, 1916-02-24

W of Strickland. the judge or
dered the district attorney to proceed.
He called for Mrs. Trask after the
death of Mr.. Trask had been formally
proved. Every head in the courtroom
bent forward eagerly and curiously to
get a view of the handsome widow of
the slain man.
Mrs. Trask, will you kindly take the
witness chairf' directed Gray.
Raise your right hand, please" or
dered the clerk. DO you solemnly
swear hat the testimony you are about
to give will be the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth. so
help you GodT'
II do" vas the answer in deliberate
tones.
whats your name?'
Joan Trask."
Mrs. Trask. are you the widow of
Gerald TraskT" now continued the
prosecutor.
"Yes. sir"
How long were you married to Nj.
Trask?'
almost fifteen years."
vi dll SlutS were uldue
comments as to the thoroughly cool
and self collected bearing of this. the
chief witness against the now famous
prisoner. They will never shake her
testimony on cross examination" it
vas generally agreed.
The same idea was entertained by
Gray. and he proceeded confidently, al
most militant in manner with his
questions which were to settle the fate
Of Robert Strickland.
do you remember the night OF June
"A. 1915. Mrs. Trask?'
Without hesitation, hut with droop-
ing eyes, she answered:
Indeed I do"
Where were you on that eveningr'
81 had been dining out with friends
in the city"
What time did you arrive homer"
About half past 8. Mr.. Gray
The prosecutor paused momentarily.
as though to emphasize the effect of
his next query He gazed with signifi-
canoe in his expression along both rows
Of men in the jury box and then went
on:
Now. Mrs. Trask, l want you to de
scribe to the court and jury everything
that occurred after you arrived home
on that night"
The woman now seemed for the first
time to realize just how grayely serious
was the part she was to play in this
real life melodrama. A food OF heart
breaking memories surged through her
brain. tugged at her very heartstrings,
shook her with emotion.
That night-that night Of June "a
that fatal night, She turned appeal
ingly to the judge. but received no pity.
She must answer the question and do
as she had sworn to do-"tell the whole
truth"
She dried her nervously moist hands
with her handkerchief. She tried to
speak. but words would not ome forth
from the lips that moved. The woman
of steel nerve who had excited admira-
ton and comment at the opening Of
the trial now seemed verging on trans
formation to a physical wreck with
palsied tongue.
81 will repeat the question" began
the prosecutor. hoping to relieve the
strain of the deep silence. prevailing
throughout the woman's ordeal.
But no. By a tremendous effort sht
pulled herself together. looked straight
into the attorneys eyes and started
though in broken tones at the begin
ming, to tell what she knew of anc
had seen in the moments of the con
summation of the crime that hat
shocked a continent.
"You need not repeat that-tha
question" she quickly said. IL will
answer it fully. On the night In ques
ton l entered the library of my home
and-and-the telephone bell was-wa'
ringing"
Again she paused. Her cheeks, he
hands and her forehead twitchet
nervously as sometimes they do in al
epileptic attack. She CROPPED as thougl
blindly for a bottle of smelling salt
which she carried in IA gold mesh bag.
The once strong thread Of mental re
serve and physical power had worl
1 too thin to stand the strain. 1t snap
ped.
The woman fell back in the witnes
chair In II swOon as she gasped feebly
HWater, water" and the court attend