Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-03-05
BERT BOWERS
FATE NOW RESTS
IN JURY'S HANDS
CONTINUED from page one)

v6rced. whereupon Mortenson made
arrangements to go TO this wife with
Bower the following day.
Biting this morning, detailing tho
deputy sherifFs testimony. said that
the morning after the Bower Morten-
son interview in Mahoa valley. Bower
met the county officer on the street
and said: ~
Il want you to go out and tell Mrs
CARVE Evans to keep her father from
calling on my wife and starting
trouble in my family. Tell her IL she
doesn't stop him that I'll expose her
Rose said he told Bower that he
did not propose meddling In the at.
fair and would not carry the message
In his argument Biting said the de-
tense had made no effort TO refute
this evidence, either in its cfoss-ex-
animation Of the deputy sheriff or in
the testimony Of Bower. He said
Bower. On the witness stand, had ad-
mittedt telling the gorl's father that
he was not married, explaining his sc.
tion by saying that he did it at the
girls request.
If Bowers associations and rela-
lions with Victoria Mortenson were
perfectly innocent, as he would have
you believe. why did she deem it nee
essary. and why did he accede so
readily to her request, to lie to her
father? If the couples friendship was
purely platonic. or as merely between
members of the same family, such as
Bower would have us think. why
should he so greatly fear the interview
between. his wife and Mortenson that
he should go to the length of threat
ening Mrs. Garvie-Evans in seeking to
prevent it, asked Biting.
= Following his talk a recess of FIVE
minutes was declared, and it was
stretched to 20 minutes while oppos-
ing counsel wrangled over the instruc-
tons which will be presented to the
Jury by the court at the conclusion OF
the trial. which probably will be late
this afternoon.
Attorney Douthitt's address was
equally able and fluent. He argued
THAT practically every bit of evidence
offered by witnesses other than Vic.
toria Mortensoh had already been an
swered satisfactorily by Bower, and
that, after all, the attendant circum-
stances could in no way establish the
mans guilt on the direct statutory
charge. The only testimony against
him on the actual crime was that OF
the girl herself. and Douthitt said It
was a question of her word against
Bowers. He then proceeded to ex-
plain that she had not told the whole
truth, saying she had declared that In
every instance her immoral relations
with the defendant had taken place on
the street, in his automobile; whereas,
the testimony of Mrs. Oldbury, If Ia
ken at its face value would cOntradief
| the girl. Mrs. Oldbury said she had
seen Victoria and Bower enter the lit.
tie yellow barn on Prospect street one
afternoon, and had seen them emerge
together about an hour later. Douth.
| lit said this would tend to show the
girl had testified falsely, and false
in one, false in all" he declared. He
reviewed her testimony, step by step,
arguing its weaknesses and seeking 20
lay bare its Inconsistencies.
Bower Admits Much
The defense closed It's case yester.
day afternoon, introducing only Bow
Ter, who testified at length on direct
examination but was cross-examined
by U. S. District Attorney MeCarn
only about half an hour.
Bowers defense is an interesting
Ione. He practically admitted all the
statements made by all the proseeu-
tons witnesses except Victoria Nor.
tenson, and admitted some of heI
statements, denying only the charge
of Illicit relations with her. In ad.
hitting the statements of the other
witnesses for the government he went
further into detail than they had been
able to do, explaining the attendant
circumstances in such manner that
his part in the affairs they narrated
would appear entirely innocent oil
evil intent
| As to the direct charge of immoral
IreIations, made by Victoria Mortenson
Ishe was the only witness to testify to
these, and as he flatly contradicts
the statements, it would appear to be
case of Bowers word against that
of the girl.