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Show RUSSELL DENIES GIRL'S CHARGES Governor of Mississippi Disclaims Dis-claims Wrongs in $100,-000 $100,-000 Damage Case OXFORD. Miss, Deo. f. (By Th associated Pr.-ca i Lee M. Russell, Kovernor of Mlsolsslppl. Wednesday denied In federal court here allegations allega-tions of wroiifN made b Miss Frances Blrkhead, stenographer, the basis of a 6ult for $100,000 damages against Mr. Russell now on trial. I Against this, Miss Blrkhead. on the witness stand, reiterated in detail charges of seduction and other all e i jtlons made In her petition for redress. It was th" opening day of tho ac-tual ac-tual trial and a day crowded with sen-sati sen-sati nal declarations I Governor Russell, called by counsel .for Miss Blrkhead ns an "adverse wit- 'hcps" was on the w.tne: .1 ff ind a comparatively com-paratively short time, but is expected to bo recalled for a lengthy xnmln-ation. xnmln-ation. He declared the charges with-lout with-lout foundation Miss Blrkhead, who was called tn the witness stand when Mr. Russoli ivar.it. d It, was under cross-examination when court adjourned. In a voice scarcely audible a few feet from the witness box she gave on direct examination, a detailed nar-ratlve nar-ratlve of alleged relations with the governor while she was In his employ during his campaign for the governorship governor-ship In 1 91 &, and brought her testimony testi-mony to a climax with a dramatic declaration dec-laration that one of the papers of-'fere of-'fere 3 in evidence by tho defense was a forgery-. QUESTIONED ABOUT LETTER. The taking of testimony began at the afternoon sees-Jon of court after selection of a Jury was accepted with unexpected rapidity. Governor Russell assorted that he employed MlSI Blrkhead as a stenographer steno-grapher In Jackson. Ho denied he' talked with hor In a Jackson drug store prior to her employment and, in turn, declared untrue various othc: alleged Incidents. " Did you not admit in tho presence of former Governor Th Ion G. Bilbu that you werfi responsible for Miss Blrkhead's condition and asked Mr. Bilbo to settle the matter''" was one of tho questions asked the governor. " I did not,'' was tho retort. Introduction of a letter signed "Mary" brought a denial by the governor gov-ernor that ho was the author and. as a test for comparison as to handw rlt-Ing. rlt-Ing. he wrote the same wording from dictation In the courtroom. Both were submitted as exhibits The letter which Miss Blrkhead said she received while engaged In war work at Camp Jackson during tho 191H political campaign In Mississippi, urged tho recipient "to get treatment there." Miss Blrkhead charges that she submitted sub-mitted to an operation at the suggestion sugges-tion of tho governor and as a result her health WSS permanently impaired She testified that tho letter was in Mr. Russell's handwriting. SPEAKS AMID TEARS. Miss Blrkhead. part of the time In tears, was under direct examination forj nearly two hours. Her cross-examination was only in its early stages w hen the court adjourned for the day. "The governor appeared interesting j and ho told me he loved me." the I yuung woman testified. "Each tlmoi I saw him he appeared more Inter- ested. Ho told me ho was gutting a divorce." "He never left the office without; I kissing mo goodbye." Miss Blrkhead ..aid at another part of her testimony. She told of going to Oxford and of her residence at the Russell home, I I here. Governor Russell had prev-, lousl? explained that Miss Blrkhead J accompanied him and Mm. Russell td their homo to aid In tho sending of campaign literature the purpose for which, be said, she was employed. Miss Blrkhead declared at various Itlmes sums of money were paid hor by men purporting to be emissaries i ' ilo K" i i: : a r.'J t i.ld o, a a a ilei 1 'visit to her In New Orleans and an of-ifer of-ifer of $C00 if she would sign a letter lln effect absolving Mr. Russell from any wrongdoing. She said she rc- fused to sign the letter. Governor Russell against this nad .declared that he had never authorized any payments to Miss Blrkhead and so far as ho knew none were made (other than payment of the salary ,.igrec-d upon at the time she was in his employ, 00 |