The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-11-28
DOUGLAS WAS
IA STRANGE BOY
Elder Woodhouse Ex-
| plains Why He Didn't
Talk of Sons Marriage
HE NEVER ORDERED
DORRITT OFF LAND
Never Restrained Douglas
Nor Controlled His
Money

Burlington, Nov. 2S.--1ne WOOD
house million dollar alienation SUIT
was resumed in Chittenden county
court here this morning with Lorenzo
Il. Woodhouse, one of the defendants,
again on the stand. His testimony,
was in the main, denial Of number
of things brought out by the plaintiff
He declared he never exercised any
control over his sons, Douglas, money
or securities, that he never sent him
any special allowance, that he never
talked over his proposed marriage TO
Dorrit Stevens, that he never knew OF
Douglas affair in Washington with
Mrs. Lillian Hendrick Mcclellan until
the time the writ was served Non him,
and that he never did anything to IN
fiuence Douglas against his wife,
He never jointly owned cars with
Douglas, denied seeing Dorrit and tell
ing her to get off his land, and never
restrained Douglas in anything. HIS
son, he declared. was free to do as he
pleased at all times.
douglas was a strange boy and all
ways tried to evade answering per-
sonal questions by saying that he could
take care Of himself. declared the wit
ness in answer to a question concern
ing his reasons for not conversing with
Douglas regarding his approaching
marriage with Dorrit.
The monotony OF sitting in the wit
ness chair seemed to work on Lorenzo's
nerves this morning. for while being
examined he stood up most Of the time
and leaned on the arm of his chair or
against the wall. The plaintiffs man
ner was one Of composure, yet she re-
sorted TO her smelling salts at various
times during the testimony Of the de-
fendant.
In the cross-examination OF Mr..
Woodhouse, Attorney Austin, for the
plaintiff, brought out the fact that
I.Woodhouse knew of his sons affair In
Washington some time in February
following the receipt of a letter from
Austin.
Mr.. Woodhouse declared yesterday
afternoon that neither he nor his wife
had ever objected to their sons choice
of wife, that when told that Doug
las was going to marry Dorrif Stevens
they had wished him happiness and re-
quested to be informed several days in
advance Of the time Of the wedding
But they had not been so informed and
did not know about it until it was all
over. or they would certainly have at.
tended, the banker declared.
He did not see his son after the wed.
ding for about two and one-half
months, when he visited Douglas in the
hospital at Long Branch, N. J.
A young woman was in the room
when Lorenzo Woodhouse entereds& but
he did not realize until afterwards, he
said. that this was his sons bride.
Mr.. Woodhouse denied ever telling
Douglas that he was in any way dis.
satisfied with Dorrit Stevens as a
daughter in law. The first talk about
the marriage so far as the witness
could remember was in September
1918, not long before it occurred. AT
that time Douglas came to East Hamp-
ton, l.. l.
With his parents both present. Doug
las said, according to his. fathers tes-
timony;
Father, | am going to marry Miss
Stevens"
Lorenzo Woodhouse testified that
this was the first that he and his wife
had heard of the engagement. Asked
TO state what he had said to Douglas
the witness said that he told his son
Marriage is a pretty important part
of pan's life and a woman's, too. We
have no objections, either your mother
or ]. We only hope that you will be
able TO get along and be happy to-
gether."
The witness said that Douglas
mother concurred in tAis expression OF
their attitude, that there was no trou.
Bile about il, and that Mrs. Woodhouse
sr.. did not leave the room and go up.
stairs in tears, as had been claimed.