Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26
Mrs. Eaton, on Trial for Muir.
der, Concludes Direct Tes-
timony IN Defense.
SIX HOURS OF QUlzzlNG
WITH DRAMATIC CLOSE
Testimony Leads Up to Admirable
Last Illness and Discovery Of
His Death.

PLYMOUTH, Mass, October 25.-An
insistent denial that she ever gave her
husband poison Of any sort brought to a
dramatic close today the direct examina-
ton Of Mrs. Jennie May Eaton, widow
Of Rear Admiral Joseph G. Eaton, with
whose murder she is charged.
Sitting in the witness box where she
had passed the entire day reviewing the
story Of her life, Mrs. Eaton leaned for
still bore q trace OF its habftuai easy
smile as her counsel. William A. Morse.
put the concluding questions as to her
guilt.
do you know anything about poison?''
she was asked.
mo, sir. I do not" she replied.
did you administer any white arsenic
to your husband?''
why. that is the most absurd thing
I ever heard off, replied the witness.
No. sir. never in my life E" she added.
Did you ever give your husband any
other poison?"
mo, never" was the reply.
Attorney Morse announced at this point
that the direct examination was ended
and adjournment was taken until Mon
the defendant.
Confronted by District Attorney.
During most of her six hours in the
witness box Mrs. Eaton was confronted
by District Attorney Barker, who sat
not two yards away, the better to hear
her answers. and when she replied to the
questions about poison her glance often
met his squaEely. Mrs. Eaton described
her life with the. admiral as that of a
wife devoted to his comfort and striv-
ing to lift from his shoulders the burden
of debt under which he labored. She
declared that she had sacrificed her furs
and her Jewels to assist in supporting
the family.
Mrs. Eaton said that her husband was
Respondent at times, particularly after
indulgence in drugs, and that it was also
when under the influence Of these drugs
that he had flirted with other women.
She denied that she was a jealous wife
but added that she was jealous at such
times of her husbands dignity as a rear
admiral Of the navy.
REGARDING letters to Misses Grace p.
Howard of New Bedford and others COM
planning Of her husbands alleged firta
tons, Mrs. Eaton said she wrote these
letters only because she wanted to show
in court the state of the admirars mind
should it be found that the adopted child
which had died had been killed by poison.
Disputes Doctors Statements.
Mrs. Eaton denied portions Of the testi-
mony given earlier in the trial by DR..
c. II. Colgate Of Rockland.. DR.. Colgate
had testified that Mrs. Eaton asked his
assistance in having the admiral commit
ted to an asylum. She testified that she
asked DR.. Colgate to examine her hus-
band to better his condition, as the ad-
mirars poor physical condition worked
up to his head
Mrs. Baton denied s4hak she ever had
taken any steps toward committing her
husband as insane, other than to ask local
physicians 70 examine him.
With great detail the witness told Of
the last week of the admirais life: Of
her visit to Medford to see her daughter.
Mrs. June Keyes, Wednesday Of that
week: of her return to Assinippi the fol-
lowing day, and Of the admiraIs final
sickness and death.
Mrs. Eaton said that in the converse
ton Wednesday with June, who had just
seen the admiral, June remarked: There
is no doubt about 1t, mother. The adj
m.ral is a very sick man." Later when
June said the admiral had invited her
to go to Euprope with him, and that her
mother would stay at home, Mrs. Eaton
said she replied: THAT rpust be the
drug. I'll have to go home and care
for him.
Admiral's Last Illness.