The Washington times., 1922-07-10
WIFE
SLAPPED. WHEN
SHE BEAT GIRL
Evangelist Struck Her on
Breast Over Love Baby"
She Testifies.

GRAND RAPIDS. July 10
Mel Trotter, eminent soul
saver" and defendant in the sepa'
ration maintenance suit of his wife,
Lottie NJ, threatened to kill Mrs.
Trotter in case she made her story
OF his alleged confession OF par
entail responsibility for Miss Florence
Moody's mission love baby" hold
good.
Mrs. Trotter so testified from the
witness stand in Judge Major l..
Dunham's court today.
Threat Followed Attack.
Miss Moody is the erstwhile pref
ty private secretary of the sin
chasing" evangelist.
The evangelist's threat on her
life, Mrs. Trotter. testified. was made
! Immediately following her physical
attack on Miss Moody, in the City
| Rescue Mission chapel when she
! found the latter in the act OF teach-
| ing a Sunday school class after the
birth OF her illegitimate child.
Mrs. Potter admitted on direct ex-
Geib, that she shook and slapped
Miss Moody on the platform or the
chapel.
The famous evangelist was not a
witness to the scene. his wife said
He entered the room while Miss
Moody was in the act Of rearTangtng
her hair and clothes. The scene that
followed as narrated by the witness
was:
Slapped Wife's Face.
"Mr. Trotter entered and ordered
me into his private office. After clos
Ing the door, he turned and slapped
my face. He was terribly angry
For n period OF a minute or two ne
didn't say a word. Then he turned
and with his closed fist struck me on
my breast"
Attorney Geib stopped the witness
at this juncture and asked her how
hard the evangelist hit her.
The blow left black and blue
marks" she replied.
She then continued with her mar
ration, quoting Trotter as saying:
"'Say, you, II you make youi
"story" stick, III ksll you.
when did all this take placer
|. August II, 1911" Mrs. Trotter re
piled. II had Just returned from 4
sojourn al the Battle Creek sanitar
ium."
Tells Of Beatings.
The picture of Trotter beating and
choking his wife into silence regard
ing his alleged misconduct with MISS
Moody was dramatically depicted oS
Mrs. Trotter on the witness stand.
The alleged cruelty, the witnes:
stated. was inflicted at the Trottei
summer home at Macatawa oeacr
soon after the birth Of Miss Moody:
baby In 1917.
| Mrs. Trotter also related the ngh'
Miss Moody waged TO retain her po
sition I'm rf1er. mission against th'
wishes of the witness. The famous
evangelist sided with his secretary
against her. Mrs. Trotter testified.
Fought Against Girl.
Attorney Fred Geib. for the plain
tiff, brought out the admission o.
cruelties.
O-Now. tell us, Mrs. Trotter
whether YOU ever consented to Misi
Moody returning to her work at thu
mission. A-No, never consented
Odd you talk to Mr.. Trotte
about her having to leave the mis-
sion? Ayes.
Q-what happened on these occa
sions? A quarrel usually fol
lowed.
Odd he ever hit you? Ayes
on several occasions at the mission
Q-what was the trouble you ha'
with Mr.. Trotter at your summe
cottage? A-Well. one day we wer
talking about Miss Moody when Mr.
Trotter told me to shut up" WheI
I continued to talk he struck m
across the face.
Q-Tell what happened then. A
He then put his hand on my throa
and, started choking me. | wa
forced into my bedroom, where h
slapped me three times across tn
face.
Mrs. Trotter appeared to have al
lher answers on the tip OF he
tongue. Not once since she took tn
stand has she hesitated for an ar
swer. Trotter seemed TO take he
Testimony as a joke. He was cor
tinually taking down notes.