Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-19
FAIR ALICE ON TRIAL
For the Murder of the Girl Friend
With Whom She Was in Love.
THE PLEA OF PRESENT INSANITY,
And the Hypothesis Upon Which 1t Is to
Re Based and Fought.
EvIDEECEOF THE DEFENDANTS FATHEE

commenced in the Criminal Court here to.
day. There are three methods by which q
prisoner charged with capital offense NAV
enter a plea of insanity. One is to enter ii
at the time of trial, in which case of insan-
ity at the time of the commits.
sion of the deed was proven,
it would result in an acquittal
Of the criminal charge, and further exam.
ination as to whether the prisoner was then
in condition to be set at liberty. If, on
the other hand, the proof was that the pris-
oner was insane at the time of trial, he
would be sent to an asylum, and if he after.
ward recovered his sanity he would then be
tried for the offense committed.
The third plan is to enter an interpolatory
plea of present insanity, in which the in
sanity of the prisoner when the ofense was
committed does not enter into the case at
all, and affects it only to the extent that if
shown to be insane at this time, the
criminal trial would have to be
deferred until the prisoner should
recover sanity. This was the plea entered
| by Alice Mitchell, to the surprise of most
| people, since all the shocking details of the
crime and the unnatural affection Of the
|
fully as though she was on trial for the
murder.
The Interest rs Keen rs Ever.
| Interest in the case is as keen as ever and
| the courtroom was filled this morning. A
| large number of ladies were present. The
| fair prisoner entered the courtroom
| promptly at $50 o'clock and took her seat
| between her two brothers. Shortly after
ward the father and brother of Lille john
| son entered, and the trouble the murderous
| deed of Alice has involved both families in
seems to have formed bond of sympathy
between them instead of estranging the
| families Both shook hands warmly with
the defendant and her brothers and took
seats beside them.
The prisoner was dressed all in black,
save for a jaunty white hat surmounted by
a pair of imitation butterfly wings She
was heavily veiled until she was called to
take her place at the bar. Then she. walked
with a firm, elastic step to the bar table.
When she took a seat and removed her veil,
face was revealed plump and pretty,
cheeks beaming with health, the eyes
bright. the slight figure well rounded, and
not trace of the six months confinement
visible.
1t was anticipated that much trouble
would be experienced IN obtaining jury,
but Judge Dubose's rulings SO modified the
rule of practice that by noon jury was
secured, and the case was at once proceeded
with.
Miss Mitchelps Father on the Stand.
George Mitchell, the aged father of the
defendant, was the first witness called bv
the defense. In giving his testi-
more than once, but his daughter
showed no emotion whatever watching
the proceedings with the air of the most
unconcerned spectator present Her faith
er's testimony consisted of q history of the
girls life, showing the peculiarities of her
childhood and maturer years, with some
reference to her mothers insanity at vari-
Gus periods. This testimony Is all repeated
in the Hypothetical ease, a synopsis of
which follows.
The only new thing which developed in
Mr.. MitchelPs testimony was as to the find
ing OF the razor with which the deed was
done. Alice always said she did not know
what became of it, and the scene of the
tragedy was searched in vain by the police.
Its whereabouts developed for the first time
since the tragedy when Mr.. Mitchell testi-
fed that it was found in the buggy after
Alice's mad drive home.
The hypothetical case was not produced
in evidence to-day, but THE DISPATCH
correspondent. was enabled to obtain a copy
of it. 1t is really life of Alice Mitchell
from child of years up to the present
time. including all the details of her strange
infatuat1on for Freda Ward, the murder,
and her demeanor in Jail since the tragedy.
In addition, are the facts of her mothers
insanity at various periods, usually before
and after childbirth, and the insanity of
three of her maternal relatives
Moe< R.,,o orL oh,. n.,oc..-s
It is perhaps the most remarkable docu.
ment ever submitted in evidence. and is
worthy the pen of mentally diseased
French novelist. Beginning with Alice as
a a5-year-old child, it sets forth that she had
an aversion to the toys of girl children,
and, eschewing dolls, she spent her time in
swing, "skinning the cat,"
hanging by her arms and legs,
and was expert at climbing. She
delighted in marbles and tops, and was a
member of a child's baseball nine. From
10 to IL years she learned to shoot with
rifle. She rode horses and mules bareback,
fed and curried her fathers horses and
rivaled her brothers in all manly exercises
Sewing, needlework, crocheting, her
mother strove in vain to teach her. She
would not learn them, nor music, drawing
or any feminine accomplishments. AS
womanhood approached, although she had
associated all her life with boys in prefer
ence to girls, she took no pleasure
in the society of young men.
She entertained no beaux and was
often rude, always Indifferent to them.
Then Freda Ward appeared on the scene,
girl totally the opposite of Alice-fem-
mime in taste, gentle of demeanor, tender
and afectionate. They loved each other,
not as girls, but as those of different sexes.
When the Ward family moved to Gold
dust, Tenn, Alice was grently distressed,
but they corresponded, and some time later
Alice visited her beloved Freda, when
they were often seen embracing and clasped
in each others arms.
Attempted Suicide With Laudanum.
Later Freda returned this visit, and
during her stay at the Mitchell house, in
December, 1890, Alice entertained the idea
of taking her own life or that of. Freda.
She bought bottle of laudanum with that
view, and considered the plan of admins
tering it to Freda while she slept, but |
Freda was suspicious and remained awake
all night.
, The next day Freda started home, Alice |
her to the boat There she
locked herself and Freda in q stateroom, and |
swallowed the laudanum. She was very i'll |
cuse she gave for this attempt at suicide was |
that Freda loved Harry bigger and Ashley |
Roselle, and she meant to end her troubles !
and leave Freda free to marry whom she |
chose.
The correspondence which followed this |
visit showed all the warmth of lovers, and |
in three different letters she asked Freda to |
marry her. Freda answered each time, |
to do so, and then Alice wrote |