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LOVE SLAYERS MINGLE TEARS IN MOYAMENSING
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'IvVman Who Killed Husband and Pretty
Typist' Begs Lawyers te End Legal yS$
Otnhhlina and Let Her Tell Jurv I
iSVery That Caused Tragedy
fM$ PICTURE OF VICTIM
PASTED IN HER BIBLE TO
COMFORT HER IN PRISON
Even if Acquitted, She Must Face Con
test te Break Death-Bed TV ill te Save
Her Heme for Herself and Her
Infant Sen
"IXTHILE her lawyers have astfed again ant again for a postponement of
1 her trial for her life and Jiherty, Catharine Rosier sits wearily in her
little six by ten feet cell in 'Meyamensing Prison and cries for a decision
ene way or another at once.
"Why can't I tell my story te the world new?" she pleaded with her
mother, Mrs. Sue Reid, last Friday. "Why can't I go home te my baby 7
Why must I stay in this terrible place?"
Catharine Rosier, apparently, is unaware of the complexities and the
maneuverings of the law. Her lawyers may have the best teasens in the
World for delaying this woman's trial, but they arc nothing te her.
All Philadelphia knows the Rosier tragedy. On the 21st of last Jan
uary Mrs. Rosier killed her husband, Oscar, in the offices of his advertising
agency in Walnut street near Thirteenth, and then slew his typist, pretty
Mildred Rcckitt. She shot them both.
"I did it because I loved him se," Catharine says ever and ever. She
believed that Rosier and Mildred were in love, and that she, the wife, was
te be cast aside.
As evidence of her love for the man she caught unawares and shot
down, Mrs. Rosier turns often te the inside of the front cover of the little
Bible which is her constant companion in that Meyamensing cell. On the
inside of that cover is her husband's photograph.
"Every time I visit Catharine I find her se," said Mrs. Reid.
Always en Friday Mrs. Reid gees te the prison. She is net per
mitted te enter her daughter's cell. Instead, she must talk with her
through a tiny opening in the heavy iron deer.
Mrs. Reid has been faithful net
only in her visits te her daughter, ,
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but also in caring for her daugh
ter's infant son Richard and Rosier's
ten-year-old son Oscar.
Sobs for Her Baby Bey
And Husband's Other Sen
"They are killing my daughter by j
keeping her confined in that prison,"
said Mrs. Reid. "She wants te come
-' r .home te her babies and she wants te
trr ... i
try te make amends, but she can-'
net de anything as long as she is
kept in jail.
"When I saw her Friday she
aeemed te be en the verge of another
breakdown. 'Mether,' she said te
me, 'tell me the truth; are they ,
going te keep me here forever ? 1 1
nave been in this cell for months i
and I can't stand it much longer.
"My attorney tells me that every-1
thing .will come out all right in tHe !
end, but I want that end as quickly
as possible. I can't stand the
anguish of net having my baby. My
Twe "Leve Slayers" Are
Cellmates in Meyamensing
MRS. ROSIER'S six by ten feet
cell in Meyamensing is being
shared by another woman, who,
tee, ehei and killed when she
thought the man she loved was
about te leave her.
Mrs. Clara Woodward, thirty
five years old, who killed William
)fppcnnan in her apartment ,rf
111 North Ninth street en the
night of March 28, uas put with
Mrs. Rosier because the authori
ties thought they could help te
brighten one another's moments
while awaiting trial.
They take turns cleaning and
mopping up their cell, and in one
of her talks mith her mother
Mrs. Rosier said that Mrs. Wood Weod Woed
uard was a wonderful companion
and that she hoped the woman
would seen be giien her freedom.
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woman, according te Mr. Spelter, ilecc
net enter Inte his consideration of the
ease at all.
Weman's Lawyer Premises
Te De His Best for Her
Mr. Scott, who will probably conduct
the defense because of the Illness of
Mr. Cenner, who originally was In
charge, will make little comment en
the case. He. like Mr. Spclser, has
worked for months, preparing Mrs.
Hosier's story.
