The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-18
YOUNG DOCTOR
HlSSOM. LOSES
i'm HIS FIGHT
Against His Father for $780, 900
Damages-Jury Was Out Less &
Than mn Hour, and
REPORTED VERDICT AT $40.
The Concluding Arguments wero
Made Monday by Messrs. How
ard and Schuck.


When the jury filed into the places they
have occupied during the tedious days
of the trial Just concluded, there were
but few spectators remaining in the
court room. In addition to Judge Her
vey, the only other interested persons
on hand were John A. Howard leading
counsel for the defense; s. G. Smith, Of
counsel for the plaintiff, and Mr.. James
R. Hissom and several members OF his
family. Dr.. and Mrs. s. K. Hissom
and their child. who had been present
during the afternoon, were absent when
the verdict was rendered.
The jury filed In and took til cir seats,
and Circuit Clerk ,Henning inquired:
The Verdict.
Gentlemen Of the jury, have you ar
rived at n verdict?"
1--WE have responded Foreman
James L. Day, and handed slip OF pa
per to the circuit clerk. who read 1t.
we, the jury. find for the defend
ant" was the language OF the verdict
The verdict came as O surprise to At
torliey Smith. but Mr.. Howard and the
Hissoms showed their pleasure over the
finding and ]. r. Hissom shook the
hands of the Jurors before they were
discharged by the court
Although the jurors decided to give
out nothing regarding their delibera-
sois liie lntcilisencer learns mat three
oaiiots were taken. the iirst Pelng nine
iot tne aelehse ana three LOT the plain
ul, , me second was eieVeh TOT Inc de-
ihse nha one Tor the piaihtliL. ana on
.i .hc ,liru ouiiot IL was unanimous LOT
the ueiehse.
Attorne! smith, LOT tns plalatiil'
moved lor new trial, and arguments
on me motion VIII be taken up later.
Mr.. Howard's Argument.
Whom circnit court convnned yar,ar.
dov ,nornInr ,bo IJ,ssor, trIoi Voc ~
sumea Mr.. ,Yobn A Howard r,nkinr ,bc
closing plea for tho darensa His nd.
dress began at $40 and was not con-
c'uded until 1920. He opened with
general comments OIL the character Oh
ihe case. which he SAID should never
nave been brought; that 1t was dis
grace TO the county and not creditablc
10 anyone connected 1.1 With rs sprosecu-
Son; ~ was to the credit Or NMrahnb,
pard thaf ne had practically retired
carry IN the trial. ana Mcssrs. SchucR
ana R0Dinson haVlhS esta ablish"u that
thcy were not interested In the specula-
i've iea,ure OF the case they had con-
quoted themselves In accordance with
the etnics OF their profession. he re-
sFettcu lhot ne could not say as much
Tor Mr.. smith.
froceeoinF. NV Howard TOOK up the
evidence ana named d'twenty-scVcn per-
sons wf2 ayG Np. record hs believing
mat ,. u. flasom was insane at the
time Of ms arres.. including ten blood
reiatiVes. four doctors. TWO lawyers. SIX
pubic officers and three ordinary wit
hesses' besides a justice ana judge
nnd no witness had testified 10 the be-
iiei that nc was sane al tnnt ime.
The Testimony Reviewed.
No oI,,,5 49,. n, 15,,,a :,
.'.u ma ''o"'' 90 !. ~
lhe material tacts III the case, was cor
roborated by but one witness. Robert
McNichol wbo sbn said was discrad,t.
rd whnn hn wrote n ,bre, .nnin,- Iette,
to i r. Hissom McNichoi had nrc.
spmed nm Tim fnct .hot he had bnon
called In In n,cIfy tho ho,, to l.oon In.
sjs,inp upon interfering with thn family
AFFAIRS of tho H,ssoms -
sneokIn,, :, ~ nrnho ,,,a ca,so he
claimed tba father had Enroba HE causr
IN bolIevc h,s son ,nsane The son bnG
written indecent letters from Germany,
showing moral degeneracy;. ne hnd also
losIs NJ Tho lungs hrronInf- so afTect o,,
that he couldn't see, and that he fear
ed tuberculosis of the brain. This
alarmed the 1ather. but When the boy
came nome he was found sulky. de-
spondent locking himself In his room
eaVesdropping. haunting the cellar, lis
teninS 10 what was being said, suspect
lng conaDiracles against him. prowlinG
ABOUT the mouse ana IN the yard nj
hisht. gong to ms meals with u reHol-
Vcr lying beside MIN. threatening his
rather ana other members or thr fam
ny with the revolver, demanding that
the father turn over his property to
MN, tearing that ne would be kldnap-
ped II he went 10 Mr.. Ewing,s office
acting so violently as TO drive his father
away from nome. getting Sl,oVO from
ms tnther ana thcn demanding S20,UOO
pursuing the father from place to place
from December until the middle OF
boy the father said he would deed over
MS property. Then the father became
SICK, ana Mrs. Hissom made the COM
plalnt ngainst the doctor and his arrest
followed,
Attacks Mr.. Smith.
A.. ,Io, ,,,t,, ,,,,o T. ,Y,.
WI. iio""'u ''t'''icu '''.'' ,. ~ ii's'
som was either insane when arrested
or was under the Influence of s. G.
Smith nrd nrotended i,s,,,,y and 10,
uninrI,w ,nn,,o ,' y rnnr,'r ~ Si,nvoi, % ~
biIjd m fncts for The !lamarc s,,It Tho
doctor rrfusod mi cis os tinJnoss
from fro ~ his % family While in tni, and eIl se ID