be more sensational and the attorneys
for the prisoner believe It will b more
favorable to their client.
Ever since his conviction at the
first trial Henwood has repeatedly de-
clared that II Mrs. Springer had told
the whole story OF her relations with
himself and Won Phul. when she was
on the witness stand, the jury would
have set him free. This statement of
Henwood's has caused his attorneys
to carry on . diligent search for the
woman In the case, in the hope of in
ducing her to return to Denver and aid
him in his fight for life by testifying
in his behalf So far a. is known, her
whereabouts IL still mystery. The
rumors that she IL now in town can.
not be verified. and the possibility Of
her returning to Denver. for the pur-
pose Of testifying in defense of the
prisoner. 10 the one big puzzle to all
those who have been following the
case.
1t has been reported that when
Springer gave his wife all of the fam
lily jewels and $4,000 in cash as a fin
nj settlement after he had received
his decree. he exacted a promise from
her to the effect that she would never
return to Denver. At the same time
the district attorney released her from
q subpoenae for her appearance to
the Won Phul trial 30 that any decis-
ion to come back to Denver and act
a. a witness viii be governed entire
~ by her own feelings in the matter.
Intimate friends Of Springer have
limited that for q long time he has
been, oppressed with the feeling that
he 10 indirectly responsible for the ILL.,
cit romance and its tragic ending. 1t
was through him that Mrs. Springer
first met Henwood and Won Phul,
when he brought them into his home
~ dinner guests. Mrs. Springer was
then known AZ the most beautiful wo-
man in Denver and the two guests be-
came infatuated with their fair host.
ess at first sight. The determination
and nerve of both men had often been
put to severe tests In the field of aer.
onautics. and these bulldog traits urg-
ed the men into a secret rivalry for
the favor Of their friends wife. This
rivalry caused the longstanding friend
ship Of Henwood and Won Phul to de-
velop into q bitter hatred. ending In
the fatal quarrel that cost two lives
and may demand the taking OF another
before the ends Of justice are salts
fled.
vNoaArtinna In thu 1Initod Stat an