Evening star., 1925-08-12
scott THREATENED
HER, WIFE CHARGES
Said "I'Il Drag Your Skirts
Through the Mud" She
TeStifieS.
Ry the Associated Press.


ALPENA, Mich, August 12.-Mrs.
Edna J. Scott. testifying at the di-
Norce trial brought by her husband,
Representative Frank d. Scott, today
declared that on the eve of their sep
ardtion in 1922 Scott had threatened
TO hlacken her reputation.
I'm drag your skirts through the
Snud SO that no one will want 10 look
et youH' she quoted him as saying.
Under croSS-eXamination Mrs. Scott
Eened she had attempted to influence
Mrs Frederick Zihlman. wife of a
,Maryland Representative. not to make
any deposition in the case. Mrs. Zihl-
man was aboard the steamer Crist obal
on its congressional cruise to Panama.
Denies Lax Conduct.
She also denied ever having been
nnduly friendly with Capt. Wilbur
Sumner or with any one else.
charge that she had consulted
FORMER Representative Joseph w.
Iordney, at Saginaw, Mich. for ad.
Wee as to the desirahility of her be
coming a candidates to oppose her
husband al the last primary election
was denied by Mrs. Scott.
Frederick &. Skies, formerly a
house employe at the Lee House,
Washington. testified by deposition
THAT Mrs. Scott had entertained Gil
bert Bensinger, a fellow guest at the
hotel. in her room there. This was in
I923, after the SCOTS had separated.
II saw them often in Mrs. Scott S
room, Skies deposed. Il peeked
through the keyhole and saw them
sitting close together. She usually
was sitting on his knee"
Skies said Bensinger was supposed
10 he bootlegger."
Ai,~S-
Bensinger is awfully tight, but he's
got lots of money" Skies said.
Often "Half Shot" He Says.
He added that Mrs Scott and Ben
singer were half shot lots of times" "
Skies said he first got to know Mrs.
Scott when she was struck by an au-
foInobile in front of the hotel and
was brought into the lobby. He car
rled her to her room. he said.
After she had been at the Lee
House some time. she got a room
next to the one occupied by Bensing-
or. the Skies deposition said. Mrs
Scott and Bensinger went motoring
III Bensinger's car three or four
times a week and never were in be-
fore midnight" the deposition said.
Circuit Judge Frank d. limerick
yesterday adjourned court after Mrs
hurled profane epithets at her during
q recess of the hearing last January
She also denied, tearfully, the use
oil unbecom1ng language toward her
husband the night of their separation
III Washington. Offers of reconcilia-
tion which Crept into the record dur
ing the reading of dispositions yester-
DAY were received with tilted chin by
Mrs. Scott, and with blank stare by
the husband
The couple sat through yesterdays
session with only the width of the
counsel table between them.
Women at Trial.
Scott's constituents filled the court
room and gallery at both session Tues
day and We're out early today, women
predominating.
Further elaboration of what took
place on the congressional trip to
Panama aboard the steamer Cristo-
bal in 1921 is expected before Mrs.
Scott closes her case. Liquor drink
ing and gambling were described yes
terday in a. deposition by Floren Dal-
law. Filipino servant, who also told of
finding the Representative and his
secretary, Miss Jane Kennedy, alone
In the Scott office at Washington.
What Mr.. Scott had previously de-
Ecribed as a NOISY party" at his apart
ment the night of October %, 1922,
with Mrs. Scott playing hostess to
two Army officers, was pictured as a
casual and perfectly proper call by
Mrs. Clifford Ireland, wife of the for
mer Illinois member of Congress, who
said in her deposition that both men
conducted themselves as gentlemen
should.
Party Is Explained.
A deposition by Miss Gwynn Jones
of Washington told of liquor at the
Scott home, which Mrs. Scott said had
: been brought back from Panama on
the Cristobal. A party at the quar-
ters of Capt. Sumner. at Fort
Myers, Va, in October, 1922. which