Baxter Springs news., 1919-03-07
NORMA COOK
MAKES TESTIMONY
Says Her Father and Broadway
Made Threats Against Each
Other Before the
Murder


years old, was the principal witness
today against her father, ]. Norman
Cook, in his trial for the murder OF
William Z. Broadway, the girls mid
dleaged admirer, who was stabbed to
death last summer. She completed her
testimony after having told that her
father had threatened Broadway. On
cross-examination she admitted Brad
way had threatened her father.
The girl, who was only II years old
at the time of the killing, testified
smilingly much Of the time. She ap-
parently did not give her father a
glance. Her mother, Mrs. Myrtle
Cook, and the latter's father, Daniel
M. Bliss of Columbus, Kan, sat near
the prosecuting attorney.
Assistant States Attorney James c.
o'Brien, charged in his opening state
ment that Cook had vowed to Kill
Bradway and went to the Broadway
home in June, 1918, when Bradway's
aged mother lay dead in the house,
and finding crepe on the door, went
away. Then on August 20, it was
charged, Cook laid in wait, engaged in
q scuffle with Broadway and stabbed
him fatally.
Gave Dinner Party
The girl said Broadway had gone to
Columbus, Kan, last June and given
a dinner party for her and others at
the Columbus hotel. 1t was then her
father also appeared in Columbus.
She said he and she and her mother
met in a playhouse at the Bliss home,
which had been erected as a memorial
to her grandmother. Asked by the
prosecutor what her father said, as to
Bradway, she answered:
"He said he would get him and
that | would never see him again."
She said Bradway's conduct toward
her always had been proper.
On cross-examination, the girl was
asked by Attorney Everett jennings
counsel for her father what Broadway
had once said to her about her father
She answered that Broadway had said:
"If your father ever dares to inter-
fere between US, l will choke his
tongue out"
Miss Cook had told on direct exam
ination how her father found her in
Bradway's office last spring, and that
Cook had said he 'tdid not want me
there and he told Mr.. Broadway ne did
not want him to see me-"
At the Columbus meeting, she testi'
fed her father said Broadway was moi
a fit man to associate with.
On cross examination, the girl testi'
fed she had met Broadway at q sum-
mer garden; that he afterward had
sent her theatre tickets and had taken
her to a dinner party; that while she
was in school she had met Broadway al
lunch times, and after school hours
had gone to hotel tea rooms with him
Took Her to Cabarets
Later, she testified Broadway several
times a week took her to hotel gr1l
rooms, cabarets and summer gardens
"When did you study?" she was
asked.
81 did not study very much" she
answered.
She said her father did not know o.
those excursions for a time, and ad
ded:
"When he went to Mr.. Bradway''
office he learned of them, / guess. HI
found out through the florist. Mr.
Bradway sent me flowers"
Elmer D. Sweeney, Michigan rail
road fagman from Detroit, was ont
of the early witnesses. He said h
was walking with Mrs. Ethel Hogan
a waitress, and saw the stabbing OF
the steps of Bradway's home. He SAT-
one man wore a dark suit, and ne al
terward slearned the man was Brad
way. The other, clad in a light suit
he identified as Cook. He said tn
stabbing occurred as he and Mrs
Hogan were walking toward tn
house. Mrs. Hogan testified she di'
not see the encounter until after the!
had passed the house and upon hear
ing a noise, turned and saw the tw'
men fighting.
Mrs. Lucy Aurand Bradford of Erie
Kan, is expected to be called as tn
prosecutions last witness tomorrow
morning.
The defense reserved its openinI
lstatement until the state should hav
closed its testimony.
Cooks counsel are expected to at
tempt to plead self-defepse.
CHURCH ILLUMINATION