"I linve been greatly handicapped
In the preparation of the case," he
Oscar Hosier, Jr.. and
brother, Dick
half-
Deathbed Will by Slain
Man Enters Inte the Case
i
WHEN Oscar Rosier lay dying
vr en the operating table fit tht
Jeffersen Hospital, he gasped:
"I want te make a will!"
His associate in business, Bib
Telins, who was standing by tht
side of the dying man, pulltd
forth a little book and, at tht
direction of Rosier, wrete:
"I leave all that I have te
Arthur, my brother, and my boy,
Junier."
Doctors, nurses and police
officials were grouped about tht
table and watched the ma with,
in the shadow of death make tm,
attempts before he finally tut'
ceeded in affixing his signature te
this death-bed document.
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Catherine Rosier a study in remorse
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here tee, nnd since .January has had the
care of hep daughter's -en and step
son, and her own child.
Baby Sen's Sickness
Added te Her Grief
heart just yearns for him and he Mf, ell ms n tQn
needs me. They went let me have bedridden fur .-It jenrs, but this did
him here with me, yet they won't net deter her She had the boy brought
give me a cnance Deiore a jury,
when I knew I would be set free.
What am 1 te de?
"They are geed te me down here.
They let me have my Bible and one
of the matrons pasted Oscar's pho
tograph in it se I could have it with
me all the time. Without this little
Bjble I knew I would die."
Ever since she entered prison Mr?.
Rosier has been mere or les? urdet
the care of a physician. Finally
they decided that perhaps compan
ionship would help restore her
health and they assigned Claia
Woodward te the same cell. She
also is charged with killing a man
because she feared he was going te
leave her.
Shares Tiny Cell With
Anether Leve Victim
JK
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The change has helped because it
affords Mrs. Rosier an opportunity
te tell her troubles te one Uie is in
a similar plight. The prison laws
are strict legaiding conversation
between prisoners, but in this cuse
the lines are net drawn closely be
cause even the matrons, hardened by
years of experience, haven't the ,
heart te enforce a rule that would
prevent these women from sharing,
t and thus lightening, one another's
sorrows.
Sii lines has left lf mnrk in th
little household in Stonehurst. Fer
-.eral weel.q following Mi". Knsier'i
nrreM her hahy Klchnrd win eriuudy
ill Mr- KeMer kept asking te see the
rhlld
I The infant hnd heen taken down te ,
me jail shortly before he fell ill, nnd i
when Mrs. Itcid appeared at her daugh-
I ter's cell deer the following week with-
out the. baby, Catharine seemed te '
knew by a mother's instinct that her
baby Has sick.
"I Rii'hard Mek" It. he dead? Whre
i hi'':" she asked her mother, nnd all
nf her questions were in the i-anie
breath.
Mrs. Tleid told hrr daughter that
tlm child was nil right, but that the
prison ntitheritic had forbidden her te
bring him
"That is net ".e," ried Mr. Rosier,
iicferding te her mother. "They told
me I could have him every visiting dny.
Semethlng has happened te him. Tell
me what it lR?"
"I could net tell her because I was
nfruid bhe would die," said Mrs. Ilcid,
"nnd T kept putting her off from week
te week until the rhlld finnllj recovered,
I guilt." She paid no attention what
ever :. the crier rend off the indictment.
Remorseful But Sure
She Will Gain Liberty
She Is remorseful, et "die has confi
dence that the jury will see the circum
. stances which she say caused her te
cemmlt-thU double crime with the tamp'
c.cs with which she views them. Her
mother, tee. believes that Mr. Rosier
will be sent home te her family.
With her shattered health and Inn
' bllity te work In the event of acquittal,
1 Mrs. Hosier rcali7es that she will hnve
! n fight en her hands te share in her
j husband's estate.
Rosier, en ills deathbed in the Jef Jef
fereon Hospital, penciled n will In which
lie left ecr thing lie possessed te hl,
hiether, Aithur
Jehn It K Scott nnd William T
Cenner Catharines ntternejs, hae
already begun steps te prevent the pre-
I bating of the will and hae tiled cueats
both here and in Media, the seat of
'Delaware County, se that In the event
! of Mrs. Rosier escaping conviction they
will be able te fight for her share and
that of her son Richard.
