Evening star., 1948-01-27
Laugh|in0ffered
Her Florida Trip,
WitnessSays
Sister of Mrs. Hobbs
Testifies Lawyer
Sought Her Help

SStliSS .oWyS'
Sought Her Help
The sister of Mrs. Esther Pickard
Hobbs testified today in the abor-
ton trial of Attorney James j.
Laughlin and DR.. Henry L. Peck
ham, jr., that Mr.. Laughlin had
asked her to testify in his behalf
and offered a vacation in Florida
if she would do SO.
The witness, Mrs r. j. Foster, jr.,
was the first called when the Gov
ernment opened it's rebuttal after
the two defendants rested In the
District Court trial before Chief
Justice Bolitha J. Laws.
sMrs. Hobbs had been the chief
Government witness in support of
the charges that DR.. Peckham per-
formed two operations on her and
that Mr.. Laughlin was an accessory.
She is the former Miss Esther Pick
ard and was once engaged to Mr..
Laughlln. She was married last May
2 six weeks after the Government
says the operations were performed.
Mrs. Foster, whose first name Is
Marybelle. testified that in the fall
of 1947 she and her husband saw
Mr.. Laughlin at hotel at Bur-
lington, N. G.
Asked Them to Testify.
"Mr. Laughlin asked my husband
and me if we would testify IN his
behalf" Mrs. Foster testified. II
we would, he would give us vaca-
ton in Miami Beach"
She testified that Mr.. Laughlin
asked her and her husband to at
tempt to persuade Mrs. Hobbs to
get a lawyer in North Carolina.
IF she got a lawyer, he CMr.
Laughlin) was to come back and
see r. j. cher husband and me and
tell us what to testify" Mrs. Foster
said.
Mr.. Laughlin, who has been help
ing conduct his own defense,
launched vigorous cross ques-
tioning of witness.
Don't you recall that said that
the only thing to do was to go ahead
with the case and you suggested
hiring a lawyer" Mr.. Laughlin
asked.
NO. Mrs. Foster replied.
Mrs. Foster also denied that she
had telegraphed or telephoned Mr..
Laughlin for money, but did admit
that Mr.. Laughlin had paid her
hotel bill when she had visited
Washington last May.
Asks to Question Laughlin.
Mrs. Foster denied under his ques-
tioning that the only thing said
concerning Florida was the posi-
bility of visit to Tallahassee for a
pardon for Mrs. Fosters brother.
There was no other mention OF a
brother or a pardon.
The witness, during the barrage
of questions, looked at Mr.. Laughlin
and asked coolly: .-...
May I ask him question:"
This, of course, was not permitted.
In reply to a question who she
had seen after her arrival in Wash
ington, she said she had talked
briefly with Mrs. Hobbs this morn
ing and met these guys here Her
reference was to Charles B. Murray
and Arthur ]. Mclaughlin, assistant
United States attorneys who are
prosecuting the case.
Mrs. Fosters self f-confidence, how
ever, appeared to diminish under
cross-examination by H. Mason
WEIGH, attorney for DR.. Peckham.
She testified that she did not
know Detective 1t. Edgar E. Scott,
who investigated the case.
Later, however, she said that 1t.
Scott had telephoned her at her
home in Burlington, and said she
told him of the conversation she
previously said she had with Mr..
Laughlin in Burlington.
Attorney Recalls Visit.
The final witness for Mr.. Laugh
lin was George H. Williams, an at
torney of Romney, w. Va. He
recalled that Mr.. Laughlin and his
law associate, Charles Flasphaler,
had visited Romney one week end
in connection with legal case.
He did not give the date. but a
letter was introduced in which Mr..
Laughlin informed Mr.. Williams ne
would be coming to Romney on
March 81 or %. Mr.. Flasphaler has
testified that ne and Mrs. Laughlin
drove to West Virginia On lasc
March % and did not return until
late on the next Gay.
Government witnesses testified
that Mr. Laughlin on these dates
was a caller at the home Of Mrs.
Irma Petrain, 2215 H street N. W.,
where Mrs. Hobbs was recuperating
after the illegal operation.
Attorneys for DR.. Peckham closed
their case Yesterday following ex-
tensive cross-examination OF Or.
Peckham by Mr.. Murray.
The physician, who has offices at
428 Eighth street Sc. and lives at
TAO Princeton place NV. held to the
testimony he gave on direct exam
ination. The cross-examinatlon
brought out motions for mistrial by
attorneys for both defendants. These
motions were denied by Justice Laws.
Contradicts Prosecution witnesses.
DR.. Peckham's testimony Of yes
terday afternoon was detailed con-
tradiction of the testimony Of Mrs.
Hobbs and other Government wit
nesses.
These witnesses testified that Mrs.
Hobbs visited DR.. Peckham's office
on March 10 or 20 and that DR..
Peckham came to Mrs. Petrain's
home on March Il or %, when they
indicated an illegal operation was
successful, DR.. Peckham denied
these visits.