Evening star., 1921-12-18
NURSES LETTERS
| TO EASTLAKE READ
Love Messages Cause
+ Laughter, But Judge Calls
Them "Monotonous DriveI."
From q Stan Correspondent.

from stan Correspondent.
MONTROSS. Va, December IL
letters In which was expressed every
emotion experienced by a woman for
the man Of her heart, counsel for de-
Tense occupied the entire closing ses-
sion here this afternoon of the trial
of Roger D. Eastlake, charged with
These were the letters Of Miss Sarah
E. Knox, jointly charged with the
crime. to the naval petty officer.
whose counsel is endeavoring to
place the entire blame for the murder
on the shoulders of the woman who
wrote them.
Most Of the letters to the officer
seemed Of unending length, and their
contents caused even the sober-mind-
ed Virginia people who crowded the
house to burst frequently into peals
of laughter.
Judge Asks for Halt.
Several times during the reading of
them Judge Joseph Wilson Chinn
asked chief counsel for the defense,
w. w. Butzner, If enough of the
''monotonous drivel" had not already
clared he would have to proceed to
complete his defense.
Several of the letters read were
from Mrs. Margaret Eastlake to Miss
Knox, followed by those from the
nurse to the accused mans wife.
The purport Of this correspondence
was to show that Mrs. Eastlake had
been informed by neighbors of the al
legged intimacy between Miss Knox
and her husband. She informed the
nurse that she was Objectionable to
the Eastlake home. and Miss Knox ex-
pressed her indignation in return at
the young housewives accusations.
GTold NV Husband All,n
In one Of her letters to Miss Knox.
Mrs. Eastlake said:
Il have told my husband all and he
understands"
Later. in one of the nurses letters
to Eastlake. this was mentioned again
remain with the woman who has been
false and will do so again. than with
one who Is devoted to you? 1 have
shielded you from one who would at
tack you at any time
1t was evident from the nurses
writing that she held a financial
bugaboo" over the head of the ac-
cused, for she often would write that
she was willing to disappear, If he
thought he could afford it. She made
several references in the letter to set
Elements.
Full Of Endearments.
Many endearing terms of affection
were applied to Eastlake by the nurse
in her letters. such as Dear Nephew"
Roger" Dear Boy etc, while
she varied her signatures in ending
with such expressions as your
Auntie," and other like appellations.
The period covered by the letters
read today was from February, l9ll'
to the time of the murder.
After considerable argument the
court allowed the letters to be read.
provided the defense in so doing
would prove by the reading that they
came from Eastlake's effects at the
after the murder had been committed.
Judge Chinn qualified his ruling
by saying that should the defense fail
to so show this the writings would
be thrown out of the case and the
jury instructed to disregard their
contents.
Several references to the purchas-
ing of cartridges in Miss knox's
diary, which was introduced with the
letters as evidence, were noted
Mr.. Butzner had read but two OF
the letters when interfuPtea Eie,t oy eom ane
mander E. B. Green of the Dahlgren
proving grounds, who had been sum-
moned to testify how the letters be-
came the property Of Common
wealth's Attorney Watt T. Mayo.
Naval Omcer Testiaes.
A long time was lost IN an en-
deayor to secure an admission from
the oficer that he had given the let
ters to Mr.. Mayo. Commander Green
based his refusal on the ground that
.acts of naval officers are accountable
tn the Navy Department only" but
testified enough to cause Judge Chinn
to admit the reading of the letters.
After all Of the letters had been
read by Mr.. Butzner. Judge Chinn ad,
iourned court at S:15 tonight until
Monday morning at 10 o'clock.
It was announced tonight by Harry
NJ. Smith, Jr., of Richmond, chief
counsel for Miss Knox. that her trial
had been set for February e., Mr..
smith. who was chief counsel for for
membered case, further said that two
Of the most noted alienists in New
York city would be engaged +s3,t to testl- ST.
1ardine her sanity. Mr.. Smith said
that insanity would be Miss Knox's
plea.