The San Francisco call., 1904-02-20
DOCTORS GIVE
THEIR OPINION
Testify at Trial of Edmond de
Labrousse, Charged With the
Murder of Miss Marie Jordan
EVIDENCE IN REBUTTAL
District Attorney Byington's
Witnesses Tell of Accused's
Sanity Prior to the Murder

The trial Of Edmond de Labrousse
for the murder of Miss Marie Jordan
was resumed in Superior Judge
Dunne's court yesterday morning.
! Mrs. Victorine de Labrousse, mother
of the prisoner, was the first witness of
the day and was re-examined as to her
sons mental condition on the day and
subsequent to the commission of the
murder. Mrs. De Labrousse said she
remained in the hospital with him
daily from 6 o'clock in the morning
until midnight, but she could get no
answers from him until the day of the
funeral of Miss Jordan, when, at re-
mark by her daughter about the
burial, he started" and when told in
reply to his inquiry that it was Miss
Jordan's funeral they had discussed,
he tainted.
In answer to District Attorney By
ington, witness admitted that her son
said My Cod" when he realized it
was Miss Jordan that had been buried.
SAYS HE WAS INSANE
DR.. nac-Marquis, late Of the
French Hospital, was called by Attor-
ney Roche to answer a hypothetical
question, which took the form of a
history of the prisoners life from 2
years OF age up 10 the time he LOOh
Miss Jordan's life.
/. DR.. Canac- Marquis in replying to
the question said. He was madly in
sane"
District Attorney Byington cross-eX-
amined DR.. Canac-Marquis, who said
if a man were sane before the commits
sion of a crime and became uncon-
scious as a result of self-inf1icted
shot he would be conscious of his act
nd
speak of it, but if such circumstances
surrounded the act of an insane man
he would>not be cognizant of the act
for which he was responsible, nor
would he speak of it on regaining con-
sciousness.
Dr. Canac-Marquis admitted that
the hypothetical question was put to
him at his house the previous night
by the prisoners counsel, Mr.. Roche,
and he then concluded that De La
brousse was "madly insane" DR..
Canac- Marquis gave it as his opinion
that because he was madly insane the
prisoner did not know he shot his
sweetheart.
BYINGTON'S RETORT.
District Attorney Byington remarked
here that the prisoner took particular
pains to shoot his sweetheart first be-
fore turning the revolver on himself.
having performed an operation on De
Labrousse for appendicitis, though wit
ness said he was not afflicted with the
ailment. In reply to District Attor-
ney Byington, DR.. Potter admitted that
De Labrousse told him he had had at
tacks of appendicitis.
Attorney Roche then recalled DR.. Ed
win Bunnell to whom he put the same
hypothetical question as asked DR.. Car
nae Marquis.
DR.. Bunnell said in his opinion the
subject of the question would be insane
and could not distinguish between right
from wrong nor appreciate the char
acter of his act.
The District Attorney put the follow
ing question to the witness:
IF a person remains in his room up
to IL o'clock and writes letters Of his
intention to commit suicide and then
goes out to meet lady within a few
minutes of a certain time he knows
she will be at a corner and he walks
along and takes her arm and she re-
fuses him, and he fires three shots at
her. killing her. then twice turns the
pistol on himself and it doesn't go off;
then he looks into the E-~rrel, dis
charges another shot toward the
ground and then another at his own
head, would such a person be insane?"
DR.. Bunnell replied: Il believe he
became dangerously insane Wnen ne
fired the shot I don't believe he knew
what he was doing"
SURE HE WAS RATIONAL.
The District Attorney then called wit
ness in rebuttal.
J. G.. Eagleson, by whom the pris-
cner was employed for three months
the beginning of 1903. swore that De
Labrousse was rational, though easily
excited. w. T. Gardner, a salesman;
H. ]. Webster and r. ]. Alexander
spoke of the rational mental condition
of De Labrousse while in the employ
of Eagleson and as to his doing his
duty satisfactorily.
NJ. J. Smith said that between July
and August last the prisoners conduct
and speech were very rational" Os-
car Wolf, gents furnishing goods, said
he employed De Labrousse from July
till August, 1903 He found his con-
duct and talk rational and he per-
formed his duties satisfactorily.
John T. Gibson said the prisoner was
in his employ the Saturday night pre-
ceding the shooting Of Miss Marie Jor-
dan, and his conduct was then rational.
Gibson said he considered De Labrousse
one of the best clerks he ever had.
p. B.. Bennett, 1927 Larkin street
knew De Labrousse five years. He was
at witness house about September 10
and remained there three hours. His
conduct was very jovial' and he en-
loved himself and passed a very pleas