Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-30
MRS, MAY BEFORE JURY
On Trial for Shooting lucien
Conen in 1905.
Government RESTS CASE
Defense Outlined by Attorney Baker
in Opening Statement.
WOMAN SAID TO BE EPILEPTIO
List of Witnesses Includes Mother Of
the Deceased, Who Exhibits
Great Emotion.
WOMAN SAID TO BE EPILEPTIo

The case of Mrs. Jennie L. May, called to
trial before Justice Stafford In Criminal
Court No. 1 this morning, was pressed for
ward with great rapidity, and within little
more than an hour the government an
nounced that it's evidence was all in. Two
indictments are hanging over Mrs. May in
connection with the shooting of Lucien H.
Conen. a former member of the Marine
Band, in September. 1905. and his subse-
auent death, and both were fully explained
to the jury this morning by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Charles NJ. Turner, who took
active charge of the governments case
Through the recital of the details of the
crime Mrs. May sat with downcast eyes.
She heard the dramatic story told by Mrs.
Conen, mother Of the victim, and was
deeply affected. but she shed no tears until
her husband took the stand and repeated
the many seemingly irrational things she
had done during their married life-with
the shooting as the elimination.
The line of defense planned by Mrs May 8
counsel was explained in the opening state
ment of Attorney Gibbs Baker. when he
declared Mrs. May to be an epileptic OF a
family of epileptcs, and a woman who, all
her life. had been unaccountable for acts
done during periods of intense nervousness.
A large crowd was present in the court
room today. and much interest was mani
Tested in the recital of the details OF the
shooting.
Attorneys for the defense interposed
strenuous objection to the statement to the
jury that Mrs. May was saved from trial on
charge of murder only because Conen:
though suffering from necessarily fatai
wound, happened to live just eleven days
over the time within which such a charge
can be made Under the laws of the District.
Trial Formally Opens.
At. the formal opening of the case, As
sistant District Attorney Turner made
statement for the government. repeating in
detail the story of the shooting and subse-
quent death of COnen.
DR. H. B. Butts, who first treated Conen
after the shooting, was the first witness.
He described the location of the wound
and its general character.
Mrs. Josephine Conen, mother of the VIC
tim of the shooting, was then called to
the stand. She stated that Lucien Conen
was her son, and said he died October 0,
1906.
DO you know Mrs. Jennie L. May?"
uueried Mr. Turner.
Il do" Mrs. Conen replied.
Where did you first see herr.
"In Chicago"
cat whose house was that?'
''In the May house-that was in 19O3-and
my son boarded with the Mays in Chicago.
1 went there from my home in Louisville
20 visit him."
Where were you the evening Of septem-
Der 81. 1862" asked Assistant District At
walking down 7th street southeast near
our boarding house." witness answered.
"What,if anything, happened on that oc-
casion?"
Mothers Extreme Emotion.
Mrs Conen's answer was dramatic in the
extreme. and every other sound in the court
room was stilled as her voice rose from
little above whisper almost to a scream.
..Lucien suddenly cried at the top of his
voice and fell forward on his face" she
said. my God, my God, Lucen.' cried.
[ stopped down to raise his body and this
woman crept down beside me and pushed a
revolver at his head again. l grabbed her
arm and tried to hold her so she could not
shoot him. Then some one said: will
hold her. and ! released her arm and
turned around to see what had become of
my boy. He was trying to get up. and he
said to me: Mother, dear, never mind
perhaps 1t won't be as bad as it seems after
all
Concluding this phase Of her story, Mrs
Conen declared her son never moved again
until his death more than year later.
Dr. w. M Cotton, supervising surgeon
at the Naval Hospital, described Conen's
wound indicating the back of a deputy
marshal just where the bullet had entered.
What would you say about the chances
of recovery from such an injury?" asked
Mr.. Turner.
Regarded as Fatal Wound.
The spinal column was shattered and
the cord pulped.' 1t was a wound which
would necessarily be fatal
What was Its effectT'
Total paralysis Of the victim
The story of an eyewitness was given to
the jury in the testimony of Harry ].
Diondi of sos It'll street southeast. Diondi
said he was standing with number Of
Companions at the corner of 7th and E
streets southeast when one of the boys
cried: Look at that revolver Witness
said he turned just in time to see flash,
hear ,.,e report and see Conen fall.
Who fired the shot?' asked Mr.. Turner.
"A woman whom I afterward learned
was Mrs. May"
How far was she from conen when the
shot was fired?"
About six feet behind him.
What else happenedT
I'VE boys ran down there as fast as we
could and saw Mrs. May trying to shoot
him again. knocked the pistol from her
hand and another Of the boys picked 1t up.
taken to the station house." witness con-
tinued, land she asked for some one to go
bring her husband to the station"
Did she say anything after that?" Mr..
turner querieO.
Yes. We were walking down E street
with her." Diondi declared. when she
asked me why didn't let her kill that fell
low
That's all right answered, you don't
want to do anything more-he Is Mrs.
Conen's only child.
"She answered: L can't help that; you
must realize 1 am a mother. too. and have
children of my own, or something like
that" DIondi concluded. and he repeated
practically the same story in cross-exam-
ination.
Franklin A. Tolson, friend of Diondi,
and Harry T. Burton, who were among the
first spectators to reach the scene of the
shooting. varied little in their testimony
from that of Diondi. Toison said he picked
up the revolver when it fell from Mrs
Mays hand. Burton took the weapon from
Toison and turned 1t over to the police
Burton helped take the defendant to the DO
lice station.