Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-03-21
NEARLY READY
FOR THE JURY
ARGUMENTS IN BUCK CASE TO
CLOSE TODAY
Prisoners Attorney Makes a Final APP
neal for a Verdict Stamping His
client as an, Insane
Man

At 1880 o'clock today the jury in
the case of Morris Buck, charged with
the murder of Mrs. Charles A. can
field. will retire to its room after hav-
ing received the instructions of the
court. At the close of the case yester-
day afternoon it was the general opin-
ion that Buck had at least a chance
by the hung" jury route, II not ac-
ouittal on the insanity plea
When the case was called yesterday
morning the court room was crowded
to its utmost capacity. Spectators oc-
cupied the seats and filed the CORR
doris. while others, eager to hear the
arguments and catch a glimpse OF
the prisoner, climbed in the window
sills and stood on tiptoe to look over
the heads of the others.
Watched His Counsel Closely
Buck was a trif1e paler yesterday
While Attorney A. d. Warner argued
In his behalf the prisoner sat watch
ine, him closely from under his half
closed eyelids. Time after time a
queer expression came over the man
face, as though he saw some slight
chance of freedom. But as the hands
of the clock reached the noon hour
and Attorney Warner asked for half
an hour more in which to finish his
argument Buck became deathly white
and looked as though he were going
to faint The muscles about his mouth
set and he gripped his knees fiercely.
In spite of this, however, he was able
to stagger to his feet and go back to
his cell in the county jail.
At 2 O'Clock Buck was called from
his cell. He had eaten light lunch
and seemed to be in better spirits
until one of the men with him re-
marked that it might be his last trip
to the court room, referring to the fact
that the case was about to be given
to the Jury. In an instant the ac-
cused became the same idiotic appear
ing figure of an hour before, ana
seemed dazed as he walked out into
the light and started painfully for the
court room.
Attorney Warmers Argument
Attorney Warner continued his ar
gument in behalf of his client yester-
day morning. The attorney dwelt long
upon the fact that Attorneys Gage and
Rogers had been hired by Mr.. Can
field to prosecute the case, when 1t
was the simple duty of the district
attorney and his assistants, who were
employed by the county to carry on
such prosecutions.
at would seem more like persecu-
ton to engage well-known criminal
attorneys to prosecute him when that
duty lies with the district attorney s
office" he said. This mans family
has been crazy for generations. His
grandfather died in an insane asylum
his mother was matron of an asylum
at the time of this boys birth. His
every action since the time he received
the fearful injuries to his head ii
childhood have been those of a crazy
man, and yet the prosecution woulo
ask you to take this man out anC
hang him, hang him because, poor
idiot that he was, he went to the Can
field home and killed one of the sweet
est women in this city. His very acts
at that time were those of an insane
man. Sudden insanity is common
and many persons have suffered
from it.
Not many years ago, in Minnesota,
/ defended a young woman for muir
der She had been ruined by a young
man and when she learned that her
betrayer would be at a certain place
she went to meet him, disguised as
a poor woman, and when she reached
him she drew revolver and shot
him.
Made Juror Nervous
At this juncture in the trial the at
torney, in order to emphasize the story
seized one of the revolvers used as
evidence in the trial and placed the
muzzle of the weapon close to the face
of a Juror. The man "ducked" pre-
cipitously.
"That young woman continued the
attorney, was sentenced to the peni-
tertiary for life. They would not be-
1ieve she was crazy, yet as soon as
they placed her within the prison yard
I -. Ns-sT IL
of one of the buildings, gained the
roof and leaped down one of the chin
neys. The side of the building had
to be removed before she could be re-
leased.
so it is with this poor creature
Laboring under fearful delusions, he
shot Mrs. Garfield. We do not deny
it; we admit that he shot Mrs. Can
field with no cause in the world, but
we say this man was insane at that
time, and, gentlemen, this trial is not
one for murder. You are not to decide
whether this man committed murder
He admits he did. You are to decide
this case as though it were one OF
common insanity. If you find that the
man was insane at the time of the
killing, then you report such and he
will be tried by the insanity commits
sion and put where he belongs. But if
on the other hand, you find that he was
sane at the time he went to that home
and killed Mrs. Garfield then you re-
port SO and that is as far as your duty
goes. 1t is no further business of
yours whether the state hangs this
man or not.
His Final Appeal
81 now place this case before you;
you have seen this mans appearance
in court; you know how he has testi-
fed and you have heard his life story
l leave it to you as men, not as poll
ticians, to return a finding in this
case"
Attorney Warner finished at 1890