The Washington times., 1906-12-09
Frail Angie BirdSong
Says She Feared Her
Victim Inter led to
Assault !: :,
HAD VISITED DOCTOR
TO ASK EXPLANATION
He Made No Denial, But
Seized Her-Then
She Killed
Him.

I1AZELHURST. Miss, Dec. S.-Augfe
Fix Birds0ng went before the jury this
afternoon and laid bare her whole life.
She admitted she shot DIT. Thomas II.
Butler. but denied a clear knowledge Of
the circumstances.
1T all seems hazy to me now said
Mrs. BirdsOng. Il was made insanely
mad over the gossip that connected my
name with that Of DR.. Butler
Just before leaving the witness stand,
Mrs. Birdsong. rising from her seat
and holding her right hand high TO
heaven, declared:
Y will swear before my Lord. this
evening, that there was never any un-
due Intimacy between DIT. Butler and
myself"
The little woman took the STAND with
every appearance OF confidence, but
after being tortured BY attorneys for
the State for more than an hour. she
was in a pitiable condition. She stag
gered 70 her feet and almost collapsed.
Married at Thirteen.
Mrs. BiIdsong said her husband. Dr.
James f. Birdsong. boarded with her
parents while the family lived at Co
lumbia, and that he had known her
since she was six years old. They were
married when Angie was thirteen years
old. Her first baby was born five years
ago, and the last one three years ago.
DR.. Thomas II. Butler. the man she
killed, was not present at the birth OF
either. she said.
TWO days before the tragedy. Angie
testified Mrs. Barrett called on her.
abused her. and called her a bad wo-
man DIR. Birdsong. her husband, the
same day, spoke about gossip going the
rounds. concerning a statement by DR..
Butler. that he had an appointment TO
meet her.
She said the news struck her Ike a
thunderbolt, and nearly broke her heart.
She knew it would disgrace her family
and children. The reports kept her in a
perfect agony. She decided that suicide
was the only solution. and. accordingly,
went 10 "a lawyer 20 arrange for leaving
her property 10 her children.
Suicide Plan Thwarted.
The determination 20 suicide was
thwarted. Mrs. Birdsong said, by a ply
sIcian who relieved her OF morphine
poisoning Then she resolved TO visit
Dr. Butler and learn from his own lips
if he had said there was any intimacy
with her.
When she asked Dr. Butler if he mad
denounced her. the physician jumped TO
his feet and tried to drag her into a rear
room. Then it was she jerled a pistol
from a hand bag she carried, and began
shooting
You say Or. Butler held you?" asked
counsel for the State.
lie had me about the waist" de
clared Angie. and I believe he intended
to outrage me-
If he had hold of you, you could not
have shot him. You know that" said
opposing counsel
Il don't know it, and I did shoot
him. was the only reply Mrs. Birdsong
gave.
Never Loved Butler.
1T is a He," said Angie. with eyes
blazing. Ito say that I was in love
with Dr. Butler. never wrote him a
note. and never had an appointment
with him"
Mrs. Birdsong insisted throughout her
evidence that she could recall few OF
the happenings of the fatal morning.
She had not taken her pistol to kill
Butler. and had never said she would
not rest until DR.. Butler was out Of the
way.
DR.. Turner testified that il was mis-
belief that Mrs BirdsOng was insane at
the time she killed DR. Butler. The ef-
feet of marriage at the age of thirteen
would, with the average woman, impair
development and produce a backward
effect on the mind
With the evidence of DIT. Turner, the
defense rested, and court adjourned un-
til Monday, when arguments will be
heard.