The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-06-13
SOUTHARD
HEARING IS
POSTPONED
Alleged Mrs. Bluebeard Says
Lost Love Early in Life
Wrecked Happiness


Southland. alleged feminine Blue.
beard" who is accused OF poisoning
four husbands and a brother In law
in order to collect their insurance.
was this morning postponed TO
Thursday by Probate Judge o. L.
Duvai. before whom It was scheduled
10 be heard today.
rostponement was taken on agree
ment Of counsel. neither side being
ready to proceed with the hearing,
II was stated
SHE ASKS FOR
SPEEDY TRIAL
The accused woman has at last
broken the silence she had main
tanned from the time OF her arrest
In Honolulu several weeks ago, AT
her arraigrment she demanded
speedy trial. declaring confidently
that she would be cleared when all
the facts were made knoOn. Mrs.
Southland accuses the state OF fran
ting" its case against her.
They have tried to destroy my
peace and happiness" she said.
sThey even dug up the body OF my
poor little baby on suspicion that i
had poisoned tor to plant suspi'
cion against me. They want 10 take
my life. Now am ready and deter
mined to fight. Let the trial come
speedily"
SHE MEETS MANY
or HER FRIENDS
s AIRS. Southland is staying with her
father. She has met many old
friends since her return.
III my folks had permitted me 70
marry the man first loved as girl
my whole life might have been diff
ferent
~They were too strict with me. 7
didn't start my life the way want
Cd to, and things have seemed TO
20 wrong ever since"
This. says Sheriff H. v. ormsby.
o. Twin Falls. Idaho, was the heart
confession made TO him by Mrs.
Eouthard.
Her plant over 4 lost first love
vas the only hint Of self-pity or
anxiety revealed to her custodian
and nemesis On the long voyage
Z across the Pacific. And mention OF
Tie twoyear- baby she Is accused
~ having poisoned brought the only
show of agitation.
Ormsby characterizes Mrs. South
era. now married to a fifth husband,
q . sphynx upon whom the horrid
aceusations Of. poisoning six people
have had no visible effect
GHE NEVER wEEPS;
GOlSE Is BATTLING
sshe never weeps- he said "she
= apparently devoid OF emotion.
Her poise Is amazing. In my long
3 service Of the law have never
known Z woman like her. I know
- = guilty. I have traced the
arsenic she bought Our case Il
perfect But she has never given
: Sign. II I didn't know. she would
6nol me n she has fooled Others"
MIRA Southland said she believed
u1fseIf to be a typhoid carrier"
Implying that several OF her hus-
{ hands might thus have died nat
urally Of disease SO contracted. She
o1Do Indicated that this might be the
baals Of her defense.
Medical examination. however. by
Dr. ]. l. Schwartz Of the naval
hospital At Pearl Harbor. Hawaii,
and DR.. II. G. Aver. Of Honolulu.
following her arrest there. proved.
81 was announced. that the woman
= not . disease carrier.
Anyway" added Sheriff Ormsby.
that wouldn't account for the arse
mic we have proof she secured and
traces Of which were found In the
exhumed bodies.-
A curious episode which tested
her remarkable composure occurred
IN San Francisco, when she was
permitted to see vaudeville show.
The feature was a sketch based on
use Of the occult in wringing a con.
fession from a murderer. There
was q marked analogy between the
plight Of the killer end her own
case, as the state OF Idaho has stat
ed 1t In the indictments.
Mrs. Southland, seated beside the
sheriff and his wife. watched the
piece without the witch OF an eye
lid. laughing heartily at subsequent
jokes.
During the weeks she has been
in my custody" commented Ormsby,
"the only sign of worry has been
occasional lapses OF silence when
she stares blankly at the wall"
She Is slender, dainty, we'll
groomed woman OF 30, blue.eyed,
dark haired and with a certain phys.
ical allure. During two days Of di-
version permitted her In San Fran
cisco before departing for Twin
Falls, she showed an almost childish
delight in simple things.
NOTHING WORRIES
'SPHYNx WOMAN"
The purported Mrs. Biuebeard"
stoutIy maintains her innocence.
II am not worried" she asserts.
MY conscience is clear and have
documentary proof Of the causes Of
the deaths charged to me. know
] can clear myself"
Realization on life insurance poll
cies carried by her husbands is the
alleged motive In the deaths for
which she must stand trial.
Life insurance was no object TO |
me-" Is her answer. Il have had |
enough money"
Mrs. Southland has been reconciled |
with her parents from whom she |
had been long estranged. They, to-
gether with her fifth husband, +. v. |
Southard, petty naval officer. will |
stand by her.
OF the dead with whom she lived |
for periods ranging from two years
TO two months. she does not speak. |
Only Of her ENTHUSIASTICALLY.
She evinces little interest in what |
people are saying Of her. She |
doesn't ask TO see newspapers. She |
smiles and banters occasionally like |
Z girl Of IA. Mentally, says Sheriff
Ormsby, she is not alert. A lassi.
tude hangs upon her.