The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-12-12
PAS TOR s
LOVEN MOTT:
Barred
Hight. in Fervid Letter to Mrs.
SWeetin, Babe Her Stick
to Him
By SONIA LEE,
international News service.

MOUNT VERNON, III, Dec. H.
The love letters OF the Reverend
Lawrence M. Hight--the little notes
in which he poured out the story OF
the perfect love" for Elsie M.
Sweetin- stalked about the little
court room here where he and Elsie
are on trial for their lives for the
murder of Milford, Elsie's husband,
to further confound the defense
story Of the jockey pastor.
The tender phrases. re-echoing as
part of the chain of evidence by
which the State expects to hang
the unfrocked minister. indict Hight
as false to his marital vows, and,
the State contends. hold up the
compelling urge or desire as the
motive for the arsenic murders.
MY dearest sweetheart" is the
salutation under which Hight wrote
to Elsie from his jail cell after both
had been apprehended for the
murder Of Wilford and Nights
wife, Anna.
Still Thinking Of You.
How are you today" the letter
written under date of September %
reads. 'It is 10 o'clock now and i
am still thinking Of you as / left
you. can see you on the cot now.
You must get some rest and get
to feeling better.
"They will take me back to
Mount Vernon in a Few days when
things get quiet, the sheriff said,
and l may have a chance to see
WI nEnlN "a CT
Don't YOU write anyone where l
am.
Say, we ought to get the same
lawyers. You wriae me about this
as soon as you can. / surely hope
you are better by the time you get
this.
BE good, dear. will be think.
ing about you all the time.
81 have nice place here--only
three others in the Jail, while
Vernon and they were so tough.
1t is quiet here.
Take good care of yourself.
"Goodbye-with love.
'L. NJ. H."
Letter intercepted
The letter was written from the
Jail at Nashville, where Hight had
been taken to escape possible mob
violence at Mount Vernon. 1t was
intercepted and copied by the
sheriff, the copy being turned over
to States Attorney Thompson.
Four days later this one was
intercepted:
"How are you today. dearest
Elsie? Again | hone YOU are feel
ing better; brace up; be brave, dear,
and do the best you can. You
cannot know how wish could
see you. You must eat so you can
gain some strength. ] have read
all the papers. / know you never
would say some OF the things you
are quoted as saying.
Il hope to see you at the court
houses when. the trial Is on.
BE true and take care of your.
self.
II am well and have a nice place
and they are good to me.
with all my love.
IL. M. HIGHT"
Bicker Over Letters
And as the counsel for the State
and defense bickered over these
letters, the grounds on which Mrs.
Sweeting's attorney plans to build
her defense became known.
When she takes the stand, some
time next week. she will unfold her
story of the remarkable circum-
stances which caused her, the de.
Tense will allege. to confess part
in the poisoning or her husband of
which she was not guilty.
The confession, her attorney will
attempt to show, was prompted by
fear, fear OF mob violence, instilled
in her mind by Hight.
The preacher who spoke OF after
life so nuently from the pulpit, she
will tell the jury, was afraid to
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