The herald., 1896-12-05
STRONG DISPOSITIONS
The Defense Opens in the
ShOrb Trial
A M0RD|DLY eager CROWD
Physical Peculiarities of the De.
ceased Pointed Out
WHITTIER SCANDAL CLOSED
No Possible Chance Of Conyicting an
Accessory
Judge Van Dykes Opinion on the Maturing
WHITTIER SCANDAL CLOSED
No Possible Chance Of Conyicting an
Accessory
Judge Van Dykes Opinion on the Maturing
Of Noies
Some Inside History of John Lee-Ccun-
ty officials File Their Monthly Re-
ports-The "Jap's" Diamonds.
Court Notes

Department one was crowded yester-
day with a throng of morbidly minded
individuals, who followed the nause-
ating details of the Shorb murder case
throughout the day.
AT about IL o'clock the prosecution
rested and the defense opened by intro
ducing several dispositions taken in the
east. The first was that of Mr.. Snyder,
husband of Mrs Jennie Snyder. who tes-
titled that before coming to California
his wife had had two operations per-
formed, one being for the purpose of re-
moving a cancerous growth, and the
other to save her life, which would
have been imperiled by childbirth.
The dispositions of the physicians who
treated her in the east were also read.
At great length they gave details regard
ing her physical condition, and the
warnings they had given her regarding
the danger of her life should she become
mother.
After the reading of the depositions DR..
A. S. Shorb, the defendant, went upon
the witness stand in his own defense.
Much of his statement has already been
published at the time of the preliminary
examination, and other portions of his
statement scarcely admits of detailed
publication. Briefly. the circumstances
were such as to make it necessary for
DR.. Shorb to remove the foetus. which
he did. For about fifteen minutes or
so he waited, and again made examna-
ton and found portion Of the lower
intestine had come away. Upon sub
sequent visit to his patient, too, he found
another portion of the intestine wrapped
up and hidden in the room where the
woman was lying.
j. Noonan Phillips. ESQ.,, who is as
sisting Senator Stephen NJ White in the
conduct of the case. went upon the wit
ness stand and testified to what Rellard,
the man with whom Mrs. Snyder came
to California, and with whom she was
| living as his wife at the time of her
| death. had told him. Relland said that
his wife had been sick ever since her ar
rival in the city. and that she was suf-
| fering from miscarriage. In speaking
/ of this. and in answer to the direct ques-
ton, he said
I'VE brought it about" but when ask
ed specifically by witness Relland hesi-
tated and said that they-meaning him
self and Mrs. Snyder-had called doc
tor when she had got very bad. Witness
also stated that he met DR.. Shorb at the
house and that he had acted in a perfect
ly straightforward manner.
MT. HnllilpS knew the 1amlly or the de-
ceased in Wisconsin, and when Mrs
Snyder died forwarded back to the
father the little 13-year-old daughter of
the couple.
DR.. Boyd of Seattle. Wash, testified
| to the several cases in which inducing of
miscarriage would be perfectly proper
and necessary. Certain hypothetical
symptoms were presented when the wit
| ness stated that under those conditions
| it would be the duty of the attending
physician to operate on the patient. With
regard to the puncture In the uterus he
| gave it as his opinion that it could not
| have been caused by the placental for
| ceps unless brutal force had been used.
Other testimony along the same line
was presented to the jury, all tending to
| show that a criminal operation had been
performed ed upon the woman previous to
the arrival upon the scene of DR., Shorb,
| and that what he did was the only proper
thing to do under the circumstances.