Connecticut western news., 1873-07-25
The WalWOrth Tragedy.
MT. Charles O'COnor's Plea for Acquitt

Dr. Gray was the closing witness for
 the defence, advancing the theory that epilepsy is 8 fruitful source of homicidal frenzy, and supporting MT. O'Conor's 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-Attorney in rebuttal, including the murdered man s publisher and several physicians, who drew widely different differences from young Walworth's conduct from those of Dr. Gray. MT. 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. usual large attendance of spectators when the Court opened; but toward the middle of tke day the number in- creased until every seat was occupied. The interest that has centered in the first dRy of the trial has not abated in the least. 2
 MT. O'Conor in summinggnp for the defence contended that the killing
 neither a gross, vulgar murder nor
 
 mitted it was not marked with circum- stances of reconciliation and malice. It 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- tentlon 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 small 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 fatality attended the fath- CTS 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. MT. 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 fath- CTS violence was discussed. Frank never knew him as parent, had never received the recognition or care which builds up in children those feelings whose violation by such deed makes us shudder. Gould he possibly honor such father? Mansfield Tracy Wal worth was the exact opposite of all the other members of the Chancellor's fam fly. From him Frank inherited 0 pre- to insanity; and his fathers conduct, along with certain physical in- juries he had received, drove him into epilepsy. MT. O'Conor quoted various to show that no man could be guilty of crime without willing and 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 oy the act of the prisoner, knowingly and inten- 1ionally done. Under the Roman law Mansf1eld Tracy Walworth was parri- eide at heart when he longed for the 1eath of his wife and children. There was no need of any reasoning Q children to prevent their staying heir fathers. There was not single case on record where child had wick 'dly killed it's father. He could only 'ecall the stories of Hdipus, Orestes, md Beatrice Cenci, besides case in Scotland some hundreds of years ago, where son was convicted on the evi- fence of his fathers blood flowing when I le drew near, and where a poor woman vas convicted on merely circumstantial and died protesting her inno- { ence. He appealed to them, in view l f the purity of this boys life, his love or his mother, his high and noble char cter, not to stain the annals of the 'tate by declaration that this boy had f and designedly committed this 2 earful crime of parricide. |