The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-30
TERRIBLE STORY
Of CH|:|L|..D||'!S! !. D DEATH. / / \
.Witnessesin Trial 0fMrS.
Smith Put to Severe
Test.
PARTIAL VICTORY
FOR THE DEFENSE
The Counsel for Accused Mother
Fighting for Every Inch Of
Ground, and the Common
wealth's Witnesses Are
Rigidly Cross-Ex-
amined.

j. t i - y . 4
Tho third day OF the trial OF Mrs.
Estelle Townsend Smith, the well born
New York woman who followed her hus-
band to Manchester, and who is now
facing death for the alleged horrible MUIR
der or her five-year-old son. closed with
honors In the hands OF the defense.
That the day has brought encourage
inent to the counsel for the accused is
acknowledged by all, and the fact that
tho expert witnesses called by the pros
ecution have been more helpful than
hurtful to the defense, is the opinion Of
oil who heard their testimony. It has been
proved by adverse Witnesses that Ralph
Smiths death was not necessarily caused
by whipping received at the hands of his
mother, and is more than one important
point the medical experts, called by the
Commonwealth have failed to agree. In
fact the three doctors, who have 50 far
been examined, all give different cause
OF DEATH and each one states reason
why he has reachd a conclusion. The pc,
Rod during which the dead child re-
ceived the blows that left the fearful
tell-tale marks upon his body. has been
estimated by the various doctors for the
prosecution at from twelve days to
several months, and In g. hundred diff
ferent answers to questions on cross cx-
animation, have Messrs. II. NJ. Smith
and E.. H. Wells, counsel for Mrs Smith,
S,,o f11yEf f,,s ,, Iafr ,cfati
Witness Was Severe.
-94The testimony OF Mrs. Crostic,t tho first
witness, was f!ercely against the prison-
sers; so fierce, indeed, tnntsrit isf the
opinion Of those who listened to the tes-
timony that the witness showed such
animosity and vindictiveness that the
prisoner gained the sympat hy Of the jury.
1t was brought out that Mrs. Crostic
had lived three doors from the Smiths
and had only met Mrs. Smith once, and
on that occasion the prisoner had been
E in the home Of Mrs. Turner on an errand
OF sympathy and kindness to aid the sick
husband Of Mrs. Turner.
Mrs. Crostic's statement was positively
denied in one important instance by DR..
Brodnax, a witness for the prosecution.
The Testimony OF Mrs. Crostic was Of no
moment.
DR.. Brodnax, city coroner testified
mainly as to the bruises on the body Of
the child and as to the two autopsies that
were made. He stated under cross-cx-
animation that he had noticed evidences
on the body OF the evil habits of the child,
and had spoken Of them to various peo-
Pile DR.. Brodnnx did not consider that
the child necessarily came to his death
from the blows received on Wednesday
night, April Goth, at the hands Of his
mother.
Spoke Well Of Family. Il
Mr.. Lum. a neighbor, spoke well Of the
Smiths He lived next door. and saw,
the family frequently. He said he saw
the boy, Ralph, at o'clock on the night
he went to his death, and that he talked
to him. He saw no bruises on him then.
He spoke Of the happy family life of the
Smiths.
during his testimony. stated that the
child was so run down that q blow which
would not have killed a a5healthy child
would have proved fatal to him. He
stated that the blows that had bruised
the child might have been Inflicted
months before.
Dr.. Henson Testifies. Ne
DR., Henson, a surgeon and expert on
wounds, gave practically the same tes-
tImony, except that while DR.. Mclean
thought the child died from q nervous
shock. he thought death was occasloncd!
by syncope.
After the examination Of DR.. Henson
= mi, \