Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-20

Mrs. Rapcr ON Trial for shooting
Mr. Buckley.


Yesterday, In the Criminal Court. Judge Hag-
ner, the trial OF Mrs. Martha Raper, charged
with having on the 96th OF May shot John M.
Buckley with intent TO kill, was continued after
our report closed-Messrs. Rowe and A. b. VII
nams for the defence.
DR.. W. o. Baldwin was sworn, and testified
that he had attended defendant professionally
flrst about nine years ago; found her suffer-
The government objected and the court asked
the object The defence replied that the object
was, was and they expected 70 prove, that the per:
son was then suffering from an overdose OF
opium taken with suicidal intent, and that the
witness then treated her and succeeded In re-
hsnneed asr n,n ane goverament angued That what
the deience replied by reading number OF au-
thorfties.
The witness continued. and said he first FOUND
the defendant exceedingly morose and sullen:
next saw symptoms OF narcotic poison, and
found that she had taken an ounce OF laudanum.
Her sullen and morose manner Indicated 20 the
witness, together with the suicidal ACT, that she
was laDortng upder some mental derangement
Mr.. Wells asked the court TO exclude this
testimony, which request was granted proyl-
SioBally.
Mrs. Ann Hardy, the mother OF defendant,
testified that her daughter had been very sick
for 1ve months before May 26, and on that day
nately She was az that time SICK with infiam-
matory rheumatism and had lost the use OF one
arm In consequence. Her health had been bad
would say she wished 1t was dead, and then she
would caress II; her memory was also bad. on
the objection OF the prosecution TO further EVIL
GROUND oa iu nsd
An exception was taken by the defense.
TO-DAY
This morning the trial was resumed, and Mr..
Williams argued that persons, not experts may
insanity OF the prisoner He cited loss or men,
oiy, propensity TO suicide, melancholy, singing
and crying, loss OF sleep, moroseness, and
laughter, without any apparent motive, as some
acts tending TO show that the mind Is unsound,
reading from Rays Medical Jurisprudence, sec
uons, "a, 5, Z, las, l33, ls5, 13s. lao and Az.
The court said it would not do to attempt TO
prove insanity by surmises and that the law
presumed sanity. He decided 70 adhere TO the
rulings oi Yesterday, and said that no founda-
ton had been laid for the testimony OF experts;
the defence must show her condition about the
time Of the shooting.
The defence put their ofrer in writing. and, IL
being oyerruled, an exception was noted.
Mr.. Buckley was recalled, and defense offered
to prove by him that he lived with this woman
and deserted her about the time the child was
born, as tending TO show the condirioR OF her
mind, but the of1er was overruled and an excep-
ton was noted.
The testimony was closed and Mr. II. H. Wells,
V argued The case for the government saying
that The simple questions were, did the defend.
intent to kill.
Mr.. Williams for the prisoner, argued that
there was no intent to XIII In the case, aud was
followed by the District attorney, who claimed
that case had been made out under the indict-
ment- Judge Hagner charged the jury at con-
siderable length on the question OF intent. The
jury retired at 1920.
THE VERDICT.
The jury came in st 1:20, and the verdict was
announced by b. II. Clapp, guilty as indicted,
With recommendation TO the mercy OF the
court" The Assistant District Attorney stated
that he would not now move for q sentence
The prisoner, who appeared perfectly com
posed, was taken TO the marshal's private Office
by an Officer