The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-05-02

ioil W pIlO-
tograph taken few days before she
was arrested.
1t, adduced by the prosecution. OBJ
viously the jury the former F1oro-
dora girl herself selected is not I'M
friendly to her. The best points in
her favor that Nan Patterson has
had in this trial were handed out by
the young and energetic assistant
district attorney himself
Prosecutor Rand's great trump card
fell fiat when Pawnbroker Stern fail
ed to Identify ]. Morgan Smith. Mans
brother-in-law, as the man who pur-
chased the peapon with which the
gambler was shot. Then. the coro-
ner's physician admits that he at
first reported the death of Young as
suicide. This was after he had
made careful examination of the
body. Later, he changed his opinion.
and called it murder. He also said
upside down, with his hand held be-
hind him, he might have inflicted his
death wound. The prosecutor had
declared this impossible. The coro-
ners physician also swore that he
found powder marks on Young's right
hand that he examined the hands of
Nan Patterson and failed to discover
powder stains or to smell it's fumes.
Mans Collapse Shown.
Another witness for the state con-
troverted the contention of Rand that
Nan showed no emotion over the
death of Young except when the po-
lice were about This witness said
that at the hospital, Just after the
bookmaker had breathed his last he
saw Nan bend over his body and
moan. "Oh. speak to me, Frank. and
tell me why you did it," No police
official was in the room at the time,
and therefore the girl could hardly
have said what she did to make a
false impression in the minds of
those who now accuse her.
These are some of the points in
the girls favor. Before the states
case was half In, it was the opinion
of Is New York newspaper reporters
who had heard and weighed every
word of the evidence, and whom I
asked for unbiased belief, that the
case against Nan Patterson had col
lapsed The accused girls counsel
are even more confident than in the
last trial. which ended in a disagree
ment.
For the second time within a year,
this unfortunate member of our
frail sisterhood," as Prosecutor Rand,
with doubtful charity, put 1t. Is
calmly sitting through an ordeal be-
side which the most horribly inflicted
death would be, to the average sensi''
tive woman. welcome alternative.
1t is not brazen Indifference to the
open smirching of a name, 1t is not
stoicism, nor lack of fearful emo
ton nor, yet. theatrical play-tt Is
Just the plain fact that Nan Patter-
son Is a shallow minded girl, without
the capacity of compromising the
real and possible peril Of her posi-
ton, If this were stage drama
instead of one In real life, Nan Pat
terson would be entirely unified for
the role she Is now playing.
often during the hearing. Nan gets
her cue for the expression of slight
emotion from the morbid curiosity
seekers who pack the courtroom at
every session. If the point gained
Is for the girl II Is scored by buzz
of whispered conversation like the
sound of circular saw In pine
knot. If against her, deathly silence
registers. 1t Is time for Nan to
perk her face In defiance when the
mawkish sentimentalists buzz: time
for her to pout or snifiie little when
dropped pin can be heard.
A Fight to Sec Man.
IF Nan Patterson is Just bit vain
OF all tho fuss that Is being made
over her. she is not to be too harsh
" criticised. Hundreds Of men and
women daily crowd Center street to
catch a glimpse of her as she passes
over the bridge of signs"
Another pack of scandal wolves
clamor at tho doors OF the court
room, morning and noon, tearing
their clothes and jamming and haul
ing In beastlal rush for admit
lance A good proportion OF them
Is made up OF women. This court
room. in which IL honest, serious
faced men. an aged and learned judge
with the face OF a saint and the calh,