Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-05
EXPERTS ON INSANITY
TESTIMONY TODAY IN TRIAL OF
MRS. JENNIE I. NAY.
Alienists Called a. witnesses for the
Defense-Hypothetical Cues
lions Asked.

on insanity was the feature of the proceed
ings In Criminal Court No. today IN the
trial of Mrs. Jennie L. May, charged with
assault with intent to kill in connection
with the shooting and death Of Lucien Co
men, former member Of the Merine Band.
Throughout the trial the defense has made
no effort to combat the assertion that Mrs.
May fired the shot into Conen's body which
caused his death. and they place entire re-
lance apparently upon the contention that
Mrs. May 10 a sufferer from temporary or
emotional insanity and that she was not in
sound condition mentally at the time the
crime was committed
The Indictment weather today had little
appreciable effect upon the attendance, and
nearly ali Of the seats in the court room
were occupied.
At the opening OF the morning session
Attorneys Fulton and Gibbs Baker, repre-
sentfnE Mrs. May, announced that their
case would be closed probably before noon,
but Assistant District Attorney Charles N.
Turner stated that the government would
have several witnesses in rebuttal. so that
the trial will almost surely continue until
tomorrow.
DR.. Clark a Witness.
At the opening OF the trial today the de-
Tense called to the stand DR.. Charles H.
Clark, chemical director of st. Elizabeth's
Hospital for the Insane, who has been
Ou luC SSdA VI phys ~ ILdI lu6tlLu-
ton for seven years past. DR.. Clark also
said he was connected with the staff Of q
hospital for epiiepttcs in Ohio for four and
one-haif years.
Attorney Fulton had a carefully pre-
pared list of questions which witness an
swered catagorfcaiiy-the chief point sought
to be established by his testimony being
that a sufferer from epilepsy tsuch as Mrs.
May is claimed to be) is mentally irrespon-
sible while in the throes of a CONFUSION
and at other times. DR.. Clark declared
he had seen many epfleptics in his profess
sionai career who he considered were liable
to commit homicide at any time.
Whole Contention Of Defense.
Summing up the whole contention of the
defense of Mrs May, Attorney Fulton asked
of DR.. Clark the following hypothetical
question:
Assuming that Mrs May is In the inn
paired physical condition described by her
husband, that she has been in almost con-
slant torture for several years; assuming
further that she severely punished the chill
dren on several occasions without cause: as
Stunning that she on one occasion moved her
furniture. children and herself from her
home and instituted suit for divorce against
her husband without reason and afterward
expressed sorrow for 1t: assuming further
that when she was cooking dinner and her
husband said the food had queer odor she
asked If he thought she wanted to poison
him and ran him from the house with a
Ratchet: assuming that she was seen with
a carving knife in her hand, appearing wild
and excited; assuming further that she sat
up in bed one night and told her husband
she could drive a nail through his head so
quick he wouldn't know what hit him; as
Stunning that she on another occasion left
her home without cause and ate but little
while away and was unable to say why
she left home; assuming all these things to
be true. and what the witnesses testified to
here was true, in your opinion was Mrs
May sane or insane during the periods in
which she did them?"
II would say she was OF unsound mind"
What do you mean by unsound mind?"
THAT her mind was not operative In a
normal, healthy way"
DR.. Clark was cross-examined by United
States Attorney Baker, who sought to shake
the alienist's belief as to Mrs Mays sanity.
Little If anything was accomplished in that
line.
Mr.. Baker took up hysteria major, epilep-
| tic attacks and impulsive insanity. He
asked II Mrs. May or any other person at
fected with any of these diseases would
remember clearly what they did during an
attack. DR.. Clark replied in the Affirmative.
| 1t is contended by the defense that Mrs.
May was suffering from impnlsive or emo
tional insanity at the time Of the shooting.