The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-06
WAS PRATT INSANE?
Attorney FO0te VIII Attempt to
Show That He Was.
Witnesses for tbs Prosecution Think He Was
Out of His Mind-sensational Evil
denoe for the Defense.

When the George c. Pratt trial, for the
shooting of Louis L. Cromwell, was called
in Judge Murphy's court yesterday morn
ing the Judge stated that as it would prob
ably occupy three days he would put the
trial of Arnold, for the killing of Garness,
for Thursday morning.
Prosecuting Attorney Hosmer then made
a brief statement of the case for the prose-
cutioD, and Daniel Myer was placed on the
stand and testified that he was a Director
in the California Insurance Company, and
had gone 10 the Office as soon as he heard of
the shooting. Saw Pratt, who was appar-
emily calm and admitted that he had fired
the shots.
w. B. English was then called and stated
that he had seen Pratt in Jail after the
shooting, and that the latter did not seem
to be in his right mind. He had never
heard Pratt make threats against Cromwell
or any one else.
Louis l.. Cromwell was then placed on
the stand and described the shooting. He
was interrupted once by the defendant, who
exclaimed in a loud tone, You ran, you
scoundrelw The Court admonished him to
hold his peace, and cautioned him against
any further outbreak.
BrOmwell, continuing, gave 1t as his
opinion that Pratt was not in a responsible
state of mind at the time Of the shooting.
Some one-he did not remember whom
had asked him why Pratt had shot at him.
He replied that the man must be crazy.
Attorney Hosmer then asked for a coltin-
nance, which was denied, and a recess was
taken until O'clock in the afternoon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Proceed, gentlemen, with the case,'
was the remark of Judge Murphy when the
clerk had completed tine call of the jury
when court Teopened at , O'Clock.
The Judge Immediately applied himself
industriOuslY to the task of peruSing a for
Misunderstanding document and the attOr-
neys fer the defence consulted earnestly
in whispers. The members of the jury
tried, to a man, to look wise and uncon-
cerned, and the defendant glanced from the
corners OF his eyes at them from across the
room. A bnZz Of human voices arose from
the back OF the courtroom, but for fifteen
minutes no other sound was heard.
The Judge plowed his way through
the document before him, and on reaching
the end laid it carefully aside. Looking
across at the attorneys he asked, Are you
ready to proceed?"
The clerk raped for order and the
silence that ensued was intense.
STATEMENT FOR THE DEFENs E.
W. W. Foote then arose aud said in sub
my duty to state what we expect to prove
in eXculpation of the man now on trial for
an attempt to commit murder His Honor
viii tell you that in order to commit crime
there must be act and intent. We propose
10 prove That when this shooting occurred
the defendant was not in his normal con-
dtiOn of mind, and could not, therefore,
have had the intent. Look at the evidence
already adduced Daniel Myer aud Brom-
well both state it as their belief that the
defendant was not in his right mind
We will not deny that Mr.. Pratt had a
pistol. We will not deny. even, that he
used 1t, but we do propose to prove that
his mind was in that tempestuouS state
which would not enable him to form an in
tent. We VIII show you that Mr.. Pratt
came to California sixteen years ago from a
town in Iowa where he had been in bust
ness. That he had previous to coming
taken wife unto himself, and as a result
Of that union he was the father of two
children. BY his own efforts he rose to a
position of trust and honor That he was
given, through the influence of Bromwell, a
place with the California Insurance Com
pany, and performed his duties in an ex-
emplary manner.
He rose to high place in their employ,
and travelled TO China and Japan. On his
first trip his wife accompanied him, but
when he went to Japan the second time
BromWell forbade him taking his wife with
MN, although Pratt was willing to pay her
fRfNAAhS tAPtAoCo hAilioCil.
THE FIRST REVELATION.
"0n his return from his second trip to
Japan, he found that his Mother-in-law had
died, and his fatheT-in-law told him he had
overheard conversation between Mrs,
Pratt ana Miss Wilton in which Mrs
Pratt had admitted that she had gone with
BromWell TO notorious resort near Oak
land called the Hermitage Mrs. Pratt
was then at Napa. Pratt went there and
charged her with inidelity. She admitted
that she had gone to the place named, but
said that it was only an indisGretion, and she
swOre on her Blended knees that it had gone
no further. This was months before the
shooting
Pratt had friend named Wadsworth.
who had recently been elected President of
the safe Deposit Company. and he tele-
graphed for him to go to Napa. Wads-
worth replied that it was impossible. Then
this guilty woman said, L can bring Mr..
Wadsworth,' and her husband permitted
her to write to him. In reply to this letter
Wadsworth appeared at Napa February %,
1889 His wife told Pratt that he was ex-
cited, and asked that he let her talk to
Nadsworth. He consented. What that
conversation was we do not know, but
when it was over. Wadsworth went back to
the husband and assured him that his wife
was innocent.
From that time the defendant changed
in mind. There was within him sus-
pielon that his wife was not entirely in
nocent. Imagine, If you can, the state Of
mind man must be in at the end Of eleven
months of such mental agony.
THE wIFE's CONFESSION.
but another revelation was yet to come,
which corroborates the proof offered by the
prosecution. He went home the night be-
fore the shooting. His wife was down.
stairs He was suspicious, but knew abso-
lutely nothing. She was an invalid at this
time. He carried her tenderly upstairs to
her bedroom, and there she asked him if he
loved her no longer
He told her he loved her but that she
was suspected woman. She broke down
and said: George, | have been ruined by
Bromwell, and Wadsworth knows all about
it. He paced the floor all night, and on the
following day committed the act for which
he is now ON trial. They have already told
you that his mind had changed, and we will
Ssk you to believe it."
Mr.. Foote stated that he was averse to
going into details, but the prosecution had
forced them to It, He believed the Jury
the home, and would not let their verdict
appear as an approval Of the debauching of
wife.
PRATT ON THE STAND.
AT the close of Mr.. Foote'S statement,
George c. Pratt, the defendant, took the
stand.
What is your business?" was asked.
II was General Manager of the California
Insurance Company"
Were you discharged"
An objection by the defense was overruled
and the defendant stated he had been few
days subsequent to the shooting. He came
originally, he stated, from Providence, r.
l., but lived afterward in Chicago, where