The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-07-15


Mason. Roses father decides that
na' placed IN his hands S,s tss
has Tom. a youth OF 20. arrested for
ebduction and. as he controls the
district attorneys office. he In hav-
yindictiveness OF the angry man who
knows he is at fault Toms attor-
ney. nghting what he believes to be
searching cross-examination OF Mrs
Mason. He asks her who was the
nurse at the time Rose was born
Her answer Is: Il don't recall"
"Mrs. Mason" exclaimed Davcn.
port, do you mean to tell the court
that any mother can forget such I'm.
portant circumstances attending the
birth OF her only child? You can
not remember the name OF the doc
tor or the nurse? Who IL your fam
lily physician"
Doctor Colfsx."
"How long has he attended your
family"
/ II don't know. Since my mar
rage. I think"
Then he must have attended YOU
when Rose was born and he must
have some record OF her birth, even
though he seems to have neglected
to make mention Of II in the way
prescribed by law. will ask leave
to call Doctor Colfax. He Ia"
No" again broke in Mrs. Mason.
with visibly increasing nervousness.
81 remember now that he was Eot in
attendance"
you did not call In your own fam.
fly doctor Them And you cannot re.
have never been more than four
physicians at q time In Masonburg.
II will be an easy time In Mason.
burg II vii, be necessary TO sub
pena only three others. In the
meantime"
"Your honor" cried the district
attorney, noting Mrs. Mason's aspect
Of panic terror. Il have listened pa
tiently to this line Of irrelevant, In
competent and immaterial question.
ing. because ] know my learned OPP
ponent has a hopeless case. But the
time OF the court is being tempered
with. request to know what the
name Of any physician has to do
with the fact that Thomas Fletcher
Is guilty OF abduction, and"
Thomas Fletcher has not yet
been proven guilty OF abduction
your honor" contradicted Davens
port. THE whole question of his
possible guilt hinges on Rose Ma.
sons being less than eighteen wears
old. There Is no court record Of
her age. The date must he estab.
lished by contemporary witnesses
and by similar testimony. The only
known witness Is a woman who ap-
parently recalls no detail of her
child's birth except that she says
she. three weeks later, made an en-
try in family Bible. The Bible,
your honor. Il a sacred and unim-
peachably truthful book. But It's
sacred unImpeachabilty does not In.
clude the records that are placed in
II by fallible mortals. Especially, by
woman whose memory has proven
so eccentrically defective "a this
witness. crave permission TO go
on with my questions"
IL obJect!" cried the district attor-
ney.
objection overruled." decided tho
Judge, after moments ccnsidera-
ton. go on. Mr.. Davenport"
The district attorney took excep-
tion The exception was noted.
Davenport resumed:
'Mrs Mason. you have testified to
making a certain entry In your fam
fly Bible. You were not under oath
when you wrote that entry. You are
under oath now. Do you solemnly
. swear. In the presence Of Almighty
God. that Rose Mason was born on
September 3, 1887"
I'll don't know" whispered Mrs.
Mason, greenish white and painting.
Think. madam" urged Daven-
port, with fearful earnestness.
think. before you answer When
you speak under oath It In not TO a
mere lawyer you are speaking, nor
oven to the court. but to your Gre
ator. To the Creator 10 whom you
must one day give account OF that
solemn tath's sanctity or violation.
ask you again--was Rose Mason
torn on September ,. 1897"
Mono" whispered the CHASTITY
and shuddcring woman.
A gasp ran through the courtroom.
The district attorney lurched TO his
feet. but sat down again.
1.-THE records-on June 1, 1885,"
mumbled the witness.
Gentlemen of the jury" proclaim
ed Davenport. his voice ringing with
glad excitement You have seen
the marriage record. II is dated
June 2. 1915. At the time of her
marriage Hose Mason was eighteen
years and one day old. She was of
legal age to marry. The charge of
abduction fails to pieces. The"
II objccti" bswled the dumfounded
district attorney. The witness has