Evening star., 1939-03-23
Notices Of Wedding
Ordered by Stinson,
Engraver Says
List Of Friends Also Wus
Furnished by Him,
Court Is Told

Announcements of the wedding Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Whitla Stinson
at Bar Harbor, Me-, September ~,
1887, was ordered by telegraph from
a Washington engraving firm by the
bridegroom-to-be, 1t was brought
out in District Court today at the
annulment trial of the suit being
prosecuted by the former Mrs. Lola
Crounse.
Mrs. Thelma S. Brown, a repre-
sentative of Copenhaver Stationers
on Connecticut avenue NV, identi-
fed for Alvin L. Newmyer, attorney
for Mrs. Stinson, kilograms from
Mr.. Stinson ordering announce
ments of the impending wedding
and "at home" cards. There also
were letters discussing details of
these engraving orders. None of the
correspondence was with the bride,
the witness said.
At the time Mr.. Stinson, the then
Mrs. Crounse and her nurse, Miss
Jessica Shoemaker, were at the
Crounse summer home at Chester,
Nova Scotia.
Mrs. Brown said she suggested Mr..
Stinson wire her when the ceremony
actually was performed, so that the
announcement cards would not 60
out befort the event. This was done,
she said, and the hundreds of an
nouncements were mailed to the list
Of friends furnished by Mr.. Stinson.
Dispositions Are Read.
The "at home" cards announced
that the couple would be at the
Crounse home on Wyoming avenue
NV. after November /. BY that
time, however, Mr.. and Mrs. Stinson
had separated, previous evidence has
brought out.
Mrs. Stinson's attorneys read to
Justice Oscar r. Luhring a sheaf of
deposition from permanent residents
Of the hamlet of Chester. about
which a fashionable summer colony
stretches along the beaches.
These townspeople agreed that
Mrs. Stinson was mot herself" that
summer of 1887. Some of them said
she was dominated by Miss Shoe
maker and never went anywhere
without either the nurse or Mr.. Stin-
son or both.
Mrs. Anna Sweeney, who keeps an
antique shop and tearoom, described
Miss Shoemaker as very domineer-
ing" toward the then Mrs. Crounse
and was always telling her what
to do"
"Mr. Stinson," she added, gave
me to understand that he was look
ing after her business for her"
Called Mentally Unbalanced.
Gordon A. Nauss, caretaker of the
Crounse summer home, described
Mrs. Crounse as mentally un-
balanced" at times that summer.
Mr.. Stinson. he said, was more
friendly toward Miss Shoemaker
than toward his bride-to-be.
This documentary evidence was
to be followed, late today or tomor-
row, with medical testimony intend
ed to establish that Mrs. Crounse
was not capable of contracting the
marriage at the time. The COM
plant charges Mr.. Stinson and Miss
Shoemaker conspired to place Mrs.
Crounse under the influence Of
drugs and persuade her to go
through with the marriage so they
could get her estate.
Doctors Letter Read.
Mrs. Stinson's counsel read to
Justice Luhring late yesterday the
deposition of DIR. Cary B. Gam
BILE Of Baltimore, whom Mrs.
Stinson consulted the spring before
her second marriage. He said that
October 81, 1897 nearly a month
after the wedding and shortly be-
fore the couple separated, Mr.. Stn-
son called on him in Baltimore.
The physician thus quoted the hus-
band:
He said he didn't want me to
think too badly of him. Mr.. Stin-
son said he had married Mrs.
Crounse at the solicitation of her
friends so that he could take care
of her and her estate"