The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-24
STATE WAITING TO
 BREAK DOWN STORY : OF YOUNG BRANCH
BE OFFERS ALIBI AS DEFENCE OF CHARGE OF ATTEMPT
 ED MATRICIDE-
Strange Actions of Youth Charged With Revolting Crime Attract Much Curious Attention on Part of Spectators

l
 | Russell c. Branch of Danbury. on
 trial for assault with intent to mur-
 der his mother. Mrs. Elizabeth Branch
 made a complete denial of the charges
 when he was given a chance to tell
 his story to Judge Ralph Wheeler and the jury in the Criminal Superior
 Court yesterday afternoon. Branch's counsel. Attorney A T. Bates will at l tempt to prove an aIihi.
 Branoh's actions on the stand yes terday afternoon excited the attention of the spectators in the court room. Many asked If the man was mentally sound. Those who saw him in the morning grinning at the words of his aged mother, were even more surpris- ed In the afternoon when he told his own story. He would pick out some one person in the room. and seemingly tell his story to that person Then he would decide to rub his knuckles together. rub his hands vigorously up and down. following by long smile. His voice Is weak. and quite peculiar very unlike a mans. He told his story. and denied that of his mother.
 Branch In hIs testimony stated that he lived at T High street Dsnbu. y. in New York str te. ard has resi led in Danbury since IsS9. His cccupR ton Is anything that requires labor. with farm work a speciality. This summer he was the owner of property in Dan- bury which he sold on Aug. 21st., coming to. Bridgeport and then going to visit relatives in New York state, gettins back to Danbury just tefcre the fair. On hisireturn he went to see his mother. He had s5 and instruc- tIons from hts aunt Mrs. Seeley in New York. He called on his mother the second Sunday in October. inquir- ing at the store of MT. Elwell to h. quire as to where she resided. At that time he was suffering with swoI en tonsi,s and could not speak very loud. On that account the conversation was very difficult. he having to write that he wished to say. He told his mother that he would call again when his throat was better.
 The next time he called on his moth- CT was on Sunday Oct. lTth- Tn re was no. response to his rap at her who appeared In the yard that Mrs. Branoh was at the home of a neigh bor. Mrs~Butler. He said that he was arrested the next day. which was Monday. but did not know why till
 Attorney Bates then brought the at tention of his client down to the 1ith of Oct. the date on which the asssu't was cou7nl9tted- The accused stated that on that date he was working for
  knitting machine. He also worked for the same man on the 18th and 16th- He did not know of the assault on his mother till he was told of 1t at he was at his mothers house the night of the I4th. nor had he ever purchased carbolic acid. or any time used any.
 Branch stated that when he was In New York state his aunt asked him to go back to live with his mother. to take care of her. but he told her that was an Impossibility. as It was out of the question for the. two to live be- meath the same roof. He was asked about kicking his mother In the ankle, ca using her to seek medical attention. He said that he showed his foot un- der the table toward his mother. after she had called hEn a Hungarian. He denied the story of his mother that he had not resided with her In ten years. He stated that the last time they liv- ed together was five years. when they kept house for eleven months. They separated then as he was in debt. house in Danbury testified that Branch had been a regular roomer at his house. On the week that the assault had occurred he knew that Branch had been at his place Fhis he remember ed as on the day of the arrest. the police made careful incuiry of al the facts. He knew that he had called Branch with the rest of the board CTS on each morning. BunOid stated that when Branch had gone to New York. the iarter told him that he had rich relatives Tn that state. who If they recognized him would make him also wealthy. Witness stated that Branch never spoke to him of h's mother Tn feet he did not know that his mother was a resident of Danbury, till the day of the arrest.
 At I o'clock the court adjourned ti1 Tuesday morning. when the state will i start with the rebuttaI on Branch's | story. 1