Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-27
STATE RESTS CASE
IN SECOND TRIAL Of
MRS. STELLA ABBOTT
Broken by SobS and Tears
Defendant Makes State
ment to Juy-Arguments
Begun in Afternoon

trial OF Mrs. stella ADDOIt, charged
with the murder of her husband
Johhny H. Abbott, former chauf-
feur to Fire Chief w. B. Cody.
The defense presented only the
statement of Mrs. Abbott, which was
punctuated with sobs and which re-
counted in considerable detail her
domestic relations.
In rebuttal at the conclusion OF
Mrs. Abbott's statement. the state
introduced about a dozen witnesses
to combat the statement of the de-
PENDANT that she was mentally I'M
balanced at the time of the shoot
ing. DIR. Frank Eskridge, well-known
Atlanta physician, testified that post
partem insanity is by no means in
frequent. but that in his opinion Mrs.
Abbott is sane now and was sane
at the time of the killing. Several
other witnesses testified along the
same line.
Argument by counsel began at the
afternoon session of the court and
1t is expected that the case will go
to the jury some time Thursday.
Broken by sobs and tears, Mrs.
Abbott told the jury her story of
her life, alleged to have been filled
with disappointments caused by the
lnfaithfulness of her husband, John
ry Abbott She said she was born
in Atlanta on March IA, 1888, and
was married to Johnny Abbott in
1904. She said she was but sixteen
years of age and he was a trifle
older than she was when they were
married.
Felt Husbands Love Slipping
In May, 1905, she said her first son
was born. She said it was three
manths later, owing to her condition,
that she realized what had taken
place. She said she had hardly re-
covered from the Illness incident to
the birth of that son when in
March, 1907, another boy was born.
ssAs this, she said. her
health was practically wrecked. On
November 9, 1908, she said, third
son was born. This child, she said,
died at the age of three years. She
said she had never been herself from
that time on.
During the last four or five years
of her married life she said she felt
her husbands love slipping from
her. For six years before January
81, 1919. she said her husband had
not been home to dinner, and he in
frequently came home to supper. She
said she had often asked him to
stay home at night but he wouldn't
listen to her. She said she never
knew when he was coming and could
not put any dependency in his prom
ises. For six months prior to his
death he had not taken her out, even
to church, she said. She said she
had asked him to meet her down.
town and he wouldn't do it.
On several occasions he had threat
ened to get a warrant charging her
wit hinsanity and send her to Mil
1edgeville, she said. During the sew
eral months prior to his death, wom-
en- would call him on the telephone
and whenever she asked them what
they wished, they would tell her It
was none of her business, she said.
Night Of Tragedy
"on the night of .1 the an tragedy"
Nome Mons At $50 sa aeock met came him
at tn edoor and he never offered to
kiss me. He appeared very nervous.
I placed his supper before him, but
after taking one bite, he stopped eat
ing. I asked him what was the mat
ter and he got mad. stating that I
made him tired. He went into the
front room and I began to assist the
children with their lessons.
While I was ENGAGED ged " with hd the the
nervous and looked as though he
wanted to get away as soon as he
could. After the boys had gone to
bed, succeeded in getting him to
Play IN Of tS Sar esme tha teIe
phone rang. Johnny answered it.
When he came back, he said there
was no one there. 1t rang again
and he again, answered. When he
nervous, and again he said there was
third time, Mr.. Mcintyre answered
the phone. He told my husband
there was lady who wanted to
"I went to the phone and told him
to let me speak to her. I spoke in
a voice as deep as I could, and some
woman on the other end of the line
said: "Have you got your clothes
OH yet. w el SpOhS dSdlIl EollS
knew that L was woman. I asked
her who she was, and she said: Get
Rim to tell you" l told her he was
not man enough to do 1T, and she
said tell N if he knows what's good
fHr his he'd better come to the
Y,1ione.
Nerves Unstrung
"Following this conversation my
nerves were unstrung. l was like a
person in a dream. l felt as though
I wanted to be dead. Everything
was black to me-"
At this point Mrs. Abbott broke
down and cried for several minutes
before she could go on with her
statement.
Continuing she said: 81 asked my
husband who that woman was! He
whom he had been intimate for sew
erai years. and he said he had been
with her that day. He said she had
threatened him if ae did net come
and see her L then called my father
on the phone and told him 1 was
in trouble. There was a pistol on
the mantlepiece, which my husband
II took it and placed it on the sew
ing machine. 1t was my intention to
kill myself. My happiness had been
destroyed and 1 didn't care to live.
But the thoughts of my two little
boys stopped me. My father soon
arrived at the house and when he did
1 agai masked my husband the name
him on the phone. He told me her
name was Mary Powers and that she
lived on Luckie street.
my father was writing the name
down on piece of paper. At the