Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-01
INSANE.
Mrs. Dudley Acquitted on the Ground Of
INSANITY.

New YORK, June 80.
The court room where Mrs. Lucille Yesult
Dudley is being tried for assault on ODono-
van Rosa, was again crowded to excess to-
day. Dr. Charles f. Dennison, who dressed
Rossas wounds, testified to their locality and
character. This ended the case for the pros
ecution.
for the defence. He claimed that Mrs. Dud-
lev had assaulted Rosa, not out of personal
spite or to avenge personal wrong, but be-
cause che was the enemy of her country"
In outlining the line of testimony for the de-
fence, the counsel spoke of what he termed
Mrs. Dudley's physical infrmty. He said
he would show that for several years her
mind had been affected by epiieptc fits. She
was not in fact responsible for her own con-
duct.
DR.. A. f. Mcdonald, superintendent of
the asylum for the insane on Wards Island,
testified he was convinced Mrs. Dudley was
suffering from chronic mania Mrs. Dudley
had told witness that there were three men
she had determined to punish with death and
Rosa was first on the list
Mrs. Dudley here interrupted the proceed
ings by addressing Judge Gildersleeve, she
said:
whether was rational or not when
shot Rosa, ! am perfectly sane now and
wish to testify in my own behalf. If the
case goes to the jury now without their hear
ing me they will form erroneous impress
sion of my motives and will not know why
shot Rosa
1t was decided to allow Mrs. Dudley to
testify and accordingly she was sworn and
took the stand. She said
"Gentlemen of the jury | may or may not
be insane. | wish you to decide my case by
scquitting me either on the ground that my
action was iustifable, or convict me. | was
IN doubt 10 whether Jeremiah O'Donovan,
Patrick Ford or Mezzeroff were most respon-
sible. read O'Donovan's and Ford's papers,
and read about Mezzerotf, and then | went to
see O'Donovan We had talk about whole
sale murder OF innocent women and children.
He said tha, blowing up buildings was per-
fecily right. What, said he, ''are the lives
of few women and children compared with
the holy cause of Ireland He said in refer
renee to the recent explosion that we did it,
and he also said Il intend to blow up the
House of Parliament when it next cOnveDes.
believe now, however, he was deliberately
lying. He said also that he intended to blow
up English vessels and in that way strike
terror to English hearts. He was murderer.
He had shown himself to be one. If ] am
homicidal it is queer. ! never shot anyone
before | have carried pistol, and had it
loaded too, since was l6 years old at that
age was living in the country and there was
great scare about mad dogs so that every
body, men and women, who were capable of
carrying revolvers did so. | gave O'DoDo-
van as fair trial prisoner ever had in
your court. | shot him and l am willing to
take the consequences. Even in this land
of liberty don't think man like him should
be permitted to go about advising injescrim-
mate murder. | didn't come here to shoot
him. I am good nurse and willing to take
position here"
The jury were only in consultation about
FIVE minutes when they returned verdict of
acquittal, because of insanity.
motion was made to send Mrs. Dudley
to the State Lunatic Asylum, which her
counsel opposed.
The latter then asked that their client be
permitted to return TO her native country and
be placed in an institution there.
The court will listen to arguments on this
motion Thursday.