Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-21
State Witnesses Describe
Conditions as They Existed
Prior to AdmiraI'S Death.
NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE '
INSANITY OR INEBRIETY
Mrs. Eaton Said to Have Wished
Her Husband Dead--Progress
Of Trial.


ditions In the household OF Rear Admiral
Joseph Giles Eaton, prior TO his death
by poison last March, were described by
ne.gheors at the trial OF Mrs. Jennie May
Eaton. the widow. today.
Mrs. Charles NJ HINT testified 20 con-
versations with Mrs. Eaton IN which the
defendant had said that the admiral was
deranged and she feared he would poison
her mother. Mrs William Magonn told
the court of a strange preparation which
Mrs. Eaton said the admiral had mixed
Tor June. her daughter by former mar
rage. The mixture. according 10 the
witness remembrance of what Mrs
Eaton had told her, contained soap. v.no-
gar and either pepper or salt. Mrs. Ma
goun said she never saw any evidence OF
insanity In the admiral. A Rock.and
tradesman. Charles r. Rec. tesuned to-
AIRS. Eaton's frequent airing of family
troubles.
Mrs Abbe c. Cottrell OF bingham, who
kept house tor the F.a,ons Tor time
when Mrs. la on was not ~ ng wan
her husband, iesuiied hat she ha~ never
seen any signs OF iiQuor on the AIN rsd,
nor any indication tnat he was OF un-
sound mind.
A month before his death Admiral
Eaton was pam ng to take AIRS. eaton
with him IN q trip % Panama according
to Samuel w. Baker. a Rockland Opt
clan. Baker testified that in February last
the admiral told HIM that. acting under
comm. ssion from President Grant, ne had
made survey tor canal route across
the isthmus in lSI1. and that ne iUohei
forward with p easure TO the rim thai he
and Mrs. Eaton were to take thro the
O. mpieted ,u,.
Mrs Eaton asked Baker 10 assist her
n having the adniia. cstfnnl ited TO an
insane asylum. She complained mat her
husband was dabeling In poisons ana
druss, and she feared he would cause the
death of members of the household.
Frank l.. Booth OF Rookland said that
Mrs. Earon had told h m her husband
was trying to poison her. and that al
| though she sp. lnkled talcum on the
stairs she was unable To trace nam 10
the place where he concealed hts drugs.
Mrs. george 4. Boo,h ana AIRS. maud
Powers tM in sisters, employed In ROCK
| land bakery. testified that AdmiraA ibat0n
was Always gentiemaniy, never hnserea
| with them. It had been brought out
earlier in the trial that Mrs. Ea.Cn HAD
complained of her husbands alleged at
tenrions to the sisters
~p1ee ts to Stepdaughter's Presence.
| Frank s. Aiger. a Rockland newspaper
man, testified about conversations with
| Admiral and Mrs. Eaton. The admiral
said he objected to having June In the
household because of a story she had CIR
cu,ated about nm. Mrs. Eaton Complain.
| ed of her fears that her husband would
poison her.
Alger said that he did not consider Ad-
miral Eaton insane, but thought he show
ed certain peculiari.ies OF speech and
manner. due, perhaps, to long service In
the navy.
Wished He Was Dead.
Henry M. Gates of Rockiand. friend
Of the Eaton family, testified yester-
day that Mrs. Eaton had expressed
the wish at various times that the ad-
miral was dead. She asked Gates, the
witness continued. to come to the
Eaton home and warned him Ito be
d epared to protect himself" Follow
ing this advice. he carrie a PISTOL,
which he said he found no occasion to
use. He testified that Mrs. Eaton had
| said: do not let the admiral get be-
hind you" remarking that she thought
the admiral was not right in his
mead"
Charles Hit, q neighbor of the Ea-
tons In Assinippi, testified that he was
told by Mrs. Eaton that she went 10
doctor in an attempt to have the
admiral declared insane. But Mr..
Hit said, Mrs Eaton told me that IL
anybody was clazy il was she
Mr.. Hit declared that he had never
seen the admira intoxicated or under the
influence Of drugs.
mouth, a trades nan came testimony that
Mrs. Eaton had said that the admiral
placed poison In iood which che ate At
q theater party In 1910 In Boston.
Exhibition Of Fear.
Mr.. Shurtleff added that Mrs. Eaton
appeared to be so afraid that the ad-
miral would poison the family food that
she had extra locks attached TO the pam
try door at their summer home in Wcy-
mouth.
Miss Katherine Griffin of Boston testi-
fed that while employed as house,
keeper In May, 1912, In the Eaton home
Mrs Eaton had accused her OF making
the admiral sick, OF taking advantage OF
him because he was crazy and OF taking
all his money.
Mrs Eaton has a bad temper" the
witness concluded.
Assistant District Attorney katzmann
stated that the government expected TO
rest It's case Thursday.
The defense, IL was learned, may nnlsh
its presentation of evidence by Saturday
night or Monday forenoon.