Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-12
Rhode Island Prosecutor Be-
gins Presentation of Case
to the Jury. Il
GIVES SEVERAL MOTIVES
FOR PHYSICIANS MURDER
Recites Circumstances Attending
the Crime to Show Victims Wife
Feared Divorce Trial.

PROVIDENCE. F. L. January t.
The state today plungee directly into
its task of attempting to rove that
Or. c. Franklin Mohr, widely known as
physician in this city and Newport.
was killed by two negroes who had
been hired by his wife. Mrs. Elizabeth
r. Mohr, to commit the crime. The
woman and the negroes-Cecil V.
Brown and Henry Spellman-are being
Jointly tried for murder.
Henry S. Chaffee and Miss Celia NJ
Cross, a nurse, who reached che scene
of the shooting soon after II occurred,
were the first witnesses for The p-os.-
cution. They described the scena and
told of the condition of Dr.. Moh- and
Miss Burger. Miss Cross said Or Nohr
was unconscious and she attended him
on the way to the hospital Miss Bur
ger, who was in the automobile with
Dr. Mohr and was severely wounded
by the assassin. then was called to the
stand.
Much OF the prosecutions case. ac-
coroinG to those who have watched the
proceedings, has been built around the
confession of a third negro, George
Heals. driver of the car in which DR..
Mohr was shot. August 81 last, while
motoring to Newport with Miss Emily
burger Heals will be witness
LOT the state. Abbott Phillips. assist
ant attorney general, in outlining the
case OF the prosecution, declared that
Mrs. Mohrs extreme jealousy of Miss
Burger was the motive for seeking her
husbands life
Attorney Points to Motive.
Phillips. in recounting the circum-
eta Of
clared that the prosecution was pre-
pared to show that Mrs. Mohr melted
the negroes to Stay her husband be-
cause she was worried by the divorce
suit that was pending and also feared
that DR.. Mohr was going to put all
his money in the name OF Miss Emily
G. Burger, his secretary"
There were several strong and pow
erful motives for Mrs. Mohr to want
she was a desperate woman. and we
VIII show you that she was extremely
jealous of Miss Burger
Mr.. Phillips said that DIR. Mohr was
attacked August 81. 1915, while in an
automobile on his way from this city
to his Newport residence, accompanied
by Miss Burger; that the negro chauf-
feur, George W. Heals, stopped the
of woods near Darlington, and that
the doctor and Miss Burger were shot
from ambush.
Miss Burger on the Stand.
Miss Emily G. Burger. secretary to
DR.. c. Franklin Mohr, and jealousy of
whom, the state alleges. was a con-
tributing motive for the murder of the
physician at the instigation of his
wife, was called to the stand by the
prosecution today. Her testimony lift
ed the trial of Mrs. Mohr, and her two
alleged negro accomplices. Cecil V.
Brown and Henry H. Spellman, out of
the ordinary.
1t was the first time that she had told
her version of the tragedy. Miss Burger
in her confidential capacity is supposed
to know more of DR.. Mohr's affairs and
of the medical practice that brought
him wealth and notoriety than any one
else. limitations by the defense that
his record a a physician would be gone
into has accounted largely Tor the IN
Miss Burger described The automobile
ride with the doctor which ended in the
fateful wounding Of her companion and
serious wounds to herself.
Il was in the rear seat Of the auto
mobile with the DOCTOR" She said.
Heals. the chauffeur twho has turned
states evidence), stopped the car. turned
off the headlights, put on the sidelights
and then got out He said something
about motor trouble. Then l heard an
explosion and realized that 1 had been
shot"
At the same time, she said, the doctor
leaned toward her and she heard
Heals say, "Oh, my Cod
Relations With Physician.
During the cross examination the
state sought to keep out testimony eN-
nIaining the witness presence in the
automobile, but the court ruled that
the testimony was permissible. MISS
Burger admitted that she was close
friend of Dr. Mohr and that ne had
visited her at her home almost every
dav during the five years preceding his
death. 49,
Mrs Mohr hung on every word OF tne
witness AS Miss Burger entered the
room the accused woman for the nrst
time lost all color. Leaning forward In
her chair she kept her gaze hxed on
the witness Earlier witnesses, win
whom the prosecution opened its case,
-