Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-13
DEFENSE MAY BE INSANITY
Prisoner in Rockville Jail Under
Medical Treatment.
STATEMENT BY DEPUTY SHERIFF
Neighbors Say Man Under Arrest Has
Reputation Of Being
Good Citizen.

HOCkNlLLE, mQ., MdTCu =" AiC
both DIR. Linthicum and DR.. Mannar. the
Rockville physicians who visited William
H. Mckay. the alleged murderer of his
aged mother-in-law. Mrs. Mary Lang, for
the purpose Of forming an idea Of his men
tai condition. are reluctant to discuss their
connection with the case. it is known that
from their observation of the man they are
of the opinion that he could not have been
in his right mind the night of the tragedy.
The physicians visited the prisoner at the
instance Of Edward c. Peter, McKay's
leading counsel. and it was the first move
toward preparing for defense Of insanity.
1t is stated that the physicians found the
man in an extremely nervous condition
one that bordered on delirium tremens. At
the Jail this morning 1t was learned that
the condition of the prisoner did not show
much improvement. He is under medical
treatment. however. and his physician Is
hopeful that he will soon be himself again.
AS an example of the present condition Of
Mckay's nerves, Jailer William Trail stated
that this morning he served the prisoners
breakfast in china dishes instead of In the
usual tinware. and that he had SO little con-
the dishes several of them fell to the floor
and were smashed. The prisoner Is quiet,
however. and has little to say.
Mrs. Mckay is Frustrated.
The statement that Mrs. Mckay, the
prisoners wife, who. with her children,
fed to Washington a day or two before
the tragedy because of certain threats
made by Mr.. Mckay, had returned to her
Wheaton home was incorrect. It is under
stood that Mrs. Mckay is completely
Frustrated as result of the affair and Is
now confined to her bed at the home of a
son in Washington. The children, how
lox ,.atpr
tended the funeral of their grandmother
at Forest Glen.
The weapon with which Mrs. Lang was
killed was a meat cleaver. 1t was found
officers idea that the weapon had been
thrown out of the window after being
used and was covered by the snow which
fell the following day proved to be cor
cleaver a short distance from the house.
1t was blood stained and is undoubtedly
the weapon with which the woman was
struck. Deputy Sheriff Quinter yester-
turned it over to Sheriff Colt as he did
the blood stained shirt underclothes and
coat of Mckay. These Of course will all
be used by the prosecution at the trial of
the case.
Views Of Deputy Sheriff.
Deputy Sheriff Quinter, who placed Nc
Kay under arrest and brought him to Rock
vile. stated yesterday afternoon that the
prisoner had talked quite freely to him re-
garding Mrs. Lang. The old man, he said,
kept repeating that the old lady was good
to him and said he loved her eearly: Ae-
cording to Quinter, Mckay steadfastly
maintained that he had no connection with
the murder and reiterated his surprise that
any one could have cut up his mother-in-
law in such a way. The officer says that
Mckay. in his conversation with him, would
talk nationally for quite q while and would
then talk as if his mind was wandering
Quinter Is among those who are of the
opinion that the man was deranged at the
! time of the tragedy.
While States Attorney Robert B. Peter
| has not made known his plans in regard to
| the case. there Is believed to be little doubt
jury to convene here next Monday morn
ing, and the case will be called for trial
| within a very few days after March %.
| Several of McKay's neighbors were in
| that the prisoner was a good citizen and In
capable of committing such crime while
| in his right mind. They generally referred
| to him as "a good old man." There seems
| against him. and the people generally Nap-
pear to sympathize with him.
Mrs. Mckay, wife of William II. Mckay
who is in Jail at Rockville to answer for
| the alleged murder of his mother-in-law
| Mrs. Mary Lang. is i'll at the home of her
| son. John Mckay, $50 Park road, this city
Owing to her illness the remains of hel
mother were not inferred yesterday, but
were placed in the receiving vault at st
| Mary's cemetery. Arrangements have
| been made for the interment. which viii
| be private, to be made next Friday morn
ling at 9 o'clock. So serious Is the condi'
| ton of Mrs. Mckay that 1t is feared she
will not be able to go to the cemetery
| Friday morning and witness the burial Of
the remains of her mother Rev. Charles
| G. Rosensteel, pastor of the Forest GleI
| Roman Catholic Church, will officiate a
the grave.
farm near Wheaton last week for feal
| her husband would do her violence, ha:
not seen him since the tragedy, nor ha:
she seen the body of her mother. 1t wa:
stated by one of her sons. today that sh'
| will not return to the farm. 1t Is likely
however. that she will go to Rockville t.
see her husband as soon as she recoveri
from the nervous shock from when en-, sn ne
now suffering The husband Is still in
nervous condition and he continues to de
clare he has no recollection of having
killed his mother-in-law.
| May Ask for Postponement.
Edward c. Peter, counsel for the prisoner
visits the unfortunate man In the count
1ail and confers with him about the case
but thus far, it Is stated, his client ha
been of little assistance to him. While
is probable that the case will be called
the approaching session of the court, it
more than likely that Attorney Peter VII
ask that the trial be postponed until tn
fall term The fact that physicians hav
been visiting the jail and conversing wit
the prisoner is taken to indicate that the
are probably to be called as witnesses a
the trial to show the mental condition O
Mckay shortly after the crime was com
mitted.
The cash and bonds that were found /
the room of the murdered woman have bee
turned over to the states attorney to b
held unit. action Is taken by the orphan,
court. The several sons of the prisone
are doing what they can to assist thei
father, and they will see that he gets tn
: benefit of the best defense that can pos
sibly be made. They are fully convince
that their father was not of sound min
Saturday night and Sunday. realizing ths
his condition had been brought about b
the use of intoxicants. 1t is said that Me-
Kay induced his wife to transfer the far
| property to his name only short Will
| ago, and that steps are to be taken to hav
1t again placed in the wife's name.