People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1893 — STUCK TO HER STORY. [ARTICLE]

STUCK TO HER STORY.

Kra Foy Passes Her Cross-Exam-ination Safely. Although Subjected to m Pitiless Ordeal, the ,Sow Fatuous Witness in the Conghiln Trial More Than Holds Her Own. MRS. FOY UNDER FIRE. Chicago, Dec. 28. —The hearing 1 of the Coughlin case was resumed Tuesday, Mrs. Foy taking the witness stand. She was subjected to a searching crossexamination at the hands of Judge “Wing, counsel lor Coughlin. He questioned her minutely as to the various times Coughlin is said to have visited her house and converse with her husband, but she answered promptly and apparently without evasioh. In reply to a question by Judge Wing, Mrs. Foy declared that no promises had been made to her by the prosecution. She admitted that she did not now love her husband. He had ceased to live with her since she had decided to go on the witness stand. Judge Wing then said: “Didn’t you accuse your husband of being the man who threw the bomb at the Haymarket riot?” | With face as white as death the witness raised her right hand and exclaimed: “Never in all my life.” ‘"Didn’t you go to Judge Grinnell when the anarchist trial was on and tell him you would swear your husband threw the bomb?” “Before God I never did.” “Haven’t the neighbors for half a block around your house heard you screaming that your husband threw the bomb?” “I never did,” said the witness, now almost hysterical. 1 Mr. J’-ottiun objected vigorously to the line of the cross-examination. Mrs. Foy almost broke down under the struin. “This is awful, judge,” she said, addressing the court. “This is too terrible.” The women in the courtroom were very much wrought up by the dramatic scene. Then the strain of the situation was further complicated by Judge Wing handing Mrs. Foy two letters which he asked her to identify as in her handwriting. She said the writing looked like hers and finally admitted that , she had written and mailed the letters, aud said that she had written them to Mr. Forrest. Witness examined the letters carefully and said that nothing had been changed in them. | Judge Wing asked Mrs. Foy if she had not tried to secure money from himself. She said he knew she had never asked him for money. Instantly Mr. Bottum objected and from the press table came in a deep voice: “Let her give the answer.” The remark was made iby John Devoy, a well - known Irish-American, member of the Cronin defense committee, and who is one of the reporters writing up the trial for a local newspaper. The court told Mr. Devoy that he must not make such a remark. Mr. Devoy apologized, and said that the remark was only intended for Attorney Bottum’s ears, but that he had spoken too loud. Mrs. Foy gave emphatic denials to insinuations through questions by her cross-examiner that she knew only what her husband had told her because the others would not trust her; that she had stated to others that if she could only connect Alexander Sullivan with the case she could get all the money she wanted from Mrs. Conklin and the Cronin committee; that she hail even told her husband that 1»6 was the cow-

ard that threw the bomb at the Haymarket riot, and that he ought to be on trial with Spies and the rest of them, and that she would go to Judge Grinnell and fix him. Judge Wing then j-ead the letter written by Mrs. Poy to- Attorney Forrest shortly before the latter’s departure to Ottawa in the interest of Coughlin, O'Sullivan and Burke. The letter detailed the knowledgefof the writer of all the circumstances attending the great crime, saying that her husband was one of the principal conspirators, and that he was a monsler and a drunkard ever since its the attorney desired to see her he could address her in a personal in a newspaper, to “Justice;.”' A postal card telling of her knowledge of the crime' and the sufferings of one who was innocent was also sent to Attorney Forrest with the announcement that she intended to visit the state’s attorney and tell all; that this was no idle threat,, and that she had suffered enough. The cross-examination closed and on the redirect the witness was asked to state about the asking of money by her from Attorney Forrest. The witness said that she told the attorney that she would much rather have him give her husband good advice and make him a better man. chat she would much rather have money honestly made by her husband than any other. “I wanted Andrew Foy to be a better man,” she said. She continued: “X said 1 had no money, and you (addressing Judge Wing,) said you hadn’t much money yourselves; that yoadidn’t get much out of the case, and I told you X wanted it distinctly ; understood that X didn’t come after money. Now, didn’t I say ithat?” To this Judge Wing made no reply. Both sides announced that they were through with Mrs. Foy, who left the stand, seemingly as cool as when she ascended it in the morning, and court then adjourned to 2 o’clock.