Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-09
IN Her DEFENSE
Mrs. Birdsong Tells Her Story
on the Witness Stand.
CRAZED By THE RUMORS
Declares That She Did Not Realize
What She Was Doing.
"UNWRITTEN LAW" NOT USED
Emotional Insanity the Plea Which is
Used by the Defense in
the Case.
CRAZED By THE RUM0Rs
LAW" NOT USED
Special Dispatch to The Star.

HAZELHURST. Miss. December s-Mrs
Angie Fox Birdsong the child wife of DIR.
James F. Birdsong, took the stand m her
own behalf today. and in an impassioned
statement revealed events leading up to the
Killing of DR.. Thomas H. Butler her old
family physician, for whose murder she has
been on trial for week s. The tresd of
Mrs Birdsong s testimony was to the in
sanity plea. She coulA remember but few
OF the incidents on the morning of the
killing.
She testified she wa made crazy by cir
culation of reports that she had been init
mate with DIR. Butler. The insanity plea
was supported by evidence from Or. o. M.
turner, noted alien st, who stated 1t was
his belief that Mrs. Birdsong was mentally
irresponsible at the tine she killed DR..
Butler
Mrs. Bird1ong was calm and cool before
the tremendous crowd and told the story of
her- life .yithout the semb.ance of falter.
She Is now nineteen years old. She was
born in Lawrence county, Miss, on her
fathers farm
4rs. Birdsong's Story.
Her mother was a daughter of DIR. Young
blood. She is niece of A. j. May. She
was the only child. Her mother died five
years ago. .he married in 1898 when she
was thirteen. The family lived on a farm
and in January. 1904. she and her husband
went to Monticello, Miss. and bought a
place.
DIR. Birdsong went away as a travelling
dentist.
At the time of the killing he had gone
to Bismark. He left Tuesday morning
Wednesday morning Mrs Birdsong the
nother-in-law of the accused had gone to
neighbours. Mrs. Nora Garrett came in
and told her Tuesday night that DR.. But
Ter had on the streets declared her to be
base woman. and said he had teen too
intimate with her. She said her husband
had told her these facts, and that DR. But
Ter had said he had an appointment to meet
her. 1t struck her like thunderbolt, the
defendant declared. and nearly broke her
heart. She knew i: would disgrace her
children and family.
She secured morphine tablets and sent
her little daughter. Mary Frances, for her
mother-in-iaw. whom she told that she was
going to die and wanted her to take care
OF her children. She intended going to an
attorneys Office see him about her bus
ness so she could leave all she had to
her children. She did not remember il she
got to the office saw the attorney. She
did not remember what she did after that
She remembered her husband coming horae
but only family.
She did not remember seeing Mrs. Gar
rett until Friday evening N =: Garrett
then came and berated her and abused
her and said she was :; bad woman These
70 Nfry o;rIc
cused testified that on tn morning of the
killing she went to DR.. Buffers Office to
see him about Medicine and to ask if it
was possible he had put out the reports
about her.
Discusses the Shooting.
She thought he would make some ex-
PLANTATION and thought ne would contradict
1t. Mrs. Brdsong said she asked Dr. But
Ter If it was possible he had denounced
her He jumped up, she testified and tried
to drag her into a back room. She got out
her pistol and shot, and kept on shooting
The pistol was in a hand satchel. Mrs
Birdsong did not remember when it got
into the satchel
She carried it on previous occasions fcl
protection. The attack scared her. and she
did not know what she was doing She
did not know how many shots were fired
DR.. Butler had her by the arms. trying to
drag her back. She was not an expert Dis
tol shot. Mrs. Brdsong said she did no;
write a note to DR.. Butler and never wrote
him love letter. She did not go to his
office Tuesday and stay two hours She
had been there and had seen other ladies'
there. She never had taken morphine be-
fore She did not remember saying she
would kill DR.. Butler. She was not en-
tirely conscious She did not know whether
she hit DR.. Butler not. and did not know
whether the pistol went off readily
Did No. Realize.
She shot him to protect her person. her
honor and her womauhOod and from being
forced there in the Office. She did not
remember anything about the pistol again
until after she got bail. She never did
realize what she was doing. The state
asked Mrs Brdsong why she took the
pistol. She replied she did not take It to
kill DR.. Butler. She had not said she would
not rest until she killed him. II will swear
before my Lord this afternoon that there
was never any undue intimacy between
u.s., passionately declared Mrs Birdsong
Mrs Birdsong swore that when DR. But
Ter seized hold of her in the Office she
believed he was going to outrage her
IF he had hold of you, you could moi
have shot him. You know that" suggested
counsel for the state.
Il don't know it!' vehemently declared
Mrs. Brdsong, land / did shoot him -
Mrs. Birdsong was then relieved from
further testimony. She almost tainted
while walking to her seat beside her ccun.
sci.
May Have Been Incane.
DIR. o. NJ Turner. a noted alienfst testi-
fed that it was Ills belief that Mrs Bird
song was insane at the time she killed DR.
Butler. The effect of marrying at the age
Of thirteen would with the average woman
impair development and produce a back.
ward effect on the mind. The knowledge
that Mrs Birdsong had been disgraced
would be an exciting cause and probably
result in unseating her reason.
With the evidence of DIR. Turner the de.
tense rested. and court adjourned until
Monday. when arguments will be heard.
Alfred Dupont Divorced