Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-30

|Slgndfures on Notes
To Laughin Valid
Another handwriting expert, tes
tifying in the abortion trial Of At.
torney James j. Laughlin and DR.
Henry L. Peckham, jr., in Districr
Court today upheld the validity O.
the signatures on the Esther let.
ters."
The witness, DR.. J. Newton Baker
1881 M street NV, testified the
signatures were those of Mrs. Esther
Hobbs, 23-year-old former Agricul.
ture Department employee. The
Government charges D. Peckhan
performed two illegal operations or
Mrs. Hobbs and that Mr.. Laughlir
was an accessory. Both have denied
the charges.
In one of the two letters, signed
Esther" the writer dissolved Mr.
Laughlin Of any connection with ar
illegal operation. It is dated last
May 16.
Mrs. Hobbs Regulates Letter.
Mrs. Hobbs, who was engaged Il
Mr.. Laughlin at one time, denied
on the witness stand yesterday she
had written the letter. The date Is
two weeks after her marriage to
William G.. Hobbs. She was for
merly Miss Ether Pickard.
DR.. Baker was the second hand.
writing expert summoned by Mr.
Laughlin who has testified the sig
natures on the May 16 letter and
one written March 20 were genuine
Mrs. Hobbs testified early in the
trial that she believed the sigma
lures were hers, but she denied she
had written the March 20 letter
That letter, according to the de-
tense, was written by Mrs. Hobbs In
Mr.. Laughlin's Office and bid him
good-by after saying she was sorry
to have missed him. .s
Against the testimony Of Mr.
Laughlin's two experts. an expert
summoned by the Government, DR.
Wilmer Souder of the Nationa
Bureau of Standards, said he wa.
unable to arrive at any conclusion
regarding the validity of the two
signatures in question, but he sale
the striking similarity between then
aroused suspicion.
Picture of Signature Offered.
DR.. Baker today presented in cour
greatly enlarged photographs of thu
two signatures which are admitted,
those of Mrs. Hobbs. A number o
these photographs were passed tx
the jury and DR.. Baker stood befor,
them demonstrating how he arrived
at his conclusion that the two II
question were genuine.
The Government as its final re-
buttal witness summoned Luke C.
Mckenzie, 1901 East Capitol street
who operates lunch tavern.
He testified he was present with
Mr.. and Mrs. Hobbs at a confer
ence with Mr.. Laughlin in the at
torney's Office which began at II
pm. last May Is and broke up at
5 am. He said that on that occa-
sion there was an argument.
Mr.. Laughlin jumped over his
desk and hit Mr.. Hobbs and knocked
off his glasses" he said. Mrs.
Hobbs and I broke it up"
He testified the May 16 letter was
never discussed at that meeting.
It now is expected the case will go
to the jury next Tuesday or Wednes-
day. There will be no court session
Monday.
The case is being heard by a jury
of 2 women and 10 men in Chief
Justice Bolitha ]. Laws court.
Under questioning by Assistant
United States Attorney Charles B
Murray and by Mr.. Laughlin yes
terday, Mrs. Hobbs testified she
and her husband and Mr.. Mckenzie
a former business associate of her
husband, went to Mr.. Laughlin's
Office to settle a suit filed by Mr..
Laughlin against Mr.. Hobbs. The
suit was for a legal fee of $3.50. She
said she signed one or two papers in
connection with the settlement OF
the suit.
The Government presented g
Weather Bureau certificate describ-
ing the Washington weather on
March 20.
DR.. James P. Lyons, eye specialist
OF 1908 East Capitol street, had
testified that on a night in March
he had seen Mr.. Laughlin and his
two daughters at the Episcopal
Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. He
said he gave them lift in his car
because of the rain.
Other testimony offered by Mr.
Laughlin put this incident on March
20. The Weather Bureau certificate
was admitted in evidence, and Gov
eminent attorneys said it stated
there was no rain March 20.