Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-06
VS.
PUT IN DAY
WRANGLMG
C0RWELL CASE HAS FEW
DRAMATIC LIGHTS
MUCH TIME is CONSUMED IN
LONG ARGUMENTS
Trial of Alleged Slayer of George T..
Bennett Promises to Extend
Into Last of the
Month

Yesterday was the dullest day yet in
the trial of Estelle Corwell for the al
| legged murder of Geo. Bennett. The pros
ecution spent practically the entire day
| in efforts to break down the defense's
theory of insanity, their most import
ant witness in this respect being the
physician who first treated the defend
ant following the incident at Ocean
J Park, when she sustained broken
ankle by Jumping or falling from an
automobile.
A large part of the session was con-
sumed in objections to questions on the
part of counsel for both sides, Attorney
Appel at one time taking up almost
| twenty minutes in an argument regard
ing the admissibility of testimony con-
corning Mrs. Corwell's mental conoltloh
as it appeared to witnesses some time
prior to the shooting of George I. Ben
nett and covering periods OF time 10
which the defense had made no REFER
ence in it's evidence.
The belief that the case would go 10
the Jury at the end of this week was
exploded yesterday when it was maze
| known that a large number OF VIII
nesses yet remain to give rebuttal tes-
| timony, and this evidence, 1T is De-
lieved cannot all be introduced before
Tuesday at least. The defense is also
expected to bring in many witnesses
who will give surrebuttal testimony,
and it would not be at all surprising IL
the trial extended into the last week OF
February.
Evinces Lively Interest
Mrs. Corwell yesterday took the live
Hest interest in the proceedings, hsten-
ing intently to the testimony, but with
out any exhibition of emotion. she
watched the faces of the jurors closely
at times, and as the twelve men Illeo
nv her seat at the noon hour her large,
dark eyes gaZed with an expression OIL
appeal into the faces of each.
Mrs. j. E. McKenna was recalled as
the first witness of the day. She was
at one time proprietress of the Chester
hotel at which Mrs. Corwell was a
guest, and said she considered the de-
fendant as sane at that time.
1t developed that the witness was
present when physicians called to treat
her and that Bennett had told the VIII
ress that Mrs. Corwell had taken poi
son.
Attorney Appel objected to the tes-
timony of Mrs. Lee Stevens, by whose
statements Deputy District Attorney
Blair said he wished to show she acted
as chaperon to George T. Bennett and
Miss MAZE Bennett at Matilda Springs
The objection was sustained.
DR.. ]. B. Sands, who treated Mrs
Corwell at the time she sustained the
injury to her ankle in Ocean Park, said
he had administered chloroform to the
ratient at that time, and when she
revived he believed he had given her
hypodermic injection, as that was the
natural thing to do. The defendant, he
said, did not exhibit the actions OF an
, insane DerSOn at that time.
Nov, a person may be insane on
some subjects and perfectly sane on
others?" questioned Appel.
81 don't believe it possible for anyone
to be partially insane and sane at the
same time" said the witness.
Sane on Some Subjects
He stated, however, in answer to a
question by the court, that a person
RAY act on some subjects as If perfect
" sane and on others as If insane.
There is but one way to judge of a
persons insanity" said the witness
land that is by prolonged change in
ones usual manner of thinking, feeling
and actions, and 1 based my answer on
the actions of the patient at that time
and from those actions do not believe
she was insane"
''Yet she might have been insane on
some subject and you would not know
it?" asked Appel, to which the witness
replied in the affirmative.
The witness said that an attempt OF
Il desire to commit suicide might indi-
cate an evidence of insanity in some
cases, but person might have an over
whelming desire to take his own life
and this might arise not from insanity
but from the fact that he did not wish
to live longer
He said the defendant might have
suffered from a transitory attack OF
insanity prior to the injury and not be
aware of that fact.
L. M. Vance, who was cashier for
Bennett in 1902 and 1908, said the de-