Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-15
speetaI Tsl.eram o Ae Rsqis.er.


WEILsBURG, w. VA, March 14.-Al
OF Monday was spent in trying TO get
Jury In the case OF State VS.. Mrs. Mary
Spease, charged with the murder OF
six-year-old Nora Wells Starr in Novem-
Der last Nineteen were secured and
upon opening court this morning the
last was soon gotten.
Messrs John c. Palmer, Sr., OF this
place, and John Palmer. prominent
young lawyer, of Wheeling, are looking
after Mrs. Spease's interests, and
Prosecuting Attorney Il. IL. Cotton and
II. C. Hervey for the State.
The twelve jurymen selected finally
were: j. II. Douglass, L. +. Craig, G.,
II. Myer, j. +, Baxter, K. M. Mahan,
L. III. Lewis, Edmund Andrews, Andrew
Hindman, w. c. Laughhead, James
Hukill, Jr., Asbury Moore, John IL.
Deary.
Prosecuting Attorney Cotton gave tho
history OF the case IN opening. He
told OF the child's history and her good
health previous TO her death; OF her
kind and winning dispositions. When
the little girl was deserted by her father
Mrs. Byrnes took charge OF her. After
ward, for some mouths, Mrs. James
Montgomery had her, then Mrs. Hens
ner. Mrs. Spease then adopted her.
Mr.. Cotton spoke of Mrs. Spease's crnel
treatment on several occasions, related
the statements of Drs. johnson and
Walkinshaw, and Of her condition 40
those tx
John Palmer, OF Wheeling, then fol-
lowed in an address for tire defense. He
eay.Rs brief history Of Mrs. Spease;
was boYp In poverty; was an honest,
bard-workfng woman; never discharged
by any OF her employees, but left on her
own account; Of mild hammered dispo-
sitlon. -
DIR. ]. p. JohnsoB. the county physl-
clan, was the first witness called. On
October 9Th Mrs. Spease> aRd. Nora came
10 my Office. Her eyes were sNsnleI
and inflsmed; two days later was crS
10 the house; found the little girl with
left leg fractured just above the knee.
Mrs. Spease accounted for Il In the
statement that she fell from chair
while asleep. A week later while visit
ing the little girl he found she had both
eyes blackened. When Mrs. Spease
was asked II she had fallen agaiD, she
said she had been bad and corrected
her by cutting her. On November
he was called again, as the child was
supposed to be in commissions. After
examination he found the girls skull
fractured and the body bruised In
several places. Across the anterior part
OF the body were number OK
bruises, and there were Others across
the abdomen: across the hips was one
solid mass OF bruises. Bruises were
also found on the upper lip aud left
arm. The doctor recognized photo
graphs taken before the post mortem.
Mrs. Spease said she was sorry she
adopted Nora, for she was always fall
Ing and getting hurt.
The doctor was then cross-examined
by the defense. He performed an OPP
Grafton on the scalp at the dome OF tho
skull, and found n lot OF blood clOts,
and the muscles mashed much the same
az a beaten beefsteak; the lbers OF the
muscles were mashed and pulled apart.
The skull was found TO be fractured,
and small puncure was found In the
centre OF the fracture. He trephiDed
the skull and left the patient with APP
parent relief. She died December ID. at
$3.50 o. u.-two days later. When asked
the condition OF the brain and skull at
the post-mortem examination, the doc
tor said all the membranes and cover
Ings of the brain we're In high state OF
Inflammation. The branches OF tho
middle meningezl arteries were fouRd
broken.
Prosecuting Attorney Cotton asked
how difficult II would be 70 produce
such a spot as that over the abdominal
cavity (shown 10 photography II would
be very difficult % make II by fall.
Surveyor VIII Boyd showed q plot OF
the road, premises, house and those OF
neIghbors interested In the case.
PHOTOGRAPHER Candy recognized pho
tographs shown him as his work.
During the opening stories by the at
tornles on both sides the prisoner mani
tested great deal OF interest. Monday
she PAID 20 attention TO what was go
ing on around her, but to-day u was
different.