The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-13
Real Sensations at the White
Slave Trial Today.
SENT HER MONEY TO FLEE
Girl Says Mayor Van Syckle
Wanted Her to Escape.
Admits She Embraced Him in
Ottawa Hotel.


him before said Alma Stephenson,
this morning while on cross-examina-
ton. tSince / have had my eyes
opened 1 realize that he has ruined my
life.''-
Such was the declaration of the
feeling that the girl holds toward |
Mayor Van Syckle of Olpe, who is fac
ing statutory charge in the district
court. She says her only desire now
is to assist in bringing him to retribu-
ton.
Throughout the trial which began
yesterday morning Miss Stephenson's
statements have been unreserved and
positive, and there has been nothing in
the fears felt by the attorneys for the
state that she might weaken any of
her statements made rather reluctant
ly before the court of Topeka.
The seventeen-year-old complaining
witness sprung the surprise of the Van
Syckle white slave case this morning
when she exhibited a five dollar bill
which she said Mayor Van Syckle had
sent to her within the past three
weeks to enable her to escape from
her home at Olpe. where she has been
closely guarded by her parents since
Van Syckles arrest. She said he told
her to slip away at the first oppor-
attorneys.
Tells of Another Visit.
Judge Dana's court room thrilled
with surprise when this statement was
made during the girls cross-examina-
ton by owen Samuels, of counsel for
the defense. since nothing of that
character had been brought out on
direct examination. Still another sur
prise was given when Miss stephen
son gave a circumstantial account of
a visit to the town of Florence with
Van Syckle which she said took place
some time in the early part of last
winter previous to the first meeting
at Usage City. This testimony was a
sI6 6Dc cse.
had not alluded to it either~on direct
examination or in the course of her
statement at the preliminary examina-
ton of Van Syekle last month She
declared today that that was the real
beginning of the defendants Illicit
relations with her
The Attitude of Defense.
1t has been a gruelling cross-ex-
animation which Attorney Samuels
has administered to the states witness.
1t was still incompleted at the noon
recess and promised to last through
most or all of the afternoon. 1t be-
came evident that the defense will not
deny the identity of Mayor William H.
Van SyckIe of Olpe as being the same
man who registered at various hotels
under the name of l.. L. Wilson. 1t
appears probable from the character
of the questions directed at the com
planning witness that the defense will
endeavor to establish a claim that Van
improper and that an effort will be
made to brand her as an adventures.
Attempt to Embrace Him.
This was indicated by questions as
to Van Syckle's conduct in the pres
ence of proprietors of hotels in Ottawa
where the pair was registered. One
such question drew out the fact that
Van Syckle had repulsed the girl when
she attempted to embrace him at the
Ottawa hotel where she had been
Oi ri d
mitted this.
The witness acknowledged having
told a story while at the Douglas hotel
in ottawa about her marriage to Van
Syckle. She saiC she told other women
at the hotel that they were married
in April at her home, and also that
she was 20 years old.
In answer to questions which At
torney Samuels put regarding the
character of the witness, Miss Steph-
enson admitted having gone home one
night, before she left Olpe, with a
man of bad character, but she said
her sister was with her all the way
home. She flatly denied ever having
had relations with any one before she
left home with Van Syckle.
Not for many terms of court has
there been more conspicuous interest
on the part of the public in a trial
in the district court. Many of the spec
tators are apparently from out of
town. There were seats and not
even standing room from the begin
ming of this mornings session of
court. The chief object of interest is
the states witness. who has borne the
strain of her examination without evil !
dences of exhaustion, and her replies
TO the fusi1lade of questions directed
by the attorney for the defense have
been uniformly clear and for the most
part consistent.
''She is an ideal witness declared
Robert Carver. assistant county attor-
ney, who has led the case for the
state. Her story has been consistent
and mistaken in any essential way
MY Darling Wife,
Counsel for the defense closed cross
examination at o'clock this after
noon and Assistant County Attorney
Robert Carver, for the prosecution, on
an indirect examination, introduced
several letters written to Alma
Stephenson by Van Syckle.
The first letter was written to her
while she was in the Rex hotel in
Topeka. 1t was filled with endearing
messages of love, thoughtfulness about
her health and her happiness. 1t is
alleged to have been signed as follows:
ITO my dear. sweet, darling wife from
your loving and true husband
The other letter is alleged to have
been written after the preliminary
hearing. In it, he is charged with tell
ing her that the lawyers wodId be
mean to her at the trial and that she
had better break down on the witness
stand and say that her testimony in
the preliminary was untrue. He ad-
vised her, it is alleged, to tell the court
that she had been on a nervous strain