National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-07-18
The WalwOrth Tragedy.


Mr.. Charles O'COnor's Plea for Acquittai
Dr. Gray was the closing witness fol
the defence, advancing the theory thai
epilepsy is n fruitful source of homicida
frenzy, and supporting Mr.. O'Conor''
hypothesis that the prisoner was, un
der the circumstances, irresponsible by
an affirmative answer to the hypotheti
cal question. Several witnesses were
then called by the District ct-Attorney in
rebuttal, including the murdered mans
publisher and several physicians, who
drew widely different differences from
young Walworths conduct from those
of DIR. Gray. Mr.. O'Conor then sum
med up for the defence, speaking very
rapidly for several hours, and making
an earnest plea for the parricide's life.
The unpleasant weather prevented the
usual large attendance of spectators
when the Court opened; but toward
the middle of the day the number in
creased until every seat was occupied.
The interest that has centered in the
fate Of the youthful prisoner since the
first day of the trial has not abated in
the least
Mr.. O'Conor in summing mp for the
defence contended that the killing was
neither gross, vulgar murder nor II
parricide that if any offence was com
mitted il was not marked with circum-
stances of premeditation and malice.
1t was not the first time that child
had slain his parent, but he trusted
they would not find he had wickedly
killed his father He invited their at
tention to the Thursday previous to the
shooting, when told that his uncle
wished him to go abroad. Considering
himself the sole protector of his mother,
he said he would think about it. The
belief was no doubt present in his mind
that he would in some way arrange the
matter. Was there anything in his
acts tending to show that he meant to
get his father in his sla III room, shoot
him and go on trip to Europe? He
went to New York, called at his fathers
and, not finding him in, left note for
him.
A sort of fstality attended the faith
ers course Had he reached home
reasonably early he would have got the
letter and seen his son in the evening.
But he gets up before sunrise and goes
to the hotel. His son did not expect
him for he was sound asleep. MIR. o.
Conor reviewed the testimony of the
killing, and then came to the prisoners
declaration to Coroner Young. The
zeal of policemen and others was apt
to lead them, not Intentionally, but
none the less injuriously, to warp the
truth. The prisoner only meant that
he came ''to settle the family difficult
ty," and the Coroner understood that
that was all that was meant The faith
er's violence was discussed. Frank
never knew him as a parent, had never
received the recognition or care which
builds up in children those feelings
whose violation by such deed makes
us shudder. Could he possibly honor
such father? Mansfield Tracy Wal
worth was the exact opposite of all the
other members of the Chancellor's fam
lily. From him Frank inherited pre-
disposition to insanity; and his fathers
conduct, along with certain physical in
juries he had received, drove him into
epilepsy. Mr.. O'Conor quoted various
authorities to show that no man could
be guilty of crime without willing and
intending to do it. If there was doubt
in the case, in view of the good charac-
ter of the prisoner, the doubt belonged
to him. The District Attorney was bound
to prove that death occurred py the act
of the prisoner, knowingly and inten-
tionally done. Under the Roman law
Tracy Walworth was parri-
eide at heart when he longed for the
death of his wife and children.
There was no need of any reasoning
to children to prevent their staying
their fathers. There was not single
case on record where child had wick
edly killed its father. He could only
recall the stories of Edipus, Orestes,
and Beatrice Cenci, besides case in
Scotland some hundreds of years ago,
where son was convicted on the evil
lence of his fathers blood flowing when |
ne drew near, and where poor woman
was convicted on merely circumstantial
evidence, and died protesting her inno-
,ence. He appealed to them, in view
If the purity of this boys life, his love
or his mother, his high and noble char
lcter, not to stain the annals of the
State by declaration that this boy had
and designedly committed this
earful crime of parricide.