Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-16
SURPRISED AT SPEECH
COUNSEL FOR NAN PATTERSON
REPLIED TO JUSTICE DAVIS.

NEW YORK, May 16.-Justice Vernon NJ.
Davis, before whom Nan Patterson was
tried twice on the charge of numbering
Caesar Young, Is fatty contradicted by
Daniel O'Reilly of counsel for Miss Patter-
son, who declares that the Justices state
ments that Nan Patterson held the revolver
with which Young was shot, and that this
revolver was purchased by ]. Morgan
Smith, her brother-in-law, in an attempt to
get money from Young, is a mistake, and
that such a statement is unwarranted.
There is absolutely nothing to warrant
such statement being made by the JUS
tice," declared Mr.. O'Reilly. Miss Patter-
son was on the stand before him. and MIR.
Rand cross-examined her for a whole day.
She was not contradicted In one statement
Justice Davis has said that she lied Then,
why did not the prosecution contradict the
Davis Should make such statement 1t Is
great surprise to me-
Abraham Levy, also of counsel for Miss
Patterson was also greatly surprised when
he learned of the speech made by Justice
Davis
II will not make any comment without
giving Justice Davis words serious consid-
eration,' he said. 1T is too grave a mat
ter, and he, being justice of the supreme
court, it would not become me to enter into
a controversy with him without thorough.
elaboration. l may have something to say
later"
Justice Vernon NJ Davis of the supreme
court was the guest OF honor last night at
the monthly dinner of the Phi Delta Phi
CLUB, an organization of lawyers in New
York. He presided at the first two trials Of
Miss Nan Patterson. and to the surprise of
some lawyers at the dinner he gave his
opinion of the guilt of Miss Patterson, say
Ing in part:
We have heard a great deal in the pub
lie press of late of severe criticism of Mr..
Rand and his conduct of the trial. 1 had
the honor to preside at two trials of this
young woman With the exception Of the
late Col. John r. Fellows, I think Mr.. Rand
Is the most eloquent prosecutor I have ever
heard. You can't prosecute a criminal
without telling what you believe to be the
truth.
I'm the second trial before me the de-
PENDANT went on the stand, and it was
quite obvious that she was telling false
hoods from beginning to the end. The very
air seemed charged with the fact that she
was lying. Yet she woman. She was
young. 1t was natural that the public
should sympathize with her. People seemed
to know that she was not telling the truth,
and the great public of New York said:
Why shouldn't she lie? Let her lie. Let
her get the benefit of her lies
But today in the light of the last disa-
greement l feel sure that most people are
convinced-tnat majority of the people
beleve-that the pistol that killed Caesar
Young was held by Nan Patterson, was
discharged by her, was bought by j. Nor
gan Smith in an attempt to get money from
Caesar Young for the support of the COM
bned family. I don't mean to say that
she took the pistol from the reticule and
shot him in the side. but do believe that
she had the pistol and showed it to Caesar
Young. An argument followed and he
took hold of it. In the conversation and
consequent struggle the pistol went off and
the man was killed
Il believe, moreover, that had she told
the story on the witness stand as It really
happened-in other words, had she told the
truth-that second jury would have acquit-
ted her. She adhered to her lies and in
stead of getting an acquittal, there a
disagreement"