The Washington times., 1932-06-18
SP D ORTSMAN'S
/. DEATH LAID
To HE|RESS
Passionate Love Letters From
Stephen to Her Read
to Court

After a dramatic nearing, MIS-.
Elvira Dolores Barney, daugh-
ter of a multi-millionaire direc-
tor of the London Stock Ex-
change and wife of an Ameri-
can singer today was COM
mitted to trial for the murder
of Michael Scott Stephen,
wealthy Irish sportsman, who
was shot and killed in her flat
after nightlong cocktail
party.
She was also ordered tried on
a second charge of shooting at
Stephen with intent to do grie-
Vous bodily harm" two weeks be-
fore the night of his death.
Mrs. Barney, who is the daugh-
ter of Sir John Mullens and the
sister of a princess, arrived at
the courtroom from prison in an
automobile with the shades close
ly drawn.
Mounted police held back the
crowd which attempted to swarm
toward the door as Mrs. Barney,
attended by nurse, stepped out
of the car.
Fear She'll Collapse
The prisoner wore black
frock, fawn stockings, and a
small black hat decorated with
white artificial flowers. She ap-
peared calm, but the nurse, fear
ing she would collapse. as she did
on her first court appearance, sat
close by her with a bottle of
smelling salts.
The first witness was a finger
print expert, who testified that
the revolver has been handled by
so many persons it would be i'm
possible to identify any of the
prints.
Love Letter Read
An insight into the personal
relations between Mrs. Barney
and Stephen, including confes-
sion that he had done some
"dreadful and horrible things"
was given in a letter read to the
court by Sir Patrick Hastings,
Mrs. Barney'S counsel.
The letter, apparently written
by Stephen to Mrs. Barney, was
found in her flat. The address
had been stricken out and the
words Glove hut" inserted instead.
THE letter read:
Dear Little Fattable: This
little note is to be waiting for
your arrival in the place where
I've been the happiest in all
my life.
BE brave, darling, and take
care Of yourself because you are
mine and mine alone. Don't
forget your little Mickech. I'll
be thinking of you always. For
give me for the dreadful, hOrri-
BILE things 1 have done, baby.
/ promise to be better and
kinder and won't frighten you
any more. / love you only in
all the world, little one.
81 really love you, darling.
The biggest thrills 1 have ever
! had you have given me. All
I hope is that you'll go on. 1
adore it when you're sweet
and kind, as 1 haven't had a
lot of affection in my life.
so it means great deal
and 1 feel like suicide when
you are angry. Sometimes
when you're feeling furious, do
try and think of the hell
had to endure with j. B.
DON'T BE JEALOUS
Don't be jealous, because
I suffered so much over that
with him. 1t ruined my mar
riage and leads to all kinds of
miseries, So be brOadminded.
/ won't let you down because
you're so lOvabIe."
Mrs. Barney wept bitterly when
Sir Bernard Spilsbury, West
minister coroner, showed the bull
let holes and smoke StrinS in
Stephens blue coat and yellow
pull-over. He said the bullet had
been fired from a distance of
from three to six inches from
the body. He said:
81 think it very unlikely
that it was Self-inflicted."
He was asked concerning Mrs.
Barney's explanation that the
gun was discharged during
struggle for the revolver. He
said:
"It is very improbable"
Reads Wrong Letter
| Mrs. Barney broke down and
sobbed bitterly during the reading
of Stephens letter. Sir Patrick
then started to read Mrs. Bar
ney's reply, and caused a furry
when he stopped in the middle
with the announcement he had
been reading "the wrong letter"
He read:
"MichaeI, darling, at last
have your sweet letter. If i
had received it last night 1
would have slept SO well. / was
wondering If you really loved
me. II kept me awake all
night"
Here the attorney broke off and
amid an embarrassed silence
hunted through his brief case for
the rlghJ letter. He found it and
began again:
my darling baby. ! nearly
had heart failure reading your
letter. It was so divine"