New-York tribune., 1915-03-16
Report That the Accused
Woman Was to Testify
Draws Women, Too.
HOWEVER, SHE WILL
TAKE STAND TO-DAY
State Rests CaSe-Nerdict Now
Expected by Thursday
at Latest.
BY EMMA BUGBEE.

by EMMA BUGBEE.
Bridgeport, Conn. March LIT was
ladies' day at the Angle trial. To-day
the benches previously occupied by men
suddenly bossomed with spring mil
lnery and gay-colored feminine fur
bellows. Mrs. Helen NJ. Argl" was TO
take the stand. The prospect Of seeing
the accused woman and hearing her
tell the story Of how Waldo L. Ballou
fell down the stairway to death. on
June 23. drew thronG of women 20
the Fairfield County Court House.
In the afternoon number Of
giggling schoolgirls pushed their way
through the crowd. Older women were
dismayed as the testimony began to
develop along medical lines, such as
are not usually discussed In the pres
cnce of young girls.
"What are their mothers thinking
of" asked the court attendants IN
dignantly.
II. D. Simmonds, principal Of the
High School, said last night that he
would investigate the rumors that
school girls had cut their classes in
order to attend the trial
II heard that some Of the girls we're
there. but | believe that was IN the
afternoon after school was dismissed "
he said. "Of course, | have nothing 70
say about what they shall do outside
of school The question Of the pro-
priety Of their attendance at the trial
is up to their parents. II ] ind that
classes are being cut, that VIII DC
looked after"
Local ministers and at least one suf-
fragist voiced their disapproval OF the
lax parental discipline which permitted
young girls to spend the afternoon in
such unwhol some surroundings.
Tho eagerness Of girls III etheir
teens 10 attend such trial is deplor-
able" said the Rev. Gerald II. Beard,
pastor Of the Park Street Congrega-
tional Church. at is no place for
young girls. Their attendance should
be stopped
Mrs. william r. Hincks. eX-prcsidcnt
OF the Connecticut Woman Suffrage
Association, said last night that the
presence Of serious minded women at
the trial of a woman was TO be desired,
but that she did not approve Of girls
sp ,nding their time listening to such
things.
their business to attend every trial m
which n woman is involved" she eX-
plained. ave ought, of course, 20 have
women Jurors, but. until we do, the
best we can do Is 10 be OF hand ana
see how things are done. The Connect
cut sufFragists have been very busy
with the bin which is at present before
the Legislature.'
Most of the hints as to Mrs. Angles
p sical and mental disability at the
time Of the tragedy were objected 20
bv District Attorney Homer $. Cum
mings. The defence attempted to show
that the contradictory and untruthtul
statements made by Mrs. Angle after
she was arrested were the result Of
nervous disorders due TO her age,
which would make her mentally ire
sponsiblc after q severe nervous shock.
as this an insanity plea" demanded
Mr.. Cummings.
"Not at ALL replied Horace y.
Downs; "it is simply to show that her
contradictory stories were due to ner-
vousness and were quite consistent with
innocence
DR.. Frederick Shavoir. who attended
Mrs. Angle in the Stamford police sta
tion after her arrest, said that she
was in a hysterical state so that she
could not answer any questions cohcr-
entity. He testified that she had been
under his care since May and that sho
was in "A nervous condition such that
eny great excitement would throw her
of her mental balance completely
Hypothetical questions As 10 the
probable effect Of the events Of June
23 upon Mrs. Angles mind were OBJ
iected to by Mr.. Cummings, and wranC-
ling oscr these points occupied most
of thy day. The rest of the time was
filed in with minor witnesses Cor the
defence. and Mrs. Angle was not called.
The state rested its case shortly after
il o'clock.
Samuel Murphy. ianltor OF the Rip
powam Building. testified that there
was no sign Of water upon the stair
way. The marks of washing noticed by
witnesses for the state, he testified, had
been there since his last cleaning, ten
davs before at was a very poor
lob" said Ezra Hay, treasurer OF Rip
powam Lodge. tcstifyinG to the same
point.