The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-04-22
APPEARED
TO BE SANE
Mildred Brewster Testified In
Her Own Behalf
MADE GOOD IMPRESSION
Rehearsed Her Life Up to Time Of the
Shooting Of Anna Wheeler, But Her
Mind Seemed to Be Hazy Re-
garding Events Then.

| Mildred Brewster, VINO Is applying for
release from the state insane asylum,
where she has been imprisoned for nearly
ten years following her aequittal of the
charge Of numbering Anna Wheeler BY
reason Of insanity, was on the witness
stand herself before Judge,A. "A. Hall at
Montpelier to-day No more clean n-cut
Testimony could have been given than
that presented by this woman who is
now trying TO prove herself sane.
ghe was closely questioned By her at
tcrney, ~. A. Lord, and she rehearsed
her life from childhood very clearly, but
ner memory seemed 20 be hazy regard
ing the tragedy itself and regarding the
events Of the week Just preceding the
shooting Of the Wheeler girl, her rival
for the affections Of Jack Wheeler Her
remarks were coherent and apparently
those Of person Of sound mind. At
times her responses were SO low that
neither the court nor the stenographer
could understand, at which times she
was asked TO repeat.
The woman seemed TO pay no atten-
ton to the crowd, but faced Judge
A3Atl AAA lkit tffltsA AnfQuEiQUb 3ltT "a
animation she made favorable impress
sion as to her mental condition.
She said that her relations with her
father were pleasant until his latter mar
riage. She told about spending part Of
her life ia Burlington and in Hunting
ton; also that she went to Montpelier
In 1896, working for time In the house
Of s. D. Shurtleff and then learning the
tailor's trade. She recalled her love for
Jack Wheeler AT this point her mem
ory was dim, but she remembered going
to Barre and buying a revolver
Asked what she had intended to do
with the weapon, she replied that she
thought to kill herself After the trag-
edy, she remembered going to the wa
terbury asylum. The first year there she
mad head trouble and lacked ambition.
Later she was able to earn some money
BY sewing, etc Her relations with the
attendants there were generally pleas
ant
Miss Brewster stated then to the court
that She wanted to live proper life and
thar she considered herself capable Of
doing ii. Where will you go9'' was
asked her.
ne & friends house she replied sun
ell / become self supporting" Ask to-
her feelings toward Jack Wheeler, she
said she thought she had herself under
command
Following her testimony an adjourn
ment WAS taken This afternoon Mrs
Roos Of HardwiclS, who was a friend
Of Miss Brewster before the tragedy,
and to whose house the woman would
probably GO If released, was put on the
stand
Dr. T. II. Steele of Montpelier testified
yesterday afternoon that he had been
supervisor Of the hospital at Waterbury
f0f the past five and one-half years and
that he had known Mildred Brewster
during that time and that he had given
her special examinations, one Of them
lasting for one hour or more, on different
subjects, and said that she had no delu-
siors or hallucinations and At the concili-
sion Of the examination he concluded
that she was sane Hid said that he had
observed her since that and had seen no
reason for changing his opinion wit
ness knowledge of case came from the
newspapers aud study Of hereditv chart
which was shown at the hospital.
When asked if she would be 4 menace
to society If allowed her liberty, he re-
piled that there would not be any reason
SO lar as insanity was concerned why
she would be menace. Upon cross ex-
animation BY the states attorney, Dr.
Steele said that his Judgment was not
infallibIe and that it was possible that
under like conditions she might commit
such crime again
nr. Steele stated that he found no
symptoms of an abnormal mind or in-
sanity since lie had known the woman
Interrogated BY Judge Hall, be said that
she had never shown any symptoms OF
disordered mind.
During Dr. Steele's testimony, the
fact was mentioned that d friend and |
former sehoolmate OF Miss Brewster's
hau.offered to receive her into her family
if she should be released from the hos
pital.
DR.. Steele reiterated the fact that he |
did not think her eccentric, erratic or
moody and that she did not remember |
anything about the shooting, either be-
cause size was insane at the time OF its
occurrence or that the bullet which she |
iitUi INTO Htl oAH utdu SststH n tuSc vi Il
memory.
DR.. R. N. Pelton Testifes.
Dr. 4. N. pelton of Riehford was the
next witness called and he testified that /
he had been member Of the board Of /
supervisors since a year ago and that his 1
attention was called to Mildred Brewster
a year ago and that since that time he
had made three special examinations Of
her case and said that from al observa-
tion he was satisfied in his own mind
tnat she was perfectly sane and, if lib.
Grated, she would not be menace to
the community by reason OF insanity.
Mildred visibly Nervous.
At this time the hypothetical question
which was proponnded Go the expert wit
nesses in the trial 10 years ago was read.
This question goes over The whole life
Of Mildred Brewster from the time that
she was q child and includes the history
Of her family, several members Of which
were insane, and some Of whom commit
ted suicide, and rehearses her conduct
after coming to Montpelier and takes up
her relations with Jack Wheeler and
her every move for few days before
the tragedy