The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-17
BESSIE STEWART
A'S0ILED Dove
CRUBBS CLAIMS
Dispositions Attacking Her
Character Introduced.
Officers Testify to Finding Her
in Salina Raid.
COURT ROOM PACKED TODAY
Many Young Men at the Hear
ing This Morning.
Death Bed Dispositions of Mrs.
Manning Read.
COURT ROOM PACKED TODAY
Many Young Men at the Hear
ing This Morning.

Loehr Grubbs, or his wife. Lucille
Mulvane Grubbs, may be called to the
witness stand late this afternoon or
tomorrow morning to testify in the
$4,000 breach of promise suit filed
against Grubbs by Bessie Stewart, a
mililner.
Grifbbs had his inning today in the
trial of the case before Judge Robert
D. Carver in the first division of the
district court. Testimony attacking
Bessie Stewards character before the
damage suit was filed and subsequent
to it's filing was introduced.
The court room was filled. The
suggestion has been made that tru-
ant officer from the high school might
busy himself to good advantage by
visiting the court room. The faces of
young men, from the age of Is to 81
years. line the benches. Also, numer-
Gus members of the legal profession.
not in their offices these days, might
be found in the court room.
.'Soiled Dove Dispositions.
The dispositions of c. l. Pitts, 1104
East Eighteenth street, Kansas City,
Mo :. T. Jennings, a Kansas City at
torney, and Jessie WeStcott, a woman
who claimed she had frequented dis
orderly houses in Kansas City, were
read to the jury today. These depo-
sition, printed months ago, tend to
prove Bessie StWart a "soiled dove"
The deposition by Pitts is to the
effect that he heard Bessie Stewart
bargaining with a man named Harry
Robinson, knew Bessie to be ''call
in" girl in Il disorderly house These
alleged actions by Bessie Stewart oc-
CURED since the filing of the suit
Atchisopl endeavored in vain to keep
them ofi of the case, claiming the
girts az eyed conduct since that time
had nothing to do with the allegations
in the suit. His objections were over
ruled by Judge Carver. sE,a.s
Officers ON Stand.
A f. Gibson. a Salina policeman.
and Howard Burke, former chief of
police at Salina, testified to findlns
Bessie an inmate of disorderly
house in Salina raided by them two
ves,s ago. They testified they found
Bessie asleep in a room alone. I'm
natural drowziness of the girl after
she had been awakened was the
foundation for their testimony that
she was Intoxicated but able TO
take care of herself"
The officers testified that while Bes-
sic was asleep alone they found Mrs
Cochran. the landlady, sleeping with
a man and that Mrs. Cochran was so
! drunk she walked like a landlubber
on shipboard during a storm" Burke
claimed he peeped in the window or
the Cochran home two hours before
the raid was made and saw Bessie Ste
wart and others drinking and eating.
Half emptied beer and whisky glasses
were found in the Cochran nome, MS
testimony showed
Gave Name of Bessie Harper.
The officers stated that Bessie Ste
wart was booked at police headquar-
ters as Bessie Harper. Bessie Stewart
on the witness stand admitted she had
been arrested in Salina but claimed
she called on Mrs. Cochran in good
faith believing her to be decent wo-
man. She testified that Mrs. Cochran
had been a neighbor on the Kansas
farm when she was a little girl
w. +. AtchiSon, attorney for Bessie
Stewart. read the deathbed deposition
of the late Mrs. Genevieve Mannfns
which is looked upon as the strongest
testimony in favor of Bessie Stewart S
contention that she really planned to
wed Loehr Grubbs. Mrs. Manning
swore that she overheard Grubbs
speak of his approaching marriage to
Bessie Sewart and saw him with his
arms around her and witnessed him
kissing her the same week he married
the husband, compositor on a To-
ptka paper. corroborated to some eX-
. tent his dead wife's deposition. Bessie
Stewart roomed at the Manning home
on Tyler street at the time Loehr
Grubbs married.
AtchisoE recalled Bessie Stewart to
the stand today She testified she
had borrowed probably $3.50 from E.
A GuJh, of Topeka, to finance, her
suit and provide her with clothing,
and in addition had pawned her dia-
mol.d ring. She claimed Guth was a
friend of her father; that the two
were lodge brothers.
rne same interesting scene faced
the spectators today. Loehr Grubbs
again was surrounded by his wife and
mother. Bessie Stewart sat alone. ex-
cerTing for her sister from Cameron.
( Mo-, who has remained faithfully at
her side since Tuesday.