Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-08
H0LBROOK TRIAL.
State Closes Its Case and the
Defence Opens.
Claims Respondent Is irresponsible
Owing to Hereditary Insanity.
Courtroom.

Pennington. Me-. Oct. THE trial OF
Herbert Holbrook of Wilton, for the
| murder of his wife Josephine. was con-
tinued in the supreme court. today.
DIR. Adams. who was called soon after
the crime was committed. testified that
he found powder marks on the face of
the victim. He has previously treated
the prisoner for epilepsy.
/ Deputy Sheriff Herman Sanborn tes-
titled that when he arrived at the house
the morning of the murder he found the
respondent in the sitting room. He
said twice: why did l do ito" He
took a revolver away from the prisoner
and took him to Pennington.
On the way down the respondent told
him that he had accused his wife of
lnfdelity and that she had taken Il re-
volver and fired at him and then shot
herself. He first said that he made the
charge against her in a joking way, but
afterward changed it and said the
house was too small for both of them.
Leon \. Bump detailed the particulars
oi his visit with Officer Sanborn to the
iIolbrook house on the morning of the
shooting, substantially the same as San
born.
This afternoon, the prisoners father
and neither occupied seats directly be-
hind and near their son that they
readily conversed with him when they
wished. Before court opened. the mother
!. pproached her son and had begun a con-
versation, when he was seized with one
of his epileptic fits. frothed at the mouth,
uttered painful groans. then became rig
id and apparently unconscious Ohicers
carried him into the anteroom and DR.
Sanborn of the Maine Insane Hospital III
Augusta. applied restoratives. Neither
court nor jury was present during this
sensational scene. Later. during the TAX
ing of testimony. the prisoner complained
of feeling i'll and had to be escorted to
the window for fresh air.
Mr. Bump testified. this afternoon. that
at the iail Holbrook said he and his wife
had a quarrel in their room, that morn
ing. during which his wife shot al him
while he was on the bed, then shot her
self Witness said he had seen Holbrook
have epileptic fits similar to the one ne
had in the court room. and had seen HIM
in them when yonnsster Hoibrook
kept many firearms about him and was
careless in using them.
]. 4. HoIbrook was recalled and said
the distance between the fnlnney ana
Holbrook houses was Il rods. 10 feet.
Mrs James knowles of Temple. mother
of the dead woman, testified that she
heard Hobrook say once that ii he ever
had cause to be jealous of his wife ne
would pat a ball through her mead With
out judge or jury.
James Knowles. father of the victim.
corroboratcd his wife's testimony. dol
brook had been drinking at the time.
James Fowler testified to CONVERSE
ton with the prisoner in which contra
dictory statements were made concerning
the manner in which his wife was shot.
Each time he stated, however, that she
shot herself.
Lynne Adams testified that he heard
Holbrook say: MY God. | wouldn't have
done that for anything.
tl,.v yt-if
added nothing of special interest ana IN"
state r. stcd its case at 80 l.. Nj.
CYRUS ~ Blanchard of Wilton, rcspon-
dents counsel. made the opening state
ment. which was. in brief. that the Stat
had not proven that the woman did not
kill herself but if the jury thought 9TH
erwise they should acnuit the prisoner.
because he was irresponsible AT the time
of the tragedy by reason of hereditary
insanity. aggravated by epilepsy, tlcoho'-
ic ncutritis and the use of morphine. nc
having had epilepsy since his early youth.
lie had also been the victim OF strong
drink since he was i, years old ana Il
morphine cater for the past half dozen
wears. - -,
Ndiourued until go A. NJ. Wednesday.