Evening star., 1939-03-27
Stinson Takes Stand
For Defense in
Annulment Trial
Motion for Dismissal
OF Suit OverruIed
By Justice Luhrine

Evidence in behalf of Mrs. Lola
CrOunse Stinson in her suit to annul
her marriage to Joseph Whitla Stin-
son was closed in District Court early
this afternoon with the submission
of medical opinions that her mind
was clouded by sedative drugs when
she went through the ceremony at
Bar Harbor, Me-, September u, 1887.
Justice Oscar r. Luhring over-
ruled a motion for dismissal inter-
posed by Carroll L. Beedy, attorney
for Mr.. Stinson and Stinson took the
stand as the first defense witness.
More than two weeks were con-
sumed in presenting the testimony
by which Mrs. Stinson's attorneys
hope to prove that she was drugged
into the marriage by conspiracy
OF Mr.. Stinson and Miss Jessica
shoemaker, a nurse, to gain possess
sion OF the Crounse estate.
DIR. Lind Testifies.
The final witness for the plaintiff
was DR.. John E. Lind. senior med
ical officer ate St. Elizabeth's Hos
pltal Answering a hypothetical
question by Alvin L. Newmyer.
counsel for Mrs. Stinson, which took
Is minutes to read. DR.. Lind said
he thought that under the evidence
outlined Mrs. Stinson was of un-
sound mind at the time of the mar.
riage.
WAS she capable of entering into
the marriage contract and appre-
ciating what she was doing?" the
attorney asked
Il don't think she was" the psy-
chiatrist replied.
DR.. Lind said the symptoms de-
scribed in the evidence as having
been manifested by Mrs. Stinson
throughout the summer of 1897 were
typical OF poisoning from barbituric
sedatives.
DR.. Lind also added that he ex-
amined Mrs. Stinson in June of
1888 and what she told him at that
time tended to confirm his opinion
IN response to the hypothetical uues-
ton.
Outlines Legal Career.
ANA- oGAAASoAl "do Vic llISL QoleQSe
witness. He had begun to outline
his career as a lawyer when the
luncheon recess interrupted. The
defendant told Justice Luhring that
he was with the Justice Department
until May of 1887. and previously
had served in the State Department,
The complaint charges that Mrs.
StinsOn was tricked into the mar
rlage for her large estate. Mr.. Stin-
son and Miss Jessica Shoemaker,
who was Mrs. Crounse's nurse for
several years before the marriage,
are alleged to have conspired to
bring about the wedding, gaining
influence over the widow and max.
ing her helpless through assertedly
giving her medicines in large doses.
These charges are denied, and Miss
Shoemaker is expected to take the
stand and testify that her only
interest was in trying to help Mrs.
Crounse, who was in highly nerv-
GUS state after the death of her hus-
band. William Livingston Crounse,
in 1895.
Many Witnesses Testify.
Counsel seeking the annulment
for Mrs. Stinson brought out by a
mass of estimony-many witnesses
appearing in court, others testifying
through deposition-that the then
Mrs. Crounse appeared to be seri-
ously i'll during the summer preced-
ing her marriage to Mr.. Stinson.
The couple, together with Miss
Shoemaker. spent the summer at the
Crounse summer home at Chester,
Nova Scotia. Some of the witnesses
said Mrs. Crounse could hardly
walk at times and seemed in a men
tai fog.
Mrs. Stinson, prominent socially,
has published two volumes of poetry
under the name of Pepita Crounse.
Mr.. Stinson, lawyer. engineer and
water color artist, has held posts
in the State and Justice Depart
mentS.