Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-28
-Four Hours ofSharp Ques-
tioningFai toMoOe Mrs.
DeSauIles From
Her Story.

day failed to move Mrs. Blanca De
Saullcs from the story she told from
the witness stand yesterday in her
trial Oh charge of numbering her
former husband John l.. DeSau!'es.
The twenty -thrce-ycar-o II / g a n
hciress reiterated her version Of the
tragedy Of the night OF August :; at
DeSaullcs's Long Island home. in the
same dispassionate manner in which
she testified yesterday. Her answers
were deliberate. and were frequently
made after pauses in which she SEEM
cd to be giving them consideration or
striving TO frcshen her recollection.
Her attitude Of complete self-posscs
sion. notwithstanding the unusual ma
ture of the examination 'nc was nm
dcrgoiug. was Il subject of comment
among the spectators who crowded
the trial chamber.
Once. when his questioning had been
proceeding in a rather tedious vein
for some minutes. the district attorney
vcercd unexpectedly and. in an abrupt
tone. asked:
when d:d YOU FIRST know yen had
shot your husband?"
The question failed Of it's evilen,
purpose OF taking the witness un-
awarcs, for she looked steadily =: the
prosecutor. deiiberated for some sec.
onds and finally answered. slowly:
why DIR. Wight told me-"
Did he tell you YOU had shot nim
in the back was the next question.
IL don't remember" the witness an
swcrcd, after :, pause.
There was rcvcrsion TO this poin,
lat W l,n
cutor asked:
ASKS HER .%ROIT HUSBAND
BEING SHOT IN BACK
when did you first know that your
husband was shot in tho hack-hc was.
wasn't he
Was he:" questioned Mrs, DeSau,lca
in return.
I'm asking yoH." urged Weeks.
"Wf... it VAS in court last week:
when heard Marshall Ward testify"
said the dcfcndan, finally.
Marshall Ward was an intimate friend
Of DeSaulles. and was called by tho
prosecution as witness last week
or the actual she ot.ng. Mrs. DeSauIles
maintained her claim that she could
recall nothing: that her memory utter
L. failed to serve her in relation 10
what happened after her divorced nus
band told her sh. could not have her
son. for Unom she declares she went
to DeSaullcs's romc tho night Of tn.
tragedy. She chung to her previous
assertion that rot until her awaken
ing in the Nassau County Jai, some
days later did she agai,: become ra-
tional
With Justice Manning's permission.
the district attorney sought to assist
the witness by asking whether she
did not remember having toiL the Off
GERS who arrested her that they would
find the revolver with which she did
the shooting lying near "a hat rack
in the hall Of the DeSauiles home: that
the following morning she wrote
check for $1,000 with which To bail out
her maid. Susanna Montcau. who had
been held as material witness. and
that soon after the shooting. she
thought of such things as lawyers.
maids and money"
On none of these points. however.
was the witness able To amplify her
story. she declared.
ENDEARING PHRASES
~ MANY or LETTERS
Letters written by Mrs. DeSauiles TO
her husband during .hc time she 81
leees he was "indifferently neslec;tu' &c
and untaithful - her were read into
the record by District Attorney Weeks
curing the c"oss-cNamination. Endear.
in- phrases ana warm profession
lows contained In them were empha-
sized by the lawyer. rs indicating
that Mrs. DeSaulics's alleged marital
difficulties did not weigh SO heavily
upon her as she claimed in her direct
testimony.
MY heart VAS broken, but would
not lot him knnw--I never told any
one explained Mrs. DeSaulles when
asked why she wrote the love letters
II her relations with her husband were
as unhappy as she had claimed
One OF these read in part: Dear
Jack.--I want To tell you that am
really sorry for having made YOU so
unhappy. That | was not able 10
make you IA good wife viii ever hc n
regret to me. ! hope from the bot
tom OF my heart that you will find the
happiness that is your due"
"DcSaullcs made me believe that |
was always at fault" said the de-
PENDANT in explaining her reason for
writing this letter.
A humorous situation enlivened the
proceedings when. just prior to the
noon recess. juror yawned so loudly
that District Attorney Weeks turned to
Justice Manning and said: THE jury
seems TO be tired"
You cant blame the jury-any one
would be tired" said Mrs. DeSaulles. In
a tone so low the remark barely
reached the ears OF the attorney and
the justice.
You mean that ! am tiresome:" ask
ell Weeks.
Yes" answered the witness candidly
TO you?" the lawyer questioned.
Yes" she r"rsicd.
MEANT NO DISUESPECT
TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY
When Weeks explained that he un-
derstood he WAS not exactly enter
tanning" but that his duty demanded
that he make the examination he was
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