The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-07
WILL BE EXAMINED TO-DAY.
The Right of Mrs. shOtter to Counsel
Is Vow in Question.

The Right OF Mrs. sh0tter 10 CouhseA
Is AONv in Question.
The judicial investigation of the san
ity or insanity of Mrs. Elizabeth w.
Shotter, that will take place this aft
ernoon at A o'clock. may be attended
by some further unpleasant incidents.
Her Macon attorney, John R. Cooper,
is expected in Savannah to represent
her at the hearing, and whether he will
be allowed to do so, is a matter OF
doubt.
The ordinary received a telegram
from Mr.. Cooper yesterday morning,
asking when the examination of Mrs.
Shotter would be held, in which Mr..
Cooper signed himself attorney for
Mrs. Shotter." Judge McAlpin an
swered the telegram, giving the date
and hour, but carefully refraining from
bestowing on Mr.. Cooper the title by
which he had described himself.
1t was generally reported yesterday
morning that should Mr.. Cooper make
a demand to be present at the hearing
and conduct Mrs. Shelters defense,
he would be refused permission by Mr..
G. w. Owens, in whose residence
Mrs. Shotter now is. and at which the
examination will be held. Mr.. Owens
is reported to have said that Mr.. Coop
er had been engaged to conduct the
habeas corpus proceedings solely, and
had nothing whatever to do with the
examination for lunacy.
Judge McAlpin was asked, in view
of this state of facts, the existence
of which he tacitly acknowledged,
what he intended to do about permit
ting Mrs. Shotter to be represented
by counsel and especially by Mr..
Cooper
That" he said, lis a matter for
judicial determination" And that's all
he would say about the case. He
added, however, that in the past it
had been his custom to grant to per-
sons accused of insanity the privilege
of representation by counsel when
ever they expressed such a desire.
The hearing this afternoon will be
in private. In order to make the per-
feet justice of the verdict assured and
to free it from any suspicion of bias
or prejudice, Judge McAlpin has Sc
lected the jury from a list of names
submitted to him for this purpose. The
men so chosen are among the most
prominent in the city, including DR..
T. ]. Charlton, DR.. r. B. Harris, Col.
Thomas S. Wylly, Mr.. William Hun
ter, Mr.. Joseph Hull, Mr.. George w.
Lamar Col. A. R. Lawton, Mr.. John
Huger, Mr.. George j. Baldwin, Mr..
w. G.. Morrell, Mr.. F. c. Battey, Gen.
w. w. Gordon, Mr.. w. W. MaCkall,
Mr.. A. B. Hull and Mr.. r. c. Gordon.
A number of witnesses will be ex-
amined, including DIR. H. D. Allen of
Milledgeville. at whose private sani-
tarium Mrs. Shotter has been confined
for the past five years.
DIR. Allen has made a statement to
the public in regard to the case, in
which he declares that Mrs. Shotter is
suffering from an acute form of mental
disease, and that she Is quite incur
able. He repudiates the statements
that Mrs. Shotter has made that she
has been neglected or cruelty treated
by her family, and says, on the con-
trary, they have lavished upon her
the very tenderest and most solicit
Gus care and attention.
Since her residence at the sanitarium
Dr. Allen said that Mrs. Shotter had
always been given the freedom of the
grounds in the company of an attend
ant and had, under the same condi-
lions, made frequent visits to Mil
ledgeville, two miles away. Her wants
were scrupulously looked after in the
institution and her family kept her
supplied with more money than she
could possibly need. She literally lack
ed for nothing that looked to her per-
sonal comfort or the diversion of her
mind. DR.. Allen stoutly maintains that
Mrs. Shooter was in his sanitarium
simply and solely for treatment-her
family clinging tenaciously to the for
lorn hope that a permanent cure might
be effected.
DIR. Allen is now in the city, having
arrived last night and registered at the
De Soto. He did not, however, stay at
the hotel.