The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-19
BUNNY S
LET TERs
READ AS
EVIDENCE
Mrs. Eastlake Called Husband
Daddy" and Prayed for
His Return.
By KIRK C. MILLER.
Staff CorreeponAent.

| NAAsOooS v0'p ACSs AVs-OS-
tense counsel rested its case at
1850 this morning without calling
Roger d. Eastlake, on trial for
murder, to the stand.
The final evidence submitted by
the defense consisted of six letters
written last July and August by
Mrs. Eastlake, the dead woman, to
her husband, the man charged with
her murder.
All of these letters commenced
with "Dear Daddy" and were signed
Bunny"
Row On Hearsay Evidcnce.
One other letter from the dead
woman to Mrs. Mabel Chambers, the
| prisoners sister, was also admitted by
Judge Ch1nn, who commented on the
letter ~ being remote, but he would
allow 1t to be read to the Jury for
what Il was worth.
This letter later IN the morning vas
the suhtact OF q controversy when the
prosecution In rebuttal was overruled
Ior auempting to put "hearsay con-
versation" into the evidence.
| The witness was Mrs. c. A. Heine.
Kin. who. the prosecution stated, could
repeat conversation with Mrs. East.
Iake showing the husband and wife
were unhappy.
| In an impassioned speech in bewxinr
tne court to allow Mrs. Heinekin to
tectny. Commonwealth Attorney Mayo
salo: II your honor please, you have
sen MT to admit letters from Mrs.
Eastlake to the prisoners sister. which
! submit IL hearsay evidence' "hov.
ing the happy and tender relationebip
oetween Mr.. and Mrs. Eastlake.
Prosecution Leses Point.
For God's sake. since this prisoner.
through his counsel, and in thoeo lat
ters from his wife to his sisfcr hs.
opened up the sacred relationship bc.
tween himself and his wife. Tor the
sake OF her dear memory. and TIA ~.
OF those little children. let ma fnf,r.
ouce rebuttal evidence fron, ~
Heineskin, q neighbor of the Eastlehe.
70 snow that the husband ana No
constantly contended over domsst1c
letters would show"
ton with q third party vouH - -
roneous II allowed to enter the g.
umony. but permitted Mr.. Hefne-
KIN TO relate any conversafion fh.t
she had had with Mrs. EastIaIa. nrsI
wong 1t was not too remote.
Before proceeding with the 80.
TINS morning Judge Chinn addres.cd
ZIG fourteen Newspaper men who ara
covering the trial for washinrton.
Saamore. a more. Philadelphia, Richmond
ana Norfolk newspapers. He eaN.
1t has been brouSht to nv stt..-
ton that correspondents from citie.
OUTSIDE OF Virginia have written
| stories describing an alleged plan nv
rendents OF this county to lynch the
prisoner. 'A0
Story Called Fabrication.
The account was sent to m. nv
q friend md il in a COPY of n Ralti.
more Newspaper, which 1 have in INV
nand. The story is absolutely nm
founded, unjust and an entire fab.
r1cation. From the one or two news.
papers which ! have seen there IL q
tendency on the part Of One or two
corIeepondents to ridicule the people
OF tnls county. as well as the court
II wish to state that the court an
well as the people Of this county. re.
sent these stories which have been
sent out during the period OF this
trial.
! II think II is Of poor grace and
| very unprofessional for the one or
two reporters to whom / refer TO
adopt such tactics. This admonition
does not apply to all Of the gentle
men around the press table. The
sending of such untruthful state
ments borders closely upon contempt.
and I have had to exercise a xrent
deal of forebearapce to keep from
barring them from the courtroom.
Certainly a repetition of this kind OF
stories will force me to exclude them
entirely"
Excerpts from letter written iast
July from Mrs. Eastlaks to Mrs.
Mabel Chambers at Ocean City, N. T.,
follow:
l"Dear Bah:
II am so happy TO hear Of your ap-
preaching marriage and I hope thak
you and Frank win be a. devoted 30
each other as Roger and I.
| Babies Pleased Wlth Toys.
Roger Is the best man who ever
lived and is as good as gold to me.
Don't expect a bed Of roses, dear,
for even Roger and I have our
occasional spata but thsy never lAst
long"