The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-23

ANs nOopAthA dc a lEouAL OA injuries sustained during the war.
 ment that he believed his sister to be of unsound mind. An interesting light on the case was also found in the depo- sition when Mrs. Rickner's real name was stated. According to her brother her real name is Susie Ann Elder and that she changed it later to Evelyn Sue Elder. She was said to have been born in Arizona 25 years ago.
 The defense closed its case when this document was read and then the state offered its rebuttal testimony.
 Examination of Mrs. Rickner was resumed Thursday morning at the open ing of court at g o'clock. She appeared very pale and nervous and showed the effects of the collapse she had suffered in the witness stand Wednesday aft ernoon. Frequently during the examina- tion by Neil P. Sterne, council for the defense and the cross examination by Charles c. Kennamer, United States district attorney, she showed signs of collapse and medicinal preparations had to be adminstrated to keep her ad- vised. -.'.ss
 Mrs. Rickner's examination was re- stunned, where 1t was interrupted We'd nesday by her collapse. She resumed her recital of the events leading directly up to the killing. She stated that at supper the night the shooting occurred Rickner had remarked to brother of- ficers present that certain woman in the dining room might make him crazy for staring at her. But I can't help it she looks so much like topsy." At this remark the other officers at the table laughed and seem to understand the significance of the "other woman," she said.
 Deeply Hurt"
 When they left the dining room she stated that she felt deeply hurt by her husband mentioning the name of Topsy" in her presence and before officers who would understand the ref erence made. She walked directly to her room and laid down upon her bed remaining there for more than 15 min utes, she stated. At this time she re- collected the threat made by her hus- band ''to do away with them," and she began to look for her daughter fear ing that Rickner would inflict bodily harm if he caught the little girl alone. She rushed to his quarters and asked for him.
 She testified, shC was told he was in the bath room and she requested an officer to summon him to his room. She was alone when she saw her hus- band and daughter coming down the hall. She rushed for the child and was met with rebuff by Rickner, she said, who pushed the child roughly to one side and out stretching his hands rushed for her saying, l''You've come for your medicine, we'll, I am the man that can give it to you" That is all I remember" Mrs. Rickner and her voice growing very weak.
 T remember seeing the flash of the pistol but I do not remeber having had the pistol in my hands before or after tRe-shooting occurred"
 Identifies Pistol
 The assistant district attorney, Jim Smith, held out the pistol to her and she identified it as the one with which Lieutenant Rickner was shot. When asked how she obtained ownership of the pistol, she stated it was given by her mother three years ago. when she was living on a camp reservation, She always kept the pistol under her pillow for protection, she stated. The night the shooting took place when she was on her bed in her room she reached under the pillow and found the gun there she testified this morning.
 Attorney Sterne read three letters from Topsy "the other woman in the case" One letter was written from Coblenz, Germany, in May 1923, ask ing for money for transportation to America and stating how great the love she had for the dashing young officer. Another letter read was from Lon don written while she was, en route to Toronto, in which she voiced her anticipation of the many happy times they had planned to have together at Niagara Fails in July. In this letter she promised to wire Rickner imme- diately onN her arrival in Toronto.
 A telegram from Quebec dated June 15, 1923, about two weeks before Rick ner was killed supposed to have come from '"Topsy" was also read. The tele- gram stated twill arrive in Toronto Sunday" It was signed by Mrs. Cox. This was the name a letter said that Topsy was to use in the United States. The Topsy letters were well written with a classic style of penmanship. A photograph of Topsy was shown. This showed her to be stunning" beauty in a riding habit and carried the fol- lowing words, ''To my old man, Rick ner, flom one big bum," "Topsy was written with a flourish. Admits Attending Parties
 On cross examination of Mrs. Rick ner United States District Attorney 0. B. Kennamer tried to show that the mention of the ''Topsy" incident at the supper table the night the killing occurred made Mrs. Rickner become very angry and that she killed her hus- band in a fit of jealousy. Mrs. Rick ner admitted attending parties and dances with young men while visiting tho parents of Lieutenant Rickner in Colorado. Other witnesses examined during the morning were Mrs. J. A. Elder, foster mother of Mrs. Rickner, who testified that since the desertion by Lieutenant Rickner her daughter had shown marked symptoms of in- sanity often weeping for more than an hour at a time over her shattered romance.
 Dr. G. A. Cryer followed Mrs. Elder and offered testimony on. insanity cases. When propounded hypothetical question which involved the facts of the Rickner case and asked if a woman under such stress would become in- sane, he stated that it was all in the individual and that he could not give A ''Yes" or 'no" answer