Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-04
Mrs Josephine Garrett on Trial in
District Court.
THE DEFENSE PLEADS INSANITY
1t is Charged That Woman Tried to
Shoot Present Wife of Her Divorced
Husband-AIIeged That She is Not
in Possession of Her Senses.
From Tuesdays Daily,

From Tuesdays Daily
Mrs Josephine Garrett, a comely
woman probably forty years of
age, is on trial in the Wapello
county district court on the
charge of assault with intent to
commit murder. The prosecuting wit
ness is Mrs. Ed Garrett, the present
wife of the man from whom the de-
PENDANT was divorced some years ago.
The state charges that the defendant
on or about November u entered the
home of her former husband when the
latter was away and after deliberately
sending child away on an errand
produced a revolver she had been car
rying in her dress and shot at the
present Mrs Garrett. saying first that
she intended to kill her. The two
women, it is said We're close together
and it is almost miracle that the bull
lets went wide of their mark, but such
was the case.
Josephine Garrett was arrested at
once and taken to Jail. In police
court the next morning she waived
preliminary hearing and was bound
over to the grand jury She was re-
manded to jail in default of bonds and
few days ago the grand jury found
a bill charging her with the crime
above named
Pleads Insanity.
The attorney for the defendant, B.
w. Scott. pleads that his patient is
insane. having been made so primarily
by worrying over her two children,
both little boys, whom she was unable
to support, and who have been in the
care of their father and step-mothei
for some time 1t is also said that the
woman is addicted to the use of NOR
phine and that this fact has helped tc
i bring on mental alteration.
But Few Witnesses.
There are but few witnesses in the
case, and it will probably go to the
! jury this afternoon. The state finish
ed the introduction of its testimony
early, and at the time the Courier goes
to press the attorneys are almost ready
to make their arguments. Considera
BILE discussion was brought on this at
ternoon between County Attorney D
H. Emery. and Attorney Scott relative
| to the right of the latter to introduce
inexpert testimony to the effect thai
the defendant is insane. However, the
d Noiiitil . tltIoih CS DhtSliy WOu ott II
the main and introduced several WON
en- as witnesses, who testified thai
they have known Mrs. Garrett fol
some months, and that they noticed
her to act strangely, as if she was MOI
in her right mind.
Husband Makes Scene.
This morning Ed Garrett. the hus
band of the prosecuting witness, AM
the former husband of the defendant
while listening to the opening state
ments of the attorneys, caused seen,
in the court and was elected by orde
of Judge Eichelberger. Mr. Garrett
was sitting in the part of the room sc
apart for the audience when Mr. Scot
made remark he did not like.and tn
man leaped to his feet, rushed up t
the rail behind the lawyer, and ea
claimed:
That's a - lie"
The court ordered the man remove,
to the witness room and he was takel
out by the bailiff but would not b.
/ Quilted. However, when he returne,
, to court this afternoon he was place,
on the witness stand and handled him
) self without effort, answering tn
: questions of the lawyers without be
coming in the least worried or angry