Evening star., 1922-05-03
mrs. EASTLAKES
LETTERS ARE READ
Slain Woman's Notes to
Nurse fell of "Despising"
Husband.
From a Stan Correspondent


MONTROSS, Va. May 3.-Letters
written by Mrs. Margaret L. East
lake to Miss Knox. heretofore not IN
troduced, were read at the trial OF
Miss Sarah E. Knox, charged with
the murder of Mrs. Eastiake' mere
Writing from Cape May. N. j.. in
1918. the murdered woman repeat
edly told the nurse Of her domestic
troubles, She admitted "despising'
her husband and said that II 1t was
not for the children she would leave
him.
From the letters 1t was shown that
confessed to her Of indiscretions with
'.W. T., who was shown to be the
nurses brother, and emphasized her
love for him.
on troubles that existed in the ram
lily OF her husband.
Heated argument between OPPOSITE
counsel followed as to the admissi- :
bility OF the letters as evidenGe,
judge Chinn finally deciding that the
jury should only consider the con
tents Of the correspondence as snow
ing the feeling existing between ,sat sne
the truth of tho statement herein
should be dlsregarded.
Instructions to BE "Titten'
He said later he would place his
instructions in writing.
The prosecution virtually rested its
case shortly after court convened.
After presenting certain letters writ
ten by Mrs. Eastlake to her husband,
Commonwealth Attorney Watt T.
MAYO announced that he had but two
more witnesses to testify, but as they
had been delayed he was agreeable
that the defense should begin pre-
sertine its evidence. Harry NJ. Smith,
ir chief counsel for the nurse, called
Miss Azeele Carruthers of Colonial
Reach. who testified to having seen
Eastiake lying on the bed smoking
and Miss Knox sitting close ana tax
ing to him on the morning or the
murder.
on cross-examination, the witness
said she heard Miss Knox make sew
eral different versions as to where she
was and what she did on the morn. =.
ing after the body Of the woman had
been found.
DR.. v. o. Carruthers. also of Col
onial Beach, followed his daughter to
the stand and testified that Eastlake
had not shaved when he saw him al
his house that morning. The witness
said further that he saw no shaving
articles in the room when he wen'
there to examine the body.
1t is expected the defense will rest
its case by tonight. Judge Chinr
will then instruct the jury in the
morning and the jury. according tc
plans, will get 1t by tomorrow after
nocn.
An eleventh hour introduction b!
the prosecution OF a bloodstained
soft hat, said to have been taken OF
the body of the dead woman on the
morning of the murder. came as q
surprise to the crowded courtroom
at the late session yesterday.
Both Commonwealth Attorney Mayt
and Private Detective Bulware sait
the hat had been picked up by then
along with other articles found at tn,
house that morning. but when asked
why nothing more had been heart
about the hat until yesterday De
tective Bulware stated that he hat
| left it in a box on his automobile
not think it Of sufficient importance
to make mention of it.
Asked to identify the hat the secont
time he took the stand, Eastlake sait
he had never seen it before. The ha
bore the trademark of Baltimore
firm.
After Identifying several letter!
written him by the deceased wife
Eastlake at the request of his counsel
w. W. Butsner. was permitted to re
turn to Washington.
To facilitate matters the prosecu
| ton allowed several witnesses for thu
! defense to testify before it hat
Miss Helen Skipworth Athey OF
Baltimore, wife of a physician, ant
Florence A. Hunt Of the Johns Hop
! kins Nurses Association, testified t.
having known the accused woman
for many years. during which tim'
they both said she had borne an ex
| cellent reputation for kindliness ant
amiability.
1t was brought out by the prosecu
| ton that the Johns Hopkins Nurses
Association had subscribed $1,000 t.
help defray the cost Of Miss Knox!
| defense.
| c. A. Heinicken. a vestryman in st
| Mary's Episcopal Church, Colonia
! Beach, another defense witness, testi
! fed to a conversation with Eastlak'
| regarding the petty officers rela
tions with Miss Knox, during which
! the witness said Eastlake had denied
! ever having been intimate with thu
nurse.
Eastlake had previously testified
that he never made such statement:
to Heinicken. The witness said fur
ther that he had seen Eastlake will
! a hatchet very similar to the one witt
which it is claimed the crime wa.
committed.
Thomas J. Nebbitt. postmaster a
Dahlgren proving grounds, who run:
a general store at that place. testified
to having sold Eastlake a pipe some.
what resembling the one found under
the body Of the dead woman. He also
told of registered mail received by the
petty officer from Miss Knox.
Other witnesses to testify for the
prosecution include w. w. Butsner
Eastlake's counsel; Silas P. Perry
chief Of police Of Fredericksburg: Mrs
Helen Miller and Mrs. Grace Ashton