Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-19
TRY TO FIX LETTERS ON DONOVAN
Prosecution in Slander Suit Attempting to Show He Wrote Anonymous Post Cards and Letters to Hmsef and Mrs. Church -Forty-Six Exhibits Now in the Case.

and signed John Donovan, said that it was Harris who told Donovan all about the alleged actions in the Alice building. It brought in mention of things and denied that Donovan was the author of an article appearing in a Sunday newspaper in this state.
 Another letter said that MT. Dono- van expected to lose his position and his money was all gone. and his cred ftors were uneasy. It referred to alieg- ed confessions made by both MT. Craney and Mrs. Church and closed by saying that the writer was writing the letter so as to prepare Mrs. Church for her arrest. ael
 In another letter reference was made to what man had told MT Donovan about Mrs. Church saying she wanted to talk to MT Donovan. The writer said he was willing to talk at any time as he had no hard feelings towards Mrs. Church. In the concluding sen tence, the writer of the letter said that the man referred to lied so that the writer did not believe anything he said. Mrs. Church testified that the letter was in the handwriting of John Don oyan.
 That he would lose no time in call ing her bluff was stated in another let ter and he proposed to push these cases and would bet he would win. It referred to out-of-town witnesses to be brought to testigy to Mrs. Churchs actions. The letter was not signed, but was in MT. Donovan's handwriting, Mrs. Church testified.
 Clerk Was Watching. In another unsigned letter a postal card was enclosed The letter was on a letter head of the state highway com | missioners office. The card was di- rected to John Donovan and was dated No. B, 1919 and the letter Nov. Is, 1913. The letter writer said he had heard of visit to the Alice building but there was nothing wrong about this visit and the writer thought there would be an end of 1t now. It refer red to a clerk in 8 Main Street store who was watching Mrs. Church and suggested that MT. Church go to the store and buy something or that Mrs. Church walk up towards the Alice l building while her husband watched from the opposite side of the street so | that they could find out that the clerk was watching her. The card was MT. Donovan. It promised to keep l him posted on "every move she makes. :. | The letter closed with the wish that | the cards would stop.
 1 Too Seandalous to Keep. The witness identified a batch of a i dozen empty envelopes addressed to
 her husband and herself. The con 1 tents, she said. had been destroyed as 1 the letters were so vile and scanda- i Ious.
 Insulting Remarks on the Street.
 The witness testified to an occa- 1 sion when MT. Donovan was at heI l home in the fall of 1913 He came | there because Mrs. Church had sent her husband out to talk to Mir Dono- van because MT Donovan had made | insulting remarks to her on the street
 that evening. She said she asked Mir Donovan If he had ever seen her dc any improper act with MT. Craney ol any living man and Mir. Donovan sait he had not. MT. Donovan also saiC that he had never told anyone that ht had ever wanted Mrs. Church to gt around to see the people who were
 saying that MT. Donovan was talking about her.
 Cross Examination.
 1 Attorney Barnes took up the crosl
 examination of Mrs. Church asking her when she first knew MT. Craney
 She said she had known him for
 number of years by sight. She Saii she had spoken to him at the theatel while buying tickets, but only abou the tickets. as far as she could recall
 She had first known Mir Donovan
 when her husband went to work fo
 him. He had been to her house. bu
 never to see her.
 I &ASoe'Sh NSehk FFSoSHAS n1sSd Sae'
 Attorney Barnes asked the question
 if MT. Donovan had ever given he
 presents, but the court ruled out tn
 question.
 The first that she knew of her nam i being connected with MT. Craney'S wa i through the anonymous letters tha came to her. Many people also spok to her about the rumors that were be . ing circulated but she could not re
 call anyone in particular.
 , In reply to Attorney Barnes, MT: , Church said she saw no reason wh she should not have gone alone to M Craney's office to show him the, an onymous letters. She could not re call how many times she went to Mi
 1 Craney's office.
 l No Reason Why She Was Picked Gu l The attorney asked the witness she could give any reason why NJ Donovan should have selected her c all the women in the town to charg
 with intimacy with MT. Donovan. MT:
 Church said she could see no reason
 She said that she and her husban suspected from the handwriting tha the anonymous letters were written b , ! MT. Donovan. Attorney Barnes con IA stantly tried to get Mrs. Church to te how many times she or her husban \ had conversations with MT. Donovan but the witness constantly answere that she could not remembsr. Whe the attorney tried to get her to reca T exact conversations she answered the she could not recall.