The New York herald., 1872-04-20
FAN NY HYDE.
Fifth Days Proceedings in the Trial Of The
Alleged Murderess Of George w. Watson.
Summing Up for the Defence by
Ex-Judge Samuel ID. Morris.

as early as nine O'Clock by an immense crowd OF
people, all anxlons to witness the closing proceed
ngs in the trial. The interest In the case increases
as the trial draws to close; In fact the case has
been the subject of universal comment In Brooklyn
since Monday last when it was called on. No
criminal trial has taken place In that city which
has excited so general and widespread interest as
that of Fanny Hyde for the murder OF her seducer,
George W. Watson.
The announcement that the summing up on be-
half OF the prisoner would take place yesterday at
tracted to the Court House hundreds of people who
had not attended on any of the previous days. The
at tendance generally has been confined to certain
class, who crowded the court room every day, but
yesterday there was noticed among this class an
entirely different element. Citizens of wealth and
standing In the community, and many more ladies
than usual sweed the throng and remained there
until the close OF the proceedings.
AS soon as the doors were opened grand rush
was made for the Interior. and in few moments
the chamber was crowded almost to sutfOcaton.
Policemen were stationed at the doors to keep the
crowd back which was found to be very difficult
duty to perform. The prisoner was taken to Court
at halEpast nine O'Clock, and provided with a seat
beside her counsel and near her relatives and I'M
mediate friends She appeared to be somewhat
uneasy for time, but shortly afterwards recovered
her compOsure.
Judge Tappen and Associate Justices Voorhees,
and Johnson took their seats on the bench at ten
O'Clock, and the proceedings were opened by Dis
trict Attorney Britton calling
Lorenzo D. Tice, the undertaken who oflciated at
bruse the left part of the forehead and another
to the left OF the nose extending to the cheek bone
he did not find any injury on the forehead other
than he had described there was no injury on the
face that cut through the skin.
@. Was there any marks on the face that could be
designated as scratches
Mr. Morris objected on the ground that the ques-
tion called for an opinion.
O. What would you call those wounds on the
faceY A. Had not known the circumstances Of the
case should have said that the man had fallen and
been dragged on the ground.
DR.. Holmes, who was called upon to obliterate the
injuries upon the face, said that there was an abra
sion OF the skin over the eye, another on the
was also large one on the top of the head Mr.
Watson was partially bad) none were sufficiently
deep to cause an issuing Of blood more than from
the veins Of the skin.
Archibald b. Backman, proprietor OF the factory
where Watson, was killed was next called.
q. In the spring or summer OF 1870 did you dis
charge the prisoner at the request of Mr. Watson?
A: discharged her by his direction in the fore part
OF March,
Q. Having so discharged her, how soon did she
come back to work aganp A. She did not work
for week after that; Watson was absent at the
time and remained away two or three weeks.
Both sides here rested.
Mr. Morris Informed the Court, in reply to qucs-
ton that he would take the greater part of the day
to sum up the case In behalf Of the prisoner, and
asked that short recess should be taken before he
commenced his address to the Jury. Judge Tappcn
thereupon directed recess until eleven O'clock
The Court reassembled at that time, and Mr..
Morris commenced his address, He spoke for six
hours, concluding his remarks at five O'clock
In the course OF his speech Mr.. Morris said:-I
say In this case matters have been strained from
beginning to end When this unfortunate girl was
the stand II was only through her tears that she
could testify and after the examination
sci objected to my pursuing the examination any
further; but no judge in the land would apply any
such technical rule In such case. Such rule
would not be applied among savages. Was that
desire to elicit all the facts Suppose should have
which would debar me from eliciting any additional
testimony do you think it would be the duty of the
and thus hang that unfortunate girl The shut
ting up Of that testimony meant blood. The District
Attorney said we did it as trick; but suppose 1t
was do you think 1t was the duty OF the proseCu
ton to shut up testimony for that reason and keep
back facts which were necessary for you to know in
order to form your ludgmentY Supposng he knew
there were facts which would be a complete vindi-
cation Of the prisoner what under such circum-
stances should you think would be the duty of coun-
sci for the peopleY Why, to put the witnesses upon
the stand, for this Is not case of blood-hunting,
this is court of Justice. Is right that the prose-
cuton should seek to take the life OF one of the peo
pie by excluding testimony which they have not the
power TO contradict
Mr.. Morris contended that the prosecution had
not proven the prisoner guilty OF murderin In the first
degree. He alluded to her seduction by Watson, to
the latter's conduct toward her, and then pro-
ceeded to consider the question Of Fannys in
sanity. He said when this assault was commit
ted upon her, 1t was the spark which fired the
train and in an instant she became sh insane and
now?'' said they. 'Oh, no." said the doctor,
"but there she is, gentlemen, all there IS
is this impulsive insanity We have had
evidence of this hereditary taint added to that we
know she has been suffering from disease for many
years. and that alone If accompanied by sudden
shock, is of itself sufficient to produce this tempo
rary insanity. powerfully exciting cause" say
the authorities, will produce this disease, and can
you conceive any more powerfully exciting cause
than when young woman, suffering as she was,
should be attacked by man and have such an in
you retire to your room should like you to weigh
the matter well before making up your minds. The
70 I'm
years. but say the lawyers "Don't 1t have its
of incubatlonr Yes, It had been going on for
Tered, every tear she she'd every wild expression
she uttered, and when she said, In Washington,
II feel that there is curse hanging over me-"
was insanity not then incnbatng Insanity, also
know, may be produced by profound moral shock,
and 1t is not strange that If a person can be de-
prved of his reason by news Of good furtune that
he should also be so affected by that which will
stir the soul to its utmost depths And yet, say
counsel at must have It's period of incubation"
pulsive insanity which has been declared for
the last hfty years, should now when we
outf But you are not going to listen to that, for
he must give you reasons why the theories OF
all these eminent medical authorities should
be wiped out. With the evidence In this case and
the authorities OF the facts you asked to convict
this unfortunate woman, but not for moment do
boi and let her go frecn Counsel T seemed seen Gt to
imagine that II the party had any recollection of
what occurred that was proof OF her sanity.
than such instances Go out to Flatbush and you
will see 1t cxemplided Go through the institution
there and you will discover many who display no
trace of insanity. But ask for the girls history
and you win 1nd another victim OF the
lbertine., If all those unfortunate women
they would tale unfold which would make
humanity stand aghast Mania Of this kind has
lately been spoken Of destitute of any foundation
in fact, but am not aware OF any writer OF any
mark for the last forty or fifty years who has not
recognized It's existence. Are they all wrong2 Are
you going to say that they are all wrong, and
going to wipe out their united authority, on
the mere assertion OF person who has
not made the study speciality Most Of
them have recorded cases which have come
under their own observation they have seen its de-
yelopmeQt ana watched its manifestations DR..
Jarvis refers to some seventy-fve cases of the dis
ease which have come within his own observation.
The authors who pretend to speak on II are upit,
NO author contends that person whose mind has
been perfectly sound can become insane all at once.
and | % not maintain such position.
Iou are IN this case dealing with Q mysterious
disease; the operation OF the mind and the