The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-03

Insanity and accident. combined, are
the theories upon which the defense i'm
the Van Horn case will try To- explain
the killing Of Mrs. Josephine Wescott.
The line of defense was laid before
the jury at 2,30 o'clock yesterday after
noon hy Mr. Wedeman. The story, as
he told it. vas plausible, and, even in
the face Of the commemorative very
conclusive testimony admitting the
claim of the defence that certain por-
tiOns will be proven untrue--the eXpla-
nation is not lacking i'm any of the
chief elements of probability.
After dwelling upon the sworn duty
Of jurymen to 60 into the box presum-
ing the defendant innocent and re-
minding them that the law directs
them to consider circumstantial oVi-
dcnCc secondary to direct or positive
evidence. Mr.. Wcdcman proceeded to
tell the story of the unfortunate af-
fair as the defendants side viewed it,
George Van Horn, he began, was
Well-tO-do, respectable, esteemed and
intelligent citizen of this county some
years ago. Then, he lived with his
mother in DunmOre and was generally
accredited with being a worthy son of
very worthy mother He married
and to better his condition he moved
out west, accepting employment on a
railroad. first in Iowa and then in
Michigan. While working in this lat
ter state he met with "A very serious
accident. one day while riding on the
top of a freight car he was struck on
the top of the head By the cruss-heam
of bridge and thrown from the car
and through the bridge, a distance Of
fifty feet His scalp was torn from the
top of his head and the skull was de-
pressed, iniuring the brain. For weeks
and weeks he lowered between life
and death, his wife all this time tend
erly and SolicitOusly nursing him He
recovered physically, but his mental
powers We're impaired. Such "A change
came aver him that his wife, who pre-
Nious 70 the accident and during his
illness, was most devoted to him, was
forced to withdraw from his COmpan-
ionship. Some years later she secured
divorce and is now married a second
time and living in this city.
MOTHER WILL GO ON STAND
She will go on the stand. Mr. Wede-
man said, aud testify to what is
averred above. His mother will go on
the stand, he further said and will tcs-
tfy that her son was in almost con-
Stant worry about the injury to his
head; that he was far from being the
same man. mentally, that he was before
the accident; that frequently he would
grasp his head between his hands and
cry out: Mother ] can't stand It,
My head will burst" and then, strong
man though he was, he would cry like
a child.
Some eight or ten years ago Van
Horn came to work i'm Scranton and
became a buardcr at Mrs. Wescott's.
'Iiy that peculiar, inSidiOus and indih-
mite something, which sane students
OF human nature call affinity" as Mr..
Ned"man pat it, drew these two peu-
PIE together and from the very first
they loved each other. There love was
ol the most ardent kind, but they could
not openly aVuW it because of Mrs,
NeScntt having a husband living They
We're however man ana wife. virtually.
You may call it Illicit love" said Mr..
Nedeman, but if ever two people did
love it was George Van Horn and Mrs
Wescott. For ten years there never
was time when their love and faith
tulness for each other ceased. EXcept
when he had taken some drink he was
the devoted lover Of this woman, on
these excepted occasions he was not
himself. Drink affected him more
than it did the ordinary person, with
full metal powers. 1t destroyed his
ties, 1t made him irresponsible for
his actions"
He lived with her and they enjoyed
each others affections. In doing this
however they were very regardful of
the common decencies, Mrs West
cotts daughter, Mrs. John Van Horn,
however, formed an antipathy towards
Van Horn and the result was that she
succeeded i'm forcing them to live apart.
Their mutual love would not, however,
allow them to long be separated, and
soon after the daughter came between
them, they met and agreed to continue
their relations Clandsstinely. The cell
lar was chosen as a rendezvous and il
was arranged that a white clothing
hung from the side window should be
the signal for a tryst. This plan was
acted upon and it was during one Of
these meetings that the unfortunate
affair occurred"
SHE WAS IN TEARS.
A witness would be put on the stand.
Mr.. Wedeman said, who would testify
that she found Mrs. Wescott in tears
one day and asking. her what was the
trouble was told that she. Mrs Wes-
rott, was afraid TO live in Scranton be-
cause Of her husband. that he had
Just been 70 the house and she was
afraid of him. The witness asked her
If she wasn't afraid of George Van
Horn and she answered George Van
Horn? No, No indeed"
As an instance Of Van Horns i'm
pared mental faculties Mr.. Wedeman
told, pf how the accused could not -e-
member the name OF the farmer at
tilenburn for whom he worked last
year and how ii was necessary in
order to secure this witness to get a
subpoena directed 10 "the owner Of
the farmer just below the bridge, the
other side Of Clark's Summit etc"
Van Horn would go onthe stand, Mr..
Wedeman said. and tell the detailed
stsEy of tbs. sad .oqeuTrent,e, which in
outline Is assfoilOwst The Signals were
exchanged as usual and they met in