The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-08
MURDER In PHILADELPHIA.
A CRICKED SKULL PLEIDED INSTEAD
or THE MANS INSANITY.
The Defendants Head offered In Te.,,mony-
n.Inni...- Ill. l..c.... L. IT,

The Defendants Head offered In Testimony-
GrinninR skulls before n Jury-The Ver-
diet not Anected-Edwnrd PARIS Crime.
PHILADELPHIA, June Tho trial OF Ed
ward Parr for the murder OF his daughter. Mrs.
Susan Irwin. ended here tonight In a verdict Of
guilty OF murder in the first degree. The kill
ing was most brutal. Parr. who Is GO years OF
age. had been liberated from Joliet Prison only
"A few days previous to the crime which was
barely month ago. Ho Ind often quar-
relied with his daughter and her husband.
and at the time OF tho murder. Irwin was un-
dergoing term OF Imprisonment for perjury.
OF which he was convicted on the information
of Parr who had himself been imprisoned for
an attempt to kill Irwin. Parr went to hor house
in a rage. and Mrs. Irwin fed up stairs and
bolted the door Parr. following. broke down
the door. and the woman took refuge in closet.
from which she was dragged by her father and
hacked to death with a shoemaker's knife
The facts wero proved on the trial just
ended. 1t would not have been interesting
even hut for tho unique defence.
Josiah Adams realized that he had an uphill
task before him when he opened for the de-
fence. lie began by saying that on reading OF
the murder in tho newspapers he reached the
conclusion that the prisoner was guilty and
been appointed counsel for the accused
man. when he and his colleagues visited
him in his cell they found every feel
ing arraycd against him. They were not
able 10 obtain from him anything That would as
sist in his defense and were about TO- le9ve him
without hope when they accidentally learned
TINT earlier in life he had received an injury to
his skull in the nature Of u fracture The de-
fCuse would not, therefore. be the thrcadhNre
one Of insanity but il would be shown that there
WAS nm indUnture OF the skull now and that the
en'ct Of u fractured skull IL TO irrtate tho
brain. The brain was not In normal condition
was unhealthy: WIS not n brain that reason
AMI thinks. Under excitement created 10y his
daughters r"iurnl To- come down stairs, and
under tho excitement consequent upon being
hraved hy his own flesh and blood in tho pres
| cnce Of wtnns-c- he lost control Of himself.
| could not convict the prisoner OF higher grade
| Of murder than second degree.
| LAWYER Adams had bniOre him an array OF
| white. crnning human skulls. md in the testi-
| mony that followed he asked the Physicians 10
| brain The prosecution objected, saving this
! was reduct,O al obSDjiup. aud judge Eicock
| asked whether the skull under examination
! and the prisoners cranium were exactly alike.
! Mr. Adams was not prepared to say that they
| Dir. John II. Packard testified to examining
! the prisoners head He found traces Of irac-
/ turo or the lett side. He thought the inner
| table was crushed in SO M tn bring pressure on
| the brain. Tho cfract must be TO make the pris-
oner unnaturally irritable. Upon pressing on
| the cavity made by the fracture. the prison :
nervous system was affected. There might be a
| low state of chronic inflammation consequent
| upon such fracture. without producing death.
| Such man would be unit TO perform business
| or e-ponsihle duties.
| While the physician was tcstifying, Mr. Adams
! had in tho presence Oi the Court and specta-
| tors. shaved from PARIS head tho siraggling
| gray hairs that hung from the scalp. Then ad-
| van"inC to tho bar he said:
| We offer the prisoners head in evidence"
| Counsel for tho prosecution objected sayiu
the jury could not tell whether the skull was
| fractured or not
The objection was withdrawn md then the
| jurors walked around back OF Parr ono by on,
| aud felt OF the spot whore the fracture was said
| to have been made. With almost every appli
| cation of the fingers the prisoner gave n start.
| John =. Little. oculist. testified to examining
| the prisoners eyes. He found them innnmed
| Tho retinn wns affected, the optic nerves were
! sunk"n. He was convinced tnat fracture WA,
| the prime cause.
| the drfruc,s closed. for no saw how hopeless wa
! his case The prosecution in rebuttM demol
| ished the testimony OF the experts Tor the dc
! fence.