"It Is a little early te talk nbeut the
will or the Rosier estate." said Mrs.
Hosier's counsel, "but at the proper
time we will contest for the woman's
right te share. Of course, we realize
that in the eent of a conviction en the
charge of murder. Mrs. Re-ier will hae
no claim whntcver te n share "
Since the double murder the Rosier
Adwrtlslng Agency lias pnssed into
bankruptcy, and nil that Is left is an
equity in the home, en which a fore
closure Is imminent, and about 520,000
in life Insurance. Arthur Rosier, who
was named ns the beneficiur , has en
Kaged counsel nnd Is determined te fight
te have the deathbed will recognized
District Attorney Retun, who Is
showing deep Inteiest in this trial owing
te the mnny delajs. 1ms assigned
Maui ice Speiser te icpresent the Com
monwealth In the prosecution
New nc find that If we attempt te start
this trial, which I understand will
occupy nt least thre; weeks, cver.uhing
else in the w ay of u prison case w 111 be
at u standstill."
Thousands hnvc been spent en the
incidental work of preparing the case.
County Detective .fumes Mc(Jettignii
who is In charge of the murder squad
in the District Attorney's office, Irfls
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The
will
death -bel
of Hosier
said, "by the Illness of Mr. Cenner, '
who was stricken n row weeks after
Mrs. Rosier was arrested. He hid
full charge of the ense and had inter.
viewed many wltnese.
"Of course nil of this was Ien and
we were unable te pick It up uin
until Mr. Cenner was In a condition'
te talk. I am net In the habit of rn
judging the eases where 1 am engiI
nnd I will net violate that rule for thii
trial. All that 1 can say Is that w
have been up against n stiff handicap
becnuse of the fact that we de net
actually knew when we will be itt
down for trial.
"Of course It is nccesnry that ererj
panel of jurors drawn by the shH
for sen-Ice In the Crlmlnnl Court bt
investigated. I don't knew- hew nan;
times this has been done In this caw."
"All that I would like te knew new
is what date Mr. Hetitn will set for '
Mrs. Heler'B trial."
Mr. Scott was reminded that two ,
dotes had already been fixed and that
the matter had been set back nt his re
quest. "That is true." said Mr. Scnlt. "but
T fought te hnvc a further delny the
first time becnuse I felt thnt en effort
wns being made te railroad this woman.
The Idea made me fight for her and I
fought for justice. Putting this woman
en trial for a double murder within a
month nfter the commission of the crime
wns mere thnn I could stnnd. J'W's
ceeded In having the case postponed" lie
T could properly examine my wltneww.
Seme of them had te be brought from
points ns for distant as the Paclfle
Const.
"The second postponement was'iin was'iin
aveidable. Mr. Cenner wns Mrltken
with n dangerous Illness. As n matter
of fact, his life was despnlred of and
it iv as utterly Impossible for me te hare
nnnt. nn U'ltll tlin trlfl! ll'ttlmilt Mill. .1
"Se then I appealed te the Supreme 'j
Ceuit. which snw fit te give me tne ex
tension I believed I was entitled te. il
This delay has enabled me te acquaint
myselt Willi tne many iieiihh m ,i
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case nun new i uu ui uun ii -ther
delny Is necessnry ns far as tne
defense Is concerned."
It Is said that n plea of emotional
insanity will be made in the defendant i
behalf, which, If used, would be for the
purpose of showing that Mrs. Rosier!
mind was inflamed te a point berderlni
en Insanity by stories said te hnvc been
told her concerning her husbnnd s con
duct with ether women.
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nti.l thnn r inn'.r Min uirli mi- te nrl.nn.
Catherine Ites.er ferliinnteij doesnet f ruthnnne maip hU(.h a bL.,.nP that
It wns decided liest that I should net
take Richard te the jail any mere. My
daughter tried te keep the child. She
said he wns nil she hnd and thnt she
Delay After Delay Has
Marked Time Since Crime
Spelber hus spent several months in
preparation of the case nnd fully ex
pected te have started the trial long
before this.
