The Washington times., 1918-08-13
ROTH SUIT
ARGUMENTS BEGIN

ROCKVILLE. Nd Aug. 13.-Testi-
mony in the $4,000 suit brought by
Mrs. Johanna Roth against Mrs.
Juanita Frank, of Glen Echo, on trial
in the, Montgomery county court,
closed at noon today. Arguments
now are being made by counsel be-
fore Judge Peters.
Attorney John A. Garrett, counsel
for Mrs. Roth, in opening his argu-
ment, said the testimony showed
his client had been defrauded by
Mrs Frank of stocks in Roth Broth
ers, Of Chicago, valued at $21, 900.
He denied that Mrs. Roth had found
$22 900 in cash which Mrs. Frank
claims she had secreted under the
bathroom floor OF Mrs. Roth's home,
where Mrs. Frank was staying pend
ing her appearance as q Government
witness in the famous Chicago brick
trust case.
Hidden Treasure Alleged
State Senators J. D. williams, L J.
Costigan, and William n. Talbot,
representing Mrs. Frank. will follow
Mr.. Garrett They will contend that
Mrs. Roth found S22.0 900 left IN her
home by Mrs. Frank and appropri-
ated II for her own use.
They will claim Mrs. Roth spent the
money and turned over to Mrs. Frank
stocks and bonds to the amount of
$51, 900. Mrs. Frank admitted in her
testimony that she sold the stock for
50, 100 believed that she was receiving
value for the money she claimed to
have left in Mrs Roth's home when
she appeared in Federal court in Chi
cago.
Charles L. Frank Testines.
Charles L. Frank, husband Of Mrs.
Frank, yesterday told the jury that
Mrs. Frank, before her marriage to
him, had intrusted to him thousands
of dollars which she had inherited
through the deaf OF er frst usband,
Samuel Kidder.
Mrs. Frank, when she inherited
the money, was the wife OF Charles
J. Christopher" Frank told the jury.
"She had been divorced from Kidder.
and she gave me the money to take
care of so Christopher could not get
his paws on it She was planning to
divorce Christopher and gave me the
money without any reservation other
than to look out for her so Christie
pher could not get any Of It"
wife When Fourteen Years Ola
Frank testified further that he met
Mrs. Kidder. as she was known at
that time. in 1895. at New Orleans He
told the jury he painted her portrait
MRS. Kidder," he said, ''at that
time was only fourteen years old.
Kidder was a wealthy man and much
older than his wife. They became
involved in domestic troubles and
separated and were divorced. But
- ~ 1aff his FOF-
tune to her. although she had again
married"
.srhe married life of Mrs. Kidder
and Christopher was not q happy one.
Mrs. Frank, then. of course, Mrs
Christopher, confided in me. She
gave me on one occasion $4,000 and
told me to keep It for her. Later she
gave me sums totaling In the thou
| sands, telling me to invest It for her.
There were no agreements or papers
signed between us in the transae-
tions. She trusted me as q man of
honor. Finally, she got her divorce
from Christopher and We were mar
ried."
Expected to Marry Her.
IAN the time you were getting
money from Mrs. Christopher" asked
Mrs. Roth's attorney. you had In
idea the marriage OF the Two OF you
"Oh, yes, that Is right. / fully ex-
pected to marry Mrs. Christopher as
soon as she got her divorce from
ChristopherU
When Mrs. Christopher, now Mrs.
Frank, gave you the $4,000 to keep
for her, did she say anything elseT'
Yes; she told me that there was
plenty more"
Frank testified that after he mar
ried Mrs Christopher she turned over
to him all her properties, and from
1910 to July 20. 1915, he had drawn
checks aggregating $4,000. These
! checks were introduced in evidence
and placed in the record. The con-
/ tention of Mrs. Franks attorney is
that during this period the money
was used to help support Mrs. Roth
and her two daughters and a son-in-
law.
Keep No Accounting.
Frank said he just made q living
as an artist He said he and Mrs.
Christopher were married May IA,
1913
Asked by Mrs Roth's attorney
4