The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-23
GRACE LUSK ON
STAND IN DENIAL
OF DR.. ROBERTS
Nearly Faints in Giving Her
Testimony.
COnfesses Illicit Relations, but
Denies Guilt.
HE STARTED IT, She SAYS
She Refused His Love at First,
She Maintains.
Told Her of Unhappy Home
and Begged for Love.
Confesses Illicit Relations, but
Denies Guilt.
|E STARTED IT, She SAYS
She Refused His Love at First,
She Maintains.

Waukesha, Wis, May 23.-Grace
Lusk sacrificed her good name today
on the witness stand, confessing her
most intimate relations with DR..
David Roberts for love of whom she
killed his wife last June.
| Closing her eyes against the staring
faces in the court room Miss Lusk
admitted trips with Roberts to Chica-
go and Peoria, Ill. She added to the
evidence the government may use in
! Mann act prosecution against DR..
Roberts by saying: with the ex-
ception of our first two visits to Chi
cago he always gave me money with
the understanding that it was to pay
my railroad fare, hotel bills and for
any extra shopping 1 might want to
do"
DR. Roberts heard her from his seat
in a corner of the court room near
the door. He was stony visaged and
only an occasional biting of his lower
lip disclosed his nervousness.
She Nearly Painted.
Miss I.usk wavered under the ter
rifle ordeal, twice reeling in the wit
ness chair and nearly fainting- But
she passed thru the most dramatic
session in the two weeks trial without
any other visible emotion
Her confession of Illicit relations.
guided by the kindly questions OF her
attorney, James Clancy, followed
prologue in which she told or the
gradual birth of love in her spinster
soul. She had corrected many manu-
scripts for the literary horse doctor
prior to January, 1915, including ms
book on Cattle Breeds and Origins.
Il never thought of love until the
end of March, 1915. when 1 found out
began to care for him very much
Later, he told me l was the only
woman in the world he loved
Refused Love at First.
"At first l told him l couldn't ac-
cept his love- He said he would like
to be free from his wife, but that in
the eyes of the law he was legally
married; that it would not be easy
for him to change his life. He asked
for my love and all that it meant.
Then our relations passed those of
friendship to those of love"
| Their love was sealed finally in No
vemb Der, 1915, Miss Lusk said, when,
on his return from a western trip.
he took me in his arms in my office
| in the Y. M. c, A. and held me almost
an hour"
He said he had suffered SO much
while he was away that he would
never leave me again, that he could
not stand it."
Denies Taking Initiative.
! Instead of taking the initiative, as
| Doctor Roberts had testified she did.
Miss Lusk declared it was the doctor
! who suggested meeting her in Chi
cago. Roberts had testified she ask
ed him to take her there for a good
| time"
IT told him I was going to Chicago
to visit a girl friend" was her ver-
| Sin EJa ha q
to meet me in Chicago and that we
could talk and be together and the
rest would depend on me-"
Miss Lusk testified that Doctor Rob-
erts. during the summer of 1911, often
| took her motoring with friends. In
| the fall. she said, he telephoned ask
| ing her to call at his office to help
him with cattle book he was writing.
| She instead asked him to meet her in
her office in the Y. NJ. c. A., which he
| did. AS a result of this conference
! Doctor Roberts called at Miss Lusk' s
office several times a week, bringing
| her manuscript to edit
He Kissed Her First.
In January. she said DR.. Roberts
told her that his business profits
had dropped six or seven thousand
| dollars during 1914 and remarked:
You won't care for me as friend
if 1 lose my money Most OF my
friends are poor" she answered.
In March, 1915, she said she was
seated at her desk working on DR.
Roberts's manuscript when he leaned
over and kissed her She declared
she protested and he kissed her again
Later he asked me if cared fol
him." she said, land 1 told him that
he was married He said that there
was no love nor happiness in the
hearts of either his wife or himself
and that he would like to be free. but
could not as in the. eyes of the law she
was model wife. He then asked fol
my love"
Miss Lusk testified to having mel
Doctor Roberts in Chicago during
l1914-1916. On at least two occasions
she said. Doctor Roberts paid her rail.
road fare from Milwaukee to Chicago
and at other times gave her money
with the understanding that it was tt
reimburse her for her expenses.
Waukesha. Wis, May 23.-Gract
Lusk had led thru her first meeting
with DIR. David Roberts when she re-
sumed the witness stand today in hel
murder trial for shooting his wife
now to follow. Before the day is ovel
she is expected to answer his testi
mony that she made the first advance
and proposed "a good time in Chi
cago."
The large crowd eagerly awaited
the soul X-ray into the prim school
ma ANS first and only love affair. II
her hours opening testimony late yes
terday books were shown to have beer
her only sweethearts up to the tim.
she met the veterinarian at neigh
borhood social in 1913. Their first con
versation then was about cattle ant
breeds in which she was interested il
h. e-<1l,~ II