being forced to do so. ”
The reporter continues, “ On the table before Mrs. Auster lay the revolver with which her husband was shot to death. As she spoke of it she touched it falteringly and then drew her hand back with a noticeable tremor of horror. Without speaking the chief laid the gun aside and asked Mrs. Auster if there was more she cared to say.
“ ‘ That ’ s all for now, ’ she replied composedly. ‘ You sign it for me and I ’ ll make my mark. ’
“ Her orders—for a little moment she was almost regal again—were obeyed, she acknowledged the signature, and asked to be returned to her cell… ”
At the arraignment the next day a plea of not guilty was entered by her attorney. “ Muffled in a plush coat and a boa of fox fur, Mrs. Auster entered the court room…. She smiled at a friend in the crowd as she took her seat before the desk. ”
By the reporter ’ s own admission, the hearing was “ uneventful. ” But still, he could not resist making this observation: “ An incident occurred upon her return to her barred room which furnished a commentary on Mrs. Auster ’ s state of mind.
“ A woman, held on a charge of association with a married man, had been brought to the jail for incarceration in an adjoining cell. Upon seeing her, Mrs. Auster asked about the newcomer and learned the particulars in the case.
“ ‘ She ought to get ten years, ’ she said as the iron door clanged pitilessly. ‘ It was one of her kind that put me here. ’”
After some intricate legal discussions concerning bail that were elaborately reported for the next few days, she was set free. “ ‘ Have you any notion that this woman will not appear for trial? ’ the court asked the attorneys. It was attorney Baker who answered: ‘ Where could a woman with five children like these go? She clings to them and the court can see that they cling to her.’”
For a week the press was quiet. Then, on February 8th, there was a story about “ the active support that the cause is being given by some of the papers published in the Jewish language in Chicago. Some of these papers contained columns arguing the case of Mrs. Auster and it is declared that these articles have strongly urged her defense….
“ Friday afternoon Mrs. Auster with one of her children sat in the office of her attorney while portions of these articles were read. She sobbed like a child as the interpreter read to the attorney the contents of these papers….
“ Attorney Baker declared this morning that the defense of Mrs. Auster would be one of emotional insanity….
“ It is expected that the trial of Mrs. Auster will be one of the most interesting murder trials ever tried in the Circuit Court for Kenosha county and the human interest story that has been featured in the defense of the woman up to this time is expected to be largely developed at the trial. ”
Then nothing for a month. On March 10th the headlines read:
ANNA AUSTER TRIED SUICIDE
The suicide attempt had taken place in Peterboro, Ontario in 1910—by taking carbolic acid and then turning on the gas. The attorney brought this information before the court in order to be granted a delay in the trial so that he would have enough time to secure affidavits. “ Attorney Baker held that at the same time the woman had endangered the lives of two of her children and that the story of the attempted suicide was important in that it would show the mental condition of Mrs. Auster. ”
March 27th. The trial was set for April 7th. After that, another week of silence. And then, on April 4th, as if things had been getting just a bit too dull, a new development.
AUSTER SHOOTS BROTHER ’ S WIDOW
“ Sam Auster, brother of Harry Auster… made an unsuccessful attempt to avenge the death of his brother just after ten o ’ clock this morning when he shot at Mrs. Auster The shooting occurred just outside the Miller Grocery Store….
“ Auster followed Mrs. Auster outside the door
The reporter continues, “ On the table before Mrs. Auster lay the revolver with which her husband was shot to death. As she spoke of it she touched it falteringly and then drew her hand back with a noticeable tremor of horror. Without speaking the chief laid the gun aside and asked Mrs. Auster if there was more she cared to say.
“ ‘ That ’ s all for now, ’ she replied composedly. ‘ You sign it for me and I ’ ll make my mark. ’
“ Her orders—for a little moment she was almost regal again—were obeyed, she acknowledged the signature, and asked to be returned to her cell… ”
At the arraignment the next day a plea of not guilty was entered by her attorney. “ Muffled in a plush coat and a boa of fox fur, Mrs. Auster entered the court room…. She smiled at a friend in the crowd as she took her seat before the desk. ”
By the reporter ’ s own admission, the hearing was “ uneventful. ” But still, he could not resist making this observation: “ An incident occurred upon her return to her barred room which furnished a commentary on Mrs. Auster ’ s state of mind.
“ A woman, held on a charge of association with a married man, had been brought to the jail for incarceration in an adjoining cell. Upon seeing her, Mrs. Auster asked about the newcomer and learned the particulars in the case.
“ ‘ She ought to get ten years, ’ she said as the iron door clanged pitilessly. ‘ It was one of her kind that put me here. ’”
After some intricate legal discussions concerning bail that were elaborately reported for the next few days, she was set free. “ ‘ Have you any notion that this woman will not appear for trial? ’ the court asked the attorneys. It was attorney Baker who answered: ‘ Where could a woman with five children like these go? She clings to them and the court can see that they cling to her.’”
For a week the press was quiet. Then, on February 8th, there was a story about “ the active support that the cause is being given by some of the papers published in the Jewish language in Chicago. Some of these papers contained columns arguing the case of Mrs. Auster and it is declared that these articles have strongly urged her defense….
“ Friday afternoon Mrs. Auster with one of her children sat in the office of her attorney while portions of these articles were read. She sobbed like a child as the interpreter read to the attorney the contents of these papers….
“ Attorney Baker declared this morning that the defense of Mrs. Auster would be one of emotional insanity….
“ It is expected that the trial of Mrs. Auster will be one of the most interesting murder trials ever tried in the Circuit Court for Kenosha county and the human interest story that has been featured in the defense of the woman up to this time is expected to be largely developed at the trial. ”
Then nothing for a month. On March 10th the headlines read:
ANNA AUSTER TRIED SUICIDE
The suicide attempt had taken place in Peterboro, Ontario in 1910—by taking carbolic acid and then turning on the gas. The attorney brought this information before the court in order to be granted a delay in the trial so that he would have enough time to secure affidavits. “ Attorney Baker held that at the same time the woman had endangered the lives of two of her children and that the story of the attempted suicide was important in that it would show the mental condition of Mrs. Auster. ”
March 27th. The trial was set for April 7th. After that, another week of silence. And then, on April 4th, as if things had been getting just a bit too dull, a new development.
AUSTER SHOOTS BROTHER ’ S WIDOW
“ Sam Auster, brother of Harry Auster… made an unsuccessful attempt to avenge the death of his brother just after ten o ’ clock this morning when he shot at Mrs. Auster The shooting occurred just outside the Miller Grocery Store….
“ Auster followed Mrs. Auster outside the door
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