The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-10-11

What art can soothe her melancholy,
What charm can wash her grief away?
Elizabeth Van de Voode, 18, young
woman of education and good family,
and daughter of Connel Van de Voode
of East Moline, ILL.,, testified in the
municipal court this morning that
Reon Hillman had wooed her as a
bachelor. She said that she did not
know he was a married man until four
months later. Hillman's preliminary
hearing on a serious statutory charge
continued this afternoon with the girl
still on the, witness stand. Hillman is
% and has a wife and 2 children in
Rockford, I'll.
Thrice in court before taking the
witness stand the girl tainted in the
courtroom, and her reluctance to testi-
fly regarding certain episodes in her
life with Hillman was obvious when
the hearing commenced. In the court
room this morning was her father and
an East Moline banker called as state
witnesses to testify TO the girls char
acter. In the courtroom was Hillman's
mother, loyal in defense of her son.
Tells of Meeting Hillman.
Miss Van de Voode said that she
had been born in East Moline, educat-
ed at St. Marys academy there, and at
the age, of sixteen secured employ
ment in the Yellow Sleeve Val Engine
Works at East Moline. After time
she was laid off and then became ems
ployed as telephone operator. Then
later she went back to work at the
Yellow Sleeve place.
Last spring sometime in the last of
March, she became acquainted with
Reon Hillman. He worked at the same
place. During the noon hour he chat
ted with her and they became &C
quainted. Finally he 'smade date
with her" in the slang of the streets.
Called at Her Home.
Hillman called at her home for the
first time April 6, 1928. He called
again the following Sunday in a friend
ly way. Within a short time, she
testified he showed evidences of being
fond, and she told her mother that
she believed the young man cared.
When they became intimate, the girl
said she believed Hillman was an I'M
married man.
W.
the defense objected to any testimony
regarding the first acts of intimacy
since such relation had taken place
in the state of Illinois. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Kuehnl responded that
where a crime was shown to have COM
menced in another state and continued
in Wisconsin, it could be prosecuted
here. Testimony was continued along
this line subject to the objection of
the defense.
He Said He Loved Her.
The girl witness testified that upon
the occasion of their first intimacy she
said, "Reon, you know I'll never let
you touch me if you aren't going to
marry me- and that he replied,
elizabeth you know I'll marry you
because | love you.'
Attorney Baker in ross-examination
asked Elizabeth if some one had not
told her that Hillman was a married
man. She said that some had had, but
not until after she had known and
been intimate with Hillman.
Il called up his home in Rockford
one evening"" the girl said, land asked
to speak with Reon. A woman an
swered the telephone and when 1 asked
for Reon she said, Don't you know
he's a married man and has two chill
dren.' l was afraid to tell my moth
er. When / saw Reon next time
asked him about it. He said, DO you
believe somebody else or do you be-
lieve me ?''' Elizabeth told the court
that she had asked Hillman before she
went out with him whether or not he
was a married man, and that he had
said laughing, DO l look it p and she
replied, You never can tell She said
that her mother had warned her never
to let married man betray her.
Elizabeth and Hillman came to Ke-
nosha in July and the couple lived here
at an address on Salem avenue until
the arrest of Hillman September 81.
The presence of Hillman's family in
the courtroom today indicated that the
case will be bitterly contested. Hill
man, it is said, was willing to plead
guilty to a less serious statutory
charge but not to the one preferred
against him. The defense will con-
tend that Elizabeth consented to the
relationship and knew Hillman was a
married man, having been warned by
his family.