Evening star., 1939-03-30
Stinson Says
|He Dissuaded
Wife From Gifts

Pleaded for Her Kin
When She Wished to
Enrich Him, He Says
Mrs. Lola Crounse Stinson wanted
to give her husband, Joseph Whitla
Stinson, the Crounse mansion on
Wyoming avenue and all the rest of
her fortune, but he protested that
her relatives should be provided for.
he testified before Justice Oscar r.
Luhring in District Court today in
defense of his wife's suit for annul-
ment.
MIR. Stinson insisted that he placed
the house on the market before their
marriage at his flancee's request AMI
later sought to dispose of it because
ne felt as her husband that it would
Improve their financial condition
and their health if they liquidated
this expensive place and moved into
the country.
Mrs Stinson had referred to the
house in the past as prison the
husband testified. When she was on
the stand she denied she ever had
any intention of selling her home or
knew that Mr.. Stinson had tried to
sell 1t. 1t was not sold.
Explains His Statement.
Pressing his searching cross
examination of the middle-aged at.
torney and artist, Alvin L. New.
myer, attorney for the wife, took up
the formal answer of the husband
to the complaint in which she seeks
annulment on the ground that she
was coerced into the marriage
through drugs and trickery. Mr..
NeWmyer reminded the defendant
OF his statement he had married
Mrs. Crounse only at her insistence,
that he was constrained to marry
her.
Il was prostrated when that an
swer was filed" Mr.. Stinson re-
piled" and it was drawn up hur.
riedly, I might say now that no.
body can constrain me or any man
to marry a woman except perhaps
with a shotgun"
The marriage at Bar Harbor. Me,
September 27. 1887, was "by mutual
agreement the husband added.
rs it true" the lawyer asked. "as
you stated in the answer. that she
offered to transfer all her property
to you the day you married her as
a consideration for going through
with the marriage
! That. I think. is an overstate-
ment.' Mr.. Stinson answered. I'll
qualify that. She did speak of
turning over everything to me. but
it merely was a sweet expression Of
her confidence in me. I protested
and protested that her family
should be provided for"
Little Woman Wanted Love-"
At another point in his testimony.
Mr.. Stinson said: This little woln-
an wanted love and husband, some
one to care for her And I never
had any one express such love for
me-
After several insistent questions,
Mr.. Stinson said it was very largely
true that the wedding was carried
out at the time largely at the in
sistence of the then Mrs. Crounse.
He had explained in his direct tes-
timony that she caused so many
scenes" the summer they spent at
Nova Scotia before the marriage
he had tried several times to break
the engagement but she had always
persuaded him to 60 ahead with it.
Far from being reluctant to take
the medicines which he saw her
nurse, Miss Jessica Shoemaker, give
her at times, Mrs. Stinson, accord
ing to her husband would say:
"Shoosie, it's time for my medicine
Mrs. Stinson has testified that she
was reluctant to take the sedatives
Miss Shoemaker constantly" was
giving her.
The wifes attorney yesterday asked
Mr.. Stinson if he first called on Mrs.
Crounse in February of 1887 be.
cause he needed financial assistance.
Not at all, sir" the defendant
answered.
Pay for Services Related.
Asked why she gave MIN $1,000
within two months after his first
visit, Mr.. Stinson said this was for
legal services in connection with
settling phases of the estate left
Mrs. Crounse by her late husband,
William Livingston Crounse. Mr..
Stinson denied he had asked for
this or suggested the amount.
! Mr.. Newmyer brought out that he
had paid old bills with this, includ-
ing a $500 meat market bill and
other expenses occurred when he
was living with the first Mrs. Stin-
son, who had divorced him at Reno
that March
The then Mrs Crounse, Mr.. Stin-
son conceded, knew of his rather
pressing exigencies."
Plaintiffs counsel then asked If
Mr.. Stinson's first wife had not
testified at Reno that she had sup
ported him from the time he lost
his position with the State Depart
ment in 1888 for about two years.
until he got post with the Justice
Department. Mr.. Stinson said per-
haps she had, adding:
Il was very ill. I couldn't work.
But it's unfair to say she supported
me. 1 did a great deal of work in
connection with an estate she was
settling and obtained a substantial
sum for her"
Asked when he started staying
at the Wyoming avenue house that
spring he and Mrs. Crounse became
engaged, Mr.. Stinson replied:
Il very much object to the ex-
preston that stayed at the house.
was in New York several times and
my legal residence was at Warren