The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-05-07
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DEFENsEflNl MU RIDE CASE PUTS
BLAME FOR MANS DEATH
ON PHYSICIANS.
PARKERsBuRG, May IA sur
prise was sprung In the Writ county
court house at Elizabeth yesterday
when In the opening statement for the
defense. In the case Of the State VS.
Leedsome. for the murder Of Jane!
Kirkendall, Attorney 7. A. Brown de
clared that Kirkendall did not On
from the bullet wound, but from thu
operation which the doctors performed
on him at the hospital in Parkersburg
This will he one Of the lines of thu
defense. Mr. Brown stated last even
Ing, and he declares that It will bt
proven, that the bullet wound itsel
was not . mortal wound. ana thai
young Leedsome did not commit muir
der.
self.defense Also.
The defense will also rely on "a pie;
Of self.defense In justification OF thu
shooting, It being claimed that In ;
measure Kirkenda!l was the aggres
sor, and very strong point that ,hs
defense will argue Is extreme proyoca
ton, because Of KIrkendall's allege,
remarks as to the chastity Of the boy.
mother. Attorney Brown told the jur,
that the defense would prove that tn,
young man was prompted by impulse
in defense Of his mothers honor.
The court term at Elizabeth opene,
Yesterday morning, and after Judge
Moss had charged the grand jury.th,
murder case was Immediately takel
mp. Both sides announced tlfemselve.
ready for trial. I'D. l-..
Jury Easily Secured.
In spite Of the wide publicity give,
10 the murder which occurred son,t
months ago, and in spite Of the fac
that the county was divided in sym
pathy as between the families of tn,
victim and the defendant, an accepta
BILE jury was readily secured and til,
trial was hegun. The opening state
ments to the jury were concluded a
a night session last evening, and thi
morning The taking Of the States eyl
dence, was begun.
The elder Leedsome had been in
dlcted also at the February term o
court, but owing TO a defect the in
dictment against him was nollied ant
the grand jury now in session will re
fhdict him, as an accessory before tn
fact, 1t Is anticipated. It is allege,
that he melted the boy TO the mn.
der. @
The boy had been indicted at III,
February term on the charge Of mur
der in the first degree. 1t is anticl
pated that the biggest legal battle o
years in the annals Of criminal case!
In Writ county will be fought dnrin:
the present week. ....-
Shakes Local NEEDLES.
The statement Of Attorney Brown
In his presentation OF the defense;
case 10 the Jury, will shake the med
ical profession in Parkersburg, 1t |.
anticipated. After having been sho
In the abdomen by l.cedsome, Kirken
dali, II will be recalled, was brough
to st. Joseph's hospital here. He wa
given treatment and finally operated
upon for the removal of the bullet b,
Drs. Stout and Rolla Camden, of thi!
city. and DR.. Casio, of Elizabeth
After lingering for q few days h,
died.
The defense sets up the claim tha
the wound in itself was not morta
wound, and that the victim would no
have died from the wound, but that til,
real cause Of death was the resul
lof the operation performed by the ply
siclans,
To testify as to this fact. at III,
proper time, the defense has summon
ed Drs. Depue and Frame, Of Parkers
burg: Drs. Michel, Carney and Nc
Chung. The defense claims that, b,
these physicians 1t will be proven tina
the wound was not mortal one.
State Summons Doctors,
The State has summoned the physi
clans who performed the operation
and all will testify that the woun,
was the cause Of Kirkendalls death
that It was a mortal wound, and tina
even proper care, given as quickly a
possible, could not save the victim.
1t Is likely that Il number OF my
sicians will be brought into the case
DR.. Stout. when told last eyenin,