Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-12-17

statement to the jury. Judge
Pheger's consent to this was given
because she desired 10 nuke the
explanations regarding her mothers
death ana her strange request OF
the physician. Immediately Miss
Hall began work preparing her statc-
mcnt, and when she was told yes
terday that the time had come for
her 10 deliver il before the Judge
and jury her face lit with smiles
and she showed the first indications
of happiness since The trial begun,
over week ago.
Preferred to Stand.
Taking her place beside tho stem
ographor's table. Miss Hall scorned
the offer Of a seat in The witness
box, but paced ncrvously back and
forth as she delivered her plea 10
the court and jury.
beginning with the death Of her
aged mother, which was due ia can.
Ger Of tho stomach, from which she
suffered for months before death
came, she told OF the awful pain
that rackod the frail form during
that time. When the end began 10
approach ana dissolution was no.
ticcd. she declared, her mother lay
Tor "a hours. her face contorted
from pain all the time, and yet was
not given a drop OF medicine, not
one drop of oniato to relieve that
pain. Nothing but 40 droES of water
passed that mothers lips during all
those hours.
She said that physicians ana
nurses told her her mother was un-
conscious and Impervious 10 pain.
hut She knew differently. Dldn
she see the arm move. tho fingers
clinch and the face comfort in
agony? "Why, the most friehtful IL
lustration Of Dante's inferno could
not be more awful than the terrible
agony which was depicted upon the
face Of my dying mother" she said.
Ready to Face Prison Sentence.
II pleaded with the physicians
that 1t would be mcrciful to give my
mother something 10 end her sui.
ferings. He refused me, and said
that was 1000 years ahead of the
times. lie declared that my mother
was unconscious ana did not feel The
pain; but | know differently. ! of.
forcd him everything had on earth
If he would do what | asked, AMI he
still refused. Then pleaded with
him to tell ME what to use and /
would administer 1t myself.
ITO this lie declared that we
would both go TO the pcnitcntlary for
doing such Il thing. Then pleaded
with him further, telling him that
would sign any PAPER he desired.
generating him from all completely
in it, If he would only give me some
thing TO give 10 my mother. His re.
ply was that | would 80 to the peni-
Tertiary for life for such an action
Would Go to the Chair.
Il told him that would wiling
~ go 10 the electric chair if 1 could
only know that | had alleviatcd tho
suffering OF my poor helpless
mother. My brother also protested,
but gladly would ! have walked 10
the electric chair, victim OF my
brothers, vindictiycnoss, knowing
that ! had done for my mother what
she would have wished had she been
able to speak. But the doctor told
me that mother could not swallow.
and there would have hccn an addl-
tional scene OF agony had any at
tcmrt boon made To administer any
thing 10 her,"
Miss Hall went on in this strain
for some time, and then became
calmcr rs she began arguing in favor
Of her belief.
we have those things that mako
TO 80 down into The Valley of
Death" she said. land when we
80 out OF this life tho way should
be made peaceful for those who ap.
! prove Of il. Society says that it Is
wrong. but my conscience tells me
that II is right. because it ia merci.
fnl. II would not have needed more
nerve 20 have laid handkerchief
over the agonized face OF my mother
than 1t took to witness that agony
Tor 1877 or l?S hours. 10 witness my
precious mother In that death strug-
gle"
Willing to Die For II.
Continuing, she declared that cleo
trocu'ion is legalized murder. but
That persons suffering from cancer,