The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-10
PARSON GEORGES STORY.
HIS "ONLY True STATEMENT" on
CONFESSION READ TO THE JURY.

HIS "ONLY TRUE STATEMENTV Oh
CONFESSION READ TO THE JURY
IL - Fun OF Indecency, Cant, and Hypocrisy.
and Shows tho Moral Deprnvity OF the
writer-He Takes the stand In HIS Owa
Defence, and Confcsses TO His Mania Tor
Stealing In Order to show that he 10 Not
Morally Responsible for His Actions
A PitiNnl and RePulsivs Exhibition.
CATsKrLL. Nov. 0-When to-day's session Of
Pastor Georges trial for. nanslaughter In
causing the death OF his adopted daughter.
Lolita Townsend. by o criminal operation ended
tonight by the accused minister breaking
down on the witness stand and sobbing In an
hysterical way. there were some people who
came to the conclusion that George was .
clever actor. There was no doubt about the
fact that he was physically broken down. for
he is not a strong man and he had been in the
witness chair for two hours. During that time
George was straining every energy to pose rs
u victim Of a mania that was prenatal in It's
origin. 1t was a mania, II his Interpretation
be accepted. that had chased him in disgrace
from Maine to Kansas and from Kansas to
tho Greene county jail George testified on
Saturday that he considered himself morally
responsible for everything except his klepto-
mania Mr.. Fiero. his lawyer. In his opening
speech this afternoon. indicated clearly that
his defence rested largely on Georges alleged
moral and physical responsibility. This
made It necessary for George to make an
exhibition OF himself for the benefit
Of the Jury. If there was any doubt
OF Georges ability to tell plausible story. his
appearance on the witness stand settled It
He was calm and perfectly self-possessed. He
Ind listened to the reading Of the disgusting
details OF his crime as he described them him
self in his statement. and he felt that his life
was at stake. Pastor George weighed cnro-
fully every word. He quibbled on the questions
that Mr. Osborn was allowed to ask him. for
the cross examination has not begun yet, and
when he finally broke down under the strain
there was stir OF relief in the crowded court
room.
George told Of his kleptomania. and It was
noticeable that his self-confessed theits In
Kansas. New York. and Brooklyn were Of the
most trivial articles. In nearly every instance
he threw those articles away when the spell
was broken" When he reached tho recital OF
his thefts at Leeds. and It was within the
power OF the prosecution to verify his testi-
mony. his thefts became much more Important
They were Of articles that would be OF use to
him. Mr.. Georges most serious offences
on account Of his kleptomania ten years ago
in Geneva, Ill. had been thefts OF toy
whistles and other useless articles that he
threw into the gutter as soon as he regained
possession Of his faculties. The prosecution
will have to accept Mr.. Georges own state.
ment OF his thefts ten years ago. When Mr..
| George came to Leeds tho spells Of klepto-
mania were more persistent. and they led their
| victim to be more discriminating In his choice
OF articles. Instead Of toy whistles that could
| be thrown away without serious loss. Mr..
| George had q mania for grabbing warm init.
tens in the village store when cold weather
| came on. and lap robes from one OF his deacona.
| and oats from another. The pastors horse
ate the oats before the spell broke" and Mr..
George. under the influence Of his mania. was
even able to pack his lap robes of to his
father. They mndo a useful gift. and besides
| Mr. Georges deacon could not find them there.
This has been the most interesting day Of
| tho George trial in other ways. Mr. Osborn
| rested the case for tho prosecution this morn
| ing, after reading to tho jury that wonderful
mess of can't and obscenity that was composed
| by George In the county jail last winter and
| labelled 1.-The only true and authorized state
ment Of H. W. George" For the first time
| since the trial began deputy sheriff sat
beside George. within the railing. and even
| followed him to the witness chair. Hitherto
| the officer detailed to guard the prisoner sat
outside Of the railing. George displayed o
very bad temper under Mr.. Osborn's CROSS
examination on Saturday. and 1t was
feared that he might attempt to vent
his wrath on the prosecuting attor-
ney by physical force and the deputy
Sheriff received instructions to guard his
| the bur that has until to-day been reserved for
ad an hi
| Luce sat beside George. and Dr. Erway and
st hf f6sp pSfoRsr 81
BE fhas 6e viii b called T. ths witness =,
s ea and before t The session closed b. David
Webster q 2G8 Madison avenue; New YORK:
eases Of the eye and oar. and George has been
rele oes on sst1SSaE
dSss had Ssss apf 81 The
remarkable document to the jury this morn-
ing: It covered nineteen closely written pages
lowed L, s in obsconity Much 81 it Is pnprfntabie.
Mr. Osborn made no conf az ne read. ana
Lo sas Tow Townsend. Such parts Of this confess
ssn Is ss4 Re H%
q habit Of distributing verses from the Bible
sat hssS MfR Rsy uea
sydencs this II i sxRlai1Ss the
rested last winter. Until George wentto Leeds
no had escaped arrest and prosecution by
ness. This had worked successfully, and nat
urally his first impulse when he got into troy:
| Bio at Leeds was to pursue the same course. 10
took Mr. Osborn half an hour to read Georges
confession. and when he finished It the listen.
Mir. George after describing tho way In which
he met Lolita ut the house Of blrs. Henry Nay.
| lor, BOG West Gifty-sixth street. he begins an
elaborate defence Of his intimacy with the girl.
and attempts in every wayto blacken her
ri never went to see her at Mrs. yedders."
says 9Ir. George. only passed the time OF
She never came to my house except to see our
girl Mary. and l never saw her alone except
| the last OF September (about the oath or 25thl
she came, saying Mrs. .Vedder has turned her
j GO to New York p Mrs Naylor In the mean
time had written me from Europe saying sh9
| did not wish Lotta's services any longer. 1
had sent the letter to Lolita. I did not carry It
We told her yes and welcome knew nothing
| - f,,,l IN, ant ma