Daily Republican., 1885-07-01
Mrs. Dudley Acquitted.

NEW YoIK, June 30.-The jury in
the case of Lucille Yseult Dudley,
charged with shooting O'Donovan Ros-
sa. to-day acquitted her on the ground
of insanity, which was claimed by her
counsel ON his opening argument. The
testimony mainly bore on the fact that
previous to the shooting she had been
greatly excited by reading comments in
Rossa's paper ON the recent dynamite
explosion in London, and had come to
regard him with intense hatred as the
enemy of her country.
DR.. A. K. Macdonald, superintendent
of the Asylum for the Insane on Ward q
Island, testified that he WAS convinced
Mrs. Dudley was suffering from chron-
ic mania. Ms. Dudley had told the
witness that there were three men she
had determined to punish with death,
and that Rosa was the first on her
list.
Mrs. Dudley interrupted the pro-
ceedings by addressing Judge Glider
sleeve. She said Whether l was
irration al or not when shot Rosa, l
am pc rtectly sane now and wish to tes-
| tify on my own behalf. II the case
goes to the jury now. without
their hearing me, they will form an en-
tirely erroneous impression of my mo.
| tives and will not know why | shot
Rossa. The doctors said had said
l had mission, when they should
have said had an inclination.
Mrs. Dudley's speech much embar-
| rassed her counsel because they had been
trying 10 prove her insane, but it was
agreed that she should go on the stand
as witness, although they endeayored
TO stop her. On the stand she said,
after being sworn:
| Gentlemen of the jury, / may or l
may not be insane: but il it is accurate
that my action was for the possession
of the almighty dollar, then l have nc
doubt you will readily decide that an
not insane l wish you to decide my
case by either acquitting me ON the
ground that nay action was justidable
or commit me.
/ / was in doubt as to whether O'Dono
van, Patrick Ford or Mezzeroff wer'
more responsible. / read ODonovan'i
and Ford's papers and read abou
Mezzeroff, and then l went 70 se'
lO'Donovan. We had a talk about the
Wholesale murder of innocent womeI
and children. He said that the blow
ing up OF buildings was perfectly right
What, said he, are the lives of a few
women and children compared with tn
holy cause of Ireland? He said il
reference to the recent explosion tha
we did it, and he also said Il intende'
to blow up the House of Parliamen
iwhen it next convenes.' I believe now
however, that he was deliberatel
!, Lying"
Mrs Dudley continued in this strai
for some time, saying that she did nc
at first intend to shoot Rosa, but wa
willing to take the consequences. Will
, in prison, she said, she received numel
, GUS offers from managers to lecture, an
{ answered them that che would do 80 o
t condition that Rossa would 60 with hel
3 80 that she could give practical illuI
tration of the effect of dynamite on th
t human frame.
r The jury were only in consultation
| about We minutes, when they rendere
@ their verdict. A motion was mad
: to send Mrs. Dudley,to the State Lunati
4 Asylum, which her counsel opposet
Q and asked that their client be permitte
a to return to her native country and
8 placed in an Institution there. III
Court will listen to arguments on tn
$ motion on Thursday.