The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-25
Trying to Break Down the
Prosecutions Wit
neSSeS
DIVORCE FIGHT
BROUGHT UP
Doctor Intimate with Other
Women, Wife Charged
in the Petition

Providence, r. l., Jan. 25.--Almost
at the point of resting its case, the pros
ecution yesterday introduced as evil
dence against Mrs. Elizabeth L. Mohr,
Cecil V. Brown and Henry Ii. Spellman,
jointly on trial for the murder of the
woman's husband, DIR. c. Franklin Mohr,
the divorce petition which was filed by
Mrs. Alohr in February, 1914.
The case was to have come up on
Sept. ! last, the day after Doctor Mohr
was killed.
The petition as introduced yesterday,
charged extreme cruelty by the husband.
As amended on July q, reference was
made to Doctor Mohr's association with
other women and charges were included
that he was an excessive user OF drugs.
Separate maintenance for the wife, in
stead OF absolute divorce, was asked in
the amended bill.
The documents were brought into the
records of the case through Identified
tion by Robert c. Root, assistant clerk
OF court. Newspaper reporters were the
other witnesses at the forenoon ses-
| sion.
Miss Gertrude Stevenson, who tes-
titled Friday regarding the interview
with the negroes in jail, in which one
was quoted as saying: Tell Mrs. Mohr
we will stick by her if she will support
us" was subjected to sharp cross exami-
nation.
Attorney William H. Lewis began his
cross examination Of Miss Gertrude Ste
vcnson, writer on Boston newspaper,
when court convened yesterday morning.
Showing the witness slip Of paper
ON which was written a name, he asked |
her if she knew anyone by that name
in Boston.
4 do, replied Miss Stevenson.
Mr.. Lewis tore up the piece of paper |
when the attorney general asked to see
tie memorandum. The court objected |
to this method OF examining witness.
Mr.. Lewis offered to write out the
name again, but the court refused to
let him inquire in this way. Mr.. Lewis
then abandoned this method.
Didn't you tell young lady at
party in Boston, Oct. 30, that
you were going to Providence to testi
fy against those niggers I" Miss Steven
son was asked
Il never said such thing she re-
Piled
She admitted that she was at the
party and talked about the case. The
person she had the conversation with,
she said was Miss Solita Salano OF the
Boston Traveller, whose birthday party
{ was.
Miss Stevenson denied that she ex-
,rcised her personal charms to get the
confidence of these boys" but admitted
he thought it was necessary to deceive
he negroes" to get their story. She de-
lied that she went down ito get story
hat would connect Mrs. Mohr with the
She said she was after the
ruth. (
Attorney General Rice openly accused
attorney Lewis of deliberately violating
he ethics of the profession in his cross
{
Have you any prejudice against the
efendants | represent" asked Attor
ey Lewis.
Il have the greatest sympathy for
hem," answered Miss Stevenson. =,
Haven't you written serial story Q,
n The Birth of Nation for the Bos- !,
IN Journal?" ct
The objection of this question was T.
istained :,
And didn't you say in that story n,
rat the niggers were shown up as they h;
ally are2" ii
NO sir" replied Miss Stevenson, be- m
IRE the attorney generals objection
'uld be ruled upon.
On redirect examination Miss Steven
N was asked if Brown, Spelman and
calls said anything about the dis -
'sition of their guns. y.
Eyes, / asked them how they were .,
ing to get out of the fact that they =.
ID told Chief Robbins what they had -
ne with the revolvers, and they said, =
h., that won't amount to anything, TT
; can say we told the chief that just
agree with him"
The alleged abb that Brown is claimed
have given to Miss Stevenson to give
his sister was introduced in evidence.
reads as follows: an
Monday, August 80 s;I5, left New
TT at p. m, on my motorcycle. Went
rough Warren at $50 p. m, arrived
Providence, r. L., about 6. p. m. Stayed
Providence all night and all next day,
itch was August 81, s;l5 in the even
!. At 9:15 p. m, from my sisters vol
me, rs Gadsen street, Providence r. rel
went to Riverside to call on some Or,
ends, but did not see them. Lett fee
Ferside about 1920 p. M; went into ma,
evidence by way Of Red Bridge, stop hes
g at 6S Meeting street, Providence, fiy,
l."
{. Z. Hedlund, a Boston newspaper for
N, gave testimony corroborative of cas-
It of Miss Stevenson relative to the unt
erviews obtained from the negroes kin
the Bristol ;a;l -.