The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-15

duccd 10y the Prosecution - Trial
Viii rrohatl. Eud This Afternoon
1t is expected tina: James Charles
Court No. | for the murder of Mrs. Bette
l.. Wrenr, will today testify in his own
defence. \ great deal of testimony was
offered in his behalf yesterday. and al
Though his counsel stated to the court
, that it was net his intention TO make
| insanity a Plea of defence in his opening
statement TO the jury, he laid grea; stress
On the assertion that Lancktor's mind
had been wrecked by trouble and drink
and by the effects OF wounds he received
| while soldier in the army during the
civil war. The great force of the defence,
however. tended TO prove that Mrs. Wrenn
, did not die of wounds inflicted by Lanck
ten. but from natural causes.
Henry Clay Lanckton, brother of the
defendant, was a witness. He admitted
| that his brother had been drinking very
hard Irior to and Immediately after the
date upon which it is alleged Mrs. Wrenn
was assaulted. He, tee. he stated. had
been drinking. bat not drunk. The
| witness denied having written letter
| to Mrs. Wrern 4 few days after she was
assaulted asking her net 10 appear and
| tesiifs against his brother, James Lanck
ton, whom he called Jack. The letter
! received by Mis-. Wrenn while she was
| patient at the Columbia Hospital, was
shown TO Mr.. LancktoI by Assistant Dis
| trict Attorney Gould. and he stated it was
not IL mis- handwriting, and that re did
hot have anyone 10 write ii for him In
addition 10 requesting Mrs. Wrenn not
! to appear in the Police Court and testify
aga inst James Lanckton. it was suggested
/ in the letter that if she would do this
| Ianckton would leave the city and go to
| CleS Gland or any other place she desired.
| Mr.. Lancktcn in speaking Of his brother,
the defendant, always referred TO MIN as
Jack"
| Ii is expected that the testimony for the
! defence will be closed before noon toda.
and tina the arguments TO the jury will
not consume mere than two hours.
When the court was cCnrened Miss Ida
King, the last witness offered by the Gov
c.ument Tuesday, was recalled by the
defence. for the purpose Of laying tae
/ foundation fer her contradict n. Miss
King denied in answer 10 Gues,i ons by
] Mr.. Roail that she. as Interpreter Tor
! Miss Ella Wrenn, he'd stated 10 Attorney
Mcdonald. or anyone else. that Mrs.
Bette Wrenn had complained of pain
in her side before the alleged assault.
In his statement to the jury, Mr. Bean
made brief review of the d=feniants
! life. Lanckton he said. is nearly SIX y
! six years of age, and answered Fres-cent
| Linccln's first call fer volunteers. He
served throughout the war, having been
wounded several times. After the war
Lanckton entered the show busin SIS.
| Referring to the circumstances inme-
| diately surrounding the death Of Mrs.
| WreDn, Mr.. Beall stated that ii would be
shown that Lanekton at that time was
| verging on delrium tremens. and hat lie
| really is not able to recount what occur
| red on the night of March H. the date
when it is alleged Mrs. wrenn received
her fatal injuries.
In conclusion, Mr. Beall further stated
that 1t would be shown by compel ana evil
, dence that ii would have been impossible
for Lanckton to have inflicted the wound
| Mrs. Wrenn died
| The first witness called for the defence
was Attorney Edward L. Gies, who had Wis
tied Lanckton at the District Jail few
days after his incarceration. Mr.. Gies was
called to testify as to the condition of the
defendants mind, but the witness was held
to be incompetent to give evidence this
point.
Capt A. A. Maxim, Superintendent OF
the Temporary Soldiers Home on Missou-
ri Avenue testified that a few days be-
| fore she is alleged to have been assaulted,
| Mrs. Wrenn came to the home and made
enquiry for Lanckton. The witness stated
| that he informed Mrs. Wrenn that Lanck-
ton was near the corner of Third Street
and Missouri Avenue, drunk. He was
unable to say whether or not Mrs. Wrenn
x,-he Il pnlys u.ec ss hat. .t,,1a
Mrs. Wrenn informed the witness that she
intended to marry Lanckton. but that he
| drank heavily and was addicted to the NOR
phine habit.
| Mrs. Maria " Ryon testified that she re-
sides at Gel E Street southwest. This num-
Der is opposite the house where Mrs Wrenn
| lived. On the Saturday before the Monday
| on which Mrs. Wrenn was assaulted the
| witness stated she saw her on Seventh
Street with a man. Mrs. Ryon did not
identify Lanckton as the man she saw with
Mrs. Wrenn.
Charles F. Taylor, who resides at 1921 C
Street southwest, testified that he had sew
eral times seen Mrs. Wrenn and Lanckton
on the street together. Mrs. Edna 7. Tay-
| Tor, wife Of the last witness, testified that
Mrs. Wrenn was about fifty-four years of
| age at the time of her death.
| DR.. Robert Reyburn was called and testi-
/, fed that such a clot of blood as has been
described as having been discovered on the
left side of Mrs. Wrenn's skull would have
caused paralysis of the vocal organs and
the functions of the right side of the body.
Under such circumstances a person could
neither walk nor talk.
Miss A. G. 0del, superintendent of the
Columbia Hospital, states that Mrs Wrenn
was taken to that institution on March 10
last. Her face and body were very dirty
Mrs. Wrenn's body was bathed and then
the witness said she examined her head,
face, and body. thoroughly. She did not
find any wounds or bruises though she ex-
amined Mrs. Wrenn's body several times.
Mrs. Sallie Fenwick, Of Fairfax Station,
Va. testified that she had known Mrs
Wrenn from childhood She stated that she
went to Mrs. Wrenn's home after she had
been taken to the hospital and opened her
trunk. She described the articles of wear
ing apparel found in the trunk. The OBJ
feet of this testimony, Attorney Beall ex-
planned. was to show that Mrs. Wrenn had
been preparing for her marriage to Lanck-
ton. Tho witness, however, stated that she
found 10 new clothes. Mrs Mary J. Thomp-
son testified that she had known Mrs.
Wrenn since 1892. She came to my house
on the Thursday before March u, last"
the witness said. 'She had often been
there before. and each time she was accom-
panied by Lanckton.''
Joseph Pollock was called and testified ]