The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-26
Mrs. De SaulIes Takes Stand in
Own Defense.
Squandered Her Fortune, Boast
ed of Illicit Love Affairs.
FALL AFFECTED Her BRAIN
TO Give Her Their
Baby and Broke His Word"
Pictures EX-HuSband as Gay
ROundef and Libertine.
RY HIGH RALLIES.

BN> HUGH BAILIIES.
NIineoIa, L. l.. Nov. 26.-Smiling,
perfectly at ease and speaking with
lsping English drawl, Mrs. Blanca de
Saulles today told the jury in her muir
der trial that John L. de Saulles. her
divorced husband, whom she killed.
squandered her fortune and boasted
of his love affairs with other women
She pictured De Saulles as gay
rounder who drank, insulted and neg
lected her and consorted with the
Duke of Manchester on his steam
yacht with its cargo of girls.
He took my money until l was
bankrupt, she said calmly. His
conduct nearly drove me crazy. / was
scandalized. narrowly escaped sail
ing with the Lusitania on its last voy-
age. When 1 heard il had been sunk.
sorry l had not sailed with it"
The aristrocratic little Chilean wom-
an, who is fighting for her life, was
quite unflustered. While others wept
at her story she remained at ease and
smiled after telling of De Saulles's
escapades.
when We discussed divorce, he
promised to give me the baby. but he
broke his word" she said.
Read Her Letters.
Defense Counsel Uterhart read to
the jury letters which she wrote to.
her husband and to women friends
showing that De Saulles' neglect
broke her heart and her spirit. She
implored De Saulles to return to her
1 and lavished endearing phrases upon
him. Some of the notesN to women
friends told of her great love for the
baby boy. Jack. She described the ar
rival of the baby's first tooth and gave
| other little intimate details of his
care.
Mrs De Saulles' examination was
started by Uterhart with the ques-
tions:
How old are you? Where were
you born? Where do you live?
She replied:
Is 23 Years Old.
Il am %. 1 wan born in Santiago.
Chile, and 1 live in the Mineola county
jail.
Uterhart's next questions were with
regard to a fall which Mrs. De Saulles
experienced when child and which
the defense claims fractured her
skull. leading to the mental derange-
ment which they hold responsible for
her killing of De Saulles.
She said she had fallen against the
andiron in her home in Chile and had
hurt her head so severely that she
( had to go to bed. A few years ago.
she also said she suffered a sunstroke
AS an evidence of De Saulles' treat
ment of her, she told how in London
he invited an attache of the American
EN- mbassy to dine with them at the
Carlton restaurant and then failed to
appear, leaving her alone to enter
tain the stranger at dinner and take
him to the theater.
Exposed by Town Topics.
Mrs. De Saulles nearly always re-
ferred to her former husband merely
as 'De Saulles." She declared that
her mother-in-law asked her to assist
in making De SaulIes drop the COM
panionship of the Duke of Manches-
aft he al
Saulles had seen an article in Town
I Topics describing the house parties
staged by De Saulles and the duke, in
which a celebrated Broadway dancer
name not given. became so exuberant
that she dived off the pier.
Uterhart produced a revolver and
handed It to Mrs. De Saulles for iden-
tification. She refused to take 1t.
shUddered and turned away.
Mrs. De Saulles then described her
husbands neglect of her in South
Bethlehem after their child was born
He was home only for week-ends,"
she said. TT wasn't very nice"
Shows Picture of Actress.
In Washington, she said. her hus-
band showed her picture of an
actress with love to Jack" inscribed
on it,
Uterhart read the jury a letter Mrs.
De Saulles--wrote her husband from
South Bethlehem.
Il feel so lonely now. precious" she
wrote. Il don't know what to do.
Take care of yourself, darling and
may God grant you success. Love
and kisses. Your devoted dada-girL"
Uterhart read many letters filled
with endearing terms imploring De
Saulles to return home. She called
De Saulles dada boy and Sweet
heart precious"
! Buys rs Prisoners Dinner
Before coming to court today Mrs
De Saulles put in her orders for A full
Thanksgiving dinner for every one OF
the seventy-five prisoners in Nassau
county Jail.
I A big crowd was in court many Of
the men behind the spectators railing
being in khaki-soldiers from camn
Mills and the Mineola aviation camp
nearby.
May Collapse on Stand.
Mrs De Saulles spent Sunday in
/ bed. resting for today's nerve wracI-
ing test. Her physician declared she
was very weak and that she might
collapse on the stand