South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-07
NEIGHBORS SAY
MRS. SUHL DIDN' 7
GR|EVE GREATLY
Witnesses for State in Murder
Trial Declare Defendant Ap-
peared Not to be Affected by
Her Husbands Death.

having poisoned her husband by ad-
ministering arsenic, testified Monday
morning that on the day IF her hus-
band's S death, Mrs. Suhl had been Jolly
and had apparently -e,- no trouble.
Ed. higgins colOred, q neighbor, de-
cleared that when he had zone TO
sympathize with Mrs. Suhl a few Jays
after Mr.. SuhTs death, she said, I've
got rid of the old devil ut last
Several witnesses for the state we're
heard during the morning and the
cross examinations were brief. The
court room was crowded as usual and
there was little disturbance although
Cnce the court found it necessary TO
admOnish the spectators not TO dis
play their feelings. It was expected
at noon that the state would rest
when adjournment came in the aft
ternoOn.
Physician Has Doubts.
Or. Ii. a. Fink was put on the stand
for a continuation of the cross exam
ination which was begun Friday aft
ernoon. Questions were directed with
the view Of discrediGng the witness
ability as a physician. Little further
information was brought out by the
cross examination of the morning be-
cause of continuous objection on the
part of the state. The court sustain
ed these objections on the ground
that the questions were not cross-eX-
animation.
Finally counsel for the defense
propOunded several questions bearing
on the character and the professional
ability of the witness. These ques-
tiOns were not asked before the jury.
but were merely made a part of the
court record. The cross examination
thereUpOn was closed.
The testimony OF Or. Fink on cross
~ e ,,otfor ccrrphCraf
mony in chief concerning the Incl
dents of his attendance upon Mr..
Suhl He said that he had diagnosed
Mr.. Suhls ailment rs being cholera
morbus but that he had felt some
uncertainty concerning his diagnosis
because Of the fact that the patient
was so intensely i'll. He said that al
symptoms of cholera morbus he (the
doctor) could not understand why the
patient should show such extreme
Drostratf n as he did after so short
an illness.
"Got Rid of Old Devil
Ed. Higgins, cOlOred, living at No.
] SIC st. Vincent st. said that as
Ineighbor ne often saw Mrs. Suhl. He
/ said that on a certain day, soon after
the death of Mr.. Suhl. he saw Mrs.
| Suhl working in her yard and that he
went to her and sympathized over the
death Of her husband
! 81 went to her" said the witness,
"and told her I was sorry for her be-
cause Of her husband dying so sud
{ denly.
Mrs. Suhl hesitated a minute and
then said. I've got rid of the old
devil at last "
The witness said that nothing fur
ther was said at that time between
him and Mrs. Suhl.
Court Warns Crowd Again.
The cross examination was brief.
/ Atty. Hagerty asked the witness if
ne were the same Ed Higgins" who
recently had been released from Jail
where he had been confined for steal
| ing chickens from a Mrs. O'Neal The
] witness took emphatic exception 20
| the question. "No, sir" he said. "I
never was arrested for stealing Moth
in. and YOU or no other man can
show it,"
This answer caused several Of the
spectators TO laugh slightly Judge
Funk thereupOn called the bailiff to
! him and said. 'if anyone laughs out
again bring them before the court
and we viii have him put ont" The
Judge then warned the spectators that
he could not allow any disturbance OF
the case on trial
Objections of the state TO questions
embodying implications that the wit
ness had ever been charged with
crimes were sustained on the ground.
that only proof of Euilt and not in
dictments or arrest could be admitted
1 as evidence. There was a lively little
/ tilt between counsel on the point Of
these questions and the crOss-ex mi
nation was then closed
Two men. who had worked with
! Mr.. Suhl at the Singer factory were
i ~
Suhl. on the day before his death. had
/ complained of illness These men had
testified also during the first days Of
the trial and they had then told how
p Suhl had left his work and gone
/ home early after acting as if he We're
! in great pain.
! Mrs COffeen. Mrs. SuhTs daughter
| testified as TO the age OF her parents.
She said that her mother was close TO
/ &c years old and her father was Sc
/ or 5S years old.
Saw Mrs. SuhI Cursed.
Mrs. William F. Case and daugh-
/ ter. Ruth. Of Niles Mich, testified as
TO quarrels between Mr. and Mrs.
Suhl. They said that they had at one
time been neighbors TO the Suhls
Both witnesses said that they had
heard Mrs. Suhl curse her husband
and order him about Mrs. Case de-
/ clared that Mrs. subj had often com
planned OF not having enough money
! because she had said that Mr.. Suhl
/ drank and did not bring his wages
home
] According 70 Mrs Case. Mrs Suhl
was apparently more than usually
| Jolly on the day OF her husbands
/ death. She said that on that day her
daughter Ruth. and some other chill
dren were PLAYING hoD-scotch on the
/ sidewalk and that "a she stood watch
ing them Mrs. Suhl came up and ask
I ed her 10 play also.
'Whv. I am too old TO play" re-
/ piled Mrs. Case sit would kill me"
why. YOU are not too old" Mrs.
Suhl is said 70 ha fe answered. ''vou
are not too old 10 play II am not"
Witness testified that after that
/ conversation Mrs. Suhl went on 20 tell
how that she did not feel like work
| ing that dav and had asked Mrs Case
If she had ever felt that wav
The denomination Of the Wit
ness was in progress when court was
adjourned at the noon hour.