Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1914-06-05
Mrs. Lawson Not Guilty
JIIRY OUT 5 MINUTES. TOOK ONE BALLOT
Verdict Not Unexpected As States Case Ap=
peared Weak

by the state as an exhibit and said
they were not the ones she had on that
night. She had seen the club in evil
dence before. Had understood that it
was roller from lawn mower. Had
seen it before grand jury. She never
struck her husband with club or
with an axe or with anything that
would crush his skull. Got along with
her husband pretty WELL He drank
cider she objected but it did no good
She admitted throwing fork at hus-
band. She refused TO tell the reason
for this until told she must when she
said they had quarrel because he was
putting dirty water in the milk which
he was sending to John Mays. He
did this for revenge as he did not like
May. She threw fork at him as he
went out and thought she hit him.
There had been some trouble over deed
as she thought she should have her
name on it. She had turned over a
piece of property worth $500 to her
husband. He had promised to have
her name put in deed and when he
didn't she left and went to the John.
sons because she was provoked that he
had deceived her.
Regarding the conversation with the
minister Elmquist she said he and an
other minister came There and read
verses and prayed. She had pain in
her side and told them she wanted to
be alone. They talked and prayed and
at last she said that she did not know
as she had any God to help her any,
way and they went away.
Witness started to tell that that night
something happened to her. She said
tears came to her eyes for the first time
and she cried. This was objected by
the state and ordered striken out.
She said EImquist came again when
coroner and state policeman were there.
The minister told her that the officer
told him to tell her that she must con-
fess her crime. How she done it and
why she done it. He told her if she
would tell how she done it and why
they would make it easy for her and
try to show that she did it in self de.
tense and that her husband had starved
her sometimes. She denied she had done
anything she was ashamed of and had
nothing to confess. Elmquist told her
that they would,take her to Jail and
would watch her and that if she re-
fused to eat they would force her to eat
with tube. She said that if they did
she would kill herself and she knew
that God would forgive her If she took
her own life. She told of receiving a
letter from Elmquist in Jail and call
ing him up to tell him when she was
freed by the grand jury, that his pray
ers had been answered, and asked him
to pray and thank God for it. He told
her he couldn't because he didn't
know she was innocent. She said that
the reason she withdrew her offer to
give money to find the guilty person
was upon advice of counsel who told
her that if left quiet it might leak out
who did it.
She admitted talking with Claus
Hagstrom who testified that she told
him if she told all she knew her life
would be in danger. She said that
what she did say was that If she
should tell who she suspected she
would be in danger of her life. Hag-
strom said, "You mean Ben Johnson?'
and she didn't say anything. Hag-
strom said if she meant Johnson he
would take his part because he worked
for him. She had had feeling about
Ben Johnson since the Sunday before
when they were at his house.
She told of several times when her
husband abused her but said they got
along all right most of the time.
Newton A Ballard and K. t. Perrin
testified that they didn't think any
blood WAS spilled on the kitchen floor
while body was being prepared for
burial.
Elmquist, Hagstrom, Hurley and
Bill were called for one or two ques-
tions in rebuttal and the evidence was
concluded.