The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-12-05
Is Way Dorrit Woodhouse's
Lawyer Condemned Le-
gal Opponents
WHIPPING, POST
AND BAT 8 Il OF TAR
Would r ! Recommended
BY Aust s That Punish
ment re in Vogue

Burling = Dec. 5.-Warren r. Aus
tin, attorney for Dorr;t Woodhonse in
the million dollar alienation case
against Mr. and Mrs. L. f. Woodhouse
began his closing argument in county
court this morning and gave severe
condemnation Of what he termed,
sbutchery Of character which had
been INDUCED in an effort to build up
q defense. Your only recourse in such
| a case is in your verdict, gentlemen"
he said in addressing the jury. "The
| whipping post and the barrel Of tar
are not allowed in Vermont or would
recommend them" Mr.. Austin stated
that such methods as had been used by
the defense ought not to be allowed
even in court of Justice
Mr.. Austin said that the entire struc-
ture of the defense had been built up
on sands of falsehood and could not
stand
"The Woodhouses have contradicted
each other, then coEtradssssd them
selves and then contradicted everybody
else in an effort to build up suitable
fabrication" he declared. Fl do not
blame the lawyers on the other side
They have done the best they could
with what they had t1zdo" He de-
plored the wreclxing Of Lillian McClel-
lan's reputation after she had done SO
much for the Woodhouses He alluded
to the efforts of the parents to make a
seapegoat of their son in an effort to
get out from under and finally spoke
in scathing terms of that part of the
defense's program which consisted of
tearing down the character of Dorrit
Woodhouse against whom ''the Wood
houses say they haven't thing"
"If that battery of lawyers during
this five weeks trial could have placed
their finger on one single act which
would indicate that there was a friend
ly feeling between Dorrit and Mr.. and
Mrs. L. X. Woodhouse they would have
done so," declared Mr.. Austin, but
they preferred to cast their own son
to damnation. If they had been pleased
with the marriage as they have pro-
fessed, wouldn't they have invited Dor
rit to the house party at East Hamp-
toni asked the attorney. "They would
have invited her to their home and not
waited for a formal introduction by
their PROSTATE SON.
Mr.. Austin called attention to
number of contradictions in the evil
dence Of l.. Il. Woodhouse. He had tes-
titled when he first took the stand that
he did not know Dorrit. He had never
seen her to know her until he saw her
in the court room. Yet it is known
now that he did know her, that DIR.
Sparhawk introduced them and that
they met in the Long Branch hospital.
Mr.. Austin characterized the atti
tude of the Woodhouses as being inhu
man and unnatural. Their entire con-
duct was full of malice. Their testi-
mony on the stand consisted of fiat
denial of everything. interspersed with
liberal lapses of mencFy.
"Long Lost Memory" for Douglas
Attorney Darling, for the defense,
said he was in position to prove that
the affections Of young Woodhouse
we're alienated long before the parents
,f the young man learned their son
was paying serious attention to Dorrit
Stevens. Dorrit became .long lost
memory" for Douglas, he said. follow
ng her letter Of July s, 1918, in which
she told him of her condition.
"We are approaching the reason why
Douglas dropped Dorrit,| the attorney
vent on. Around the first of July she
ound she was facing motherhood
Douglas was getting ready to go over
eas, but Dorrit, unmindful of him be-
,an to holler at once. She couldn't face
. 70 hoc
vay out"
I'm not spologizing for Douglas. I'm
iot commencing him." Attorney Oar
ing declared. but / say that his affec-
ions recoiled about the first of July
Parts Of the plaintiffs letters were
cad by Attorney Darling for the pur
ose OF showing wherein she had failed
4 her duty 10 her soldier sweetheart,
rhile he was working for his commits
ion.
Mr.. Darling declared that it was evil
ent that following the first of July,
pls. Douglas was irving to avoid mar
age. Although il had been the plan .,
nat they should be married at ones
5 soon az he got his furlough and his
,mmission finally came through, he
u not 20 TO her when that time ar
we'd but telegraphed her not to try &c
ire him and that he would explain
ter. Then he went TO spend his fur.
ugh with his parents at East Hsmp-
IN and all this was before his parents
new Of Douglas intentions 70 marry
orrit Stevens, the attorney pointed
II.
The attention of the jury was called
the testimony regarding the visit Of
orrit and her aunt to the Merchants
INK in September. l9ss.-during which
e aunt il said TO have remarked that
hey have nailed that poor girl to the
oss We are going to New York.
,uglas Woodhouse viii either marry
settle"
aThe plaintiff and her aunt were aft.
Douglas They went 70 New York
L q was about % days after they ar.
ed there before they were able to get
luglas 20 wash his hands and stand
on both feet for the wedding.
The wedding was finally brought
out. the attorney explained, bccauss
'uglas had just received his commis.
n in the United States army and hs
Alfred when q commissiQned officer
confronted with q situation such -
II which DorTit Stevens presented T.
n i VAS necessary to take care II
nr fhoeo hara ulhirh he had inst