A n matter of fact Judse Rogers
Hct the first date ns February 27, but
knew thnt her pretty home en Kent
read, Stonehurst, Is about te be taken
4 away from her She does net knew
that the interest due en the mortgage
'! net been paid, nor does she knew
that, payment In the building nnd Jean'
association hns been delimited. -and has,
here- forecles-
.tfevtaVeut reached u point w
femi "inevitable.
ism
Thla hns been kept from her by the
ylec of her counsel, who realize
Mitt her bunion already Is nbeut as
eh us she cm stand. ,-
Wben Airs. Hosier entered her hus-
Tf. ?m4n office .that afternoon nnd killed
persons, her mother hnd n pretty
at In. Atlantic City.
i Mrs. 'Held wns told of the
the hands of her
e Philadelphia te
nUtflliM-.W
tV--v7' Witt
wanted him with her nil of the time.
Even new when I go down I must nl
wnys frame n suitnble excuse when she
stnrts te talk nbeut bnby. Last week
she said te me:
" 'Richard 'Ih nil I have. Of course
1 love little Oenr (her stepson), tee,
but .Hlchnrd leeks se much like Daddy
(her husband) that I want him with
me nil the time, can see every line of
Daddy's fuce In Richard's features.'
Mrs. Hosier doesn't seem te realize
that when she Is railed upon te face n
jury riie will be en trlnl for her life.
Wherf she was taken into 'court te plead
W-MWMkatuariMBlnir'toTiiren the
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arm wr wm wmr "-trr
'net
Mr. Scott get n postponement. He i
contended that the District Attorney
was innking an effort te railroad the
cuse. and intimated thnt some one wns
plnjlng t the gallery.
When .Judge Dnvls set n date In ,
March. Mr. Scott made it lurtner nt- i
tempt te get n postponement nnd de
clared that he could net locate his wit
nesses. Furthermore he announced thnt
the Commonwealth was tnmpering'wlth
certain witnesses.
Finally Mr. Scott went before the
Supreme Court, and that tribunal
ordered that the Dlbtrict Attorney set
a dnte net earlier thnn May 15. Since
that time no date has been announced,
although It wns rumored thnt Mr.
Rosier would be listed for trial this
month Mr. Hetnn. however, sold that
U Is hnrdlv likely that (he ense will be
renched before fall, owing te the pres
sure of ether cases. "m
"We ure new trying te clear the
lists of murder cases," nald the District
Attorney," and the' Rosier case will
have te wait Un turn. This office has
made every effort pqsMBle te try
but portpeBenaeata vtte forced en .
.Mrs. Hosier at Central Station
bien handling the witnesses, sterol
seeie in number, who will testify for
the Common wealth.
MLficttignn lin dug in deep in ordu erdu ordu
te solidly the State's case. lie has per
sonally interviewed evciy one who hti
been connected iu any way with the
ihoetlng.
Stntemcnts hnve been obtained from
nil, u nd these whose testimony has been
considered particularly important have
i been interviewed by Mr. Spclser.
lit
The Ausistntit District Attorney has
devoted mere time te this case than te
any te which he has been assigned since
he entered office. He Knows, wdl thai
it Is u difficult task te convict n weuinn
of n capital crime, nnd for this reason
has left nothing undone te assure the
Commonwealth every iota of evident a
that can bu scraped up.
Associates of "Jerry" Rcckitt have,
according (e the District Attorney's of
fice, milled strongly in her defense aud
will be n power in her behalf nt the
trial. Hosier's brother Arthur, who
was bitterly assailed by Mrs. Hosier's
counsel when he testified nt the (ir (ir
ener's inquest, hns been en almost daily
visitor nt the District Attorney's office,
IViink Hcluenk. who WHS Oscar Rosier' I
personal counsel. Is engaged us privuU
prosecutor, but Is lenvlng everj thing in
the hands of Mr. Speiser.
Mr. Schrcnk is prcpurcd te show that
at the time he met his. death Hosier wns
about te begin action for divorce and
thut he had infeimed his wife of hi
purpose. This was the actual metlyt
ferAhe crime, it is said.
The fact that tuc deieaaant la
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