The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-30
PRISONER OLD AND GRAY
TELLS OF LIFE OF CRIME
Irresistible Desire TO Steal
From Boyhood, Defense
of Andrew Lee"

Nearly fifty years ago in Boston.
George O. Coburn. then a sweet-faced
and fsir-haired tot Of four. stole and
secreted an old brass paddock which he
mother had cautioned him not 10 touch.
II was his first theft
Today in Criminal Court No. ? Of the
District, the same George o. Coburu.
under an alias of Andrew Lee" now
with gray hair and hardened features. a
seIf-cOnfessed felon. who has spent
thiTty-nve OF his hfty-three years Of life
behind prison bars for stealing. was
convicted Of housebreakinE and larceny.
Probably his career of crime is over
his last theft done.
Attorneys Darlington and RidOut. rep
reSeuUnE the veteran thief, made a vigo-
rOus fight to have him sent 10 an IN
sane asylum instead of hack 10 prison
They tried hard TO convince the jury
possessed Of an irresistible instinct 10
steal
Dramatic Story Told.
Supporting this theory that the pris-
oner could not be held legally response
bic for the thefts because of his alleged
mental condition was the testimony OF
three aIienists and Lee himself Lees
recital OF his crimes was one Of the
most dramatic stories ever heard in
District court
Among other incidents Of his life he
barred, was the suicide Of an older
brother on the roof OF their humble
home, Just over the spot where the loot
Of their bovhOod theftS was concealed.
The brother left a note 10 Lee, who
was then IN prison, pleading that ne
remember the teachings of their mother
and fOrSake ms eva ways but 10 no
avail was that death message Hun
dreds Of times since did the youth, then
the man, steal and steal
Basing their opinion on a long hypO-
tEeticaI question covering the criminal
career Of the man from the day he
stole that paddock, through several
prisons and up 10 the present time,
three aIienistS. DrS- Arthur J Hall.
Julian Blackstone, and John W Wat
son, informed the jury that Lee is in
sane, suffering from a form Of imbe-
ciIity, the symptoms OF which are KEEP
JOmania and criminal impulses
Long Life of Theft
There was q hush in the courtroom
as Lee recited with an occasional tear,
the story Of his life. He recalled the
theft of the old paddock II I'M the cellar
Coo--the FIRST crime he committed, II Il
were a Crime-rheu the theft or bright
buttons from his mothers best coat
then glass shoppers from his mothers
perfume bottles and other trivial arti-
cles5 gradually growing holder until his
loot became jewelry and diamonds
A shudde- swept through the court
contrast between the innocence Of child
hood and the pathetic spectacle OF cal
ICused convict whose senses are
shackled by an Unsuitable and irresist-
ihIe craving % steal he told how he
TzugufSEed for fifteen long years in sol
Ltary confinement in the Cherry Hill
ueuiteutfary. with only the vermin Of
the cell as company, but yet he could
rot drive from FiS being that impeilins
impulse to take that which did not be
long 70 him
..Twenty-four hours after I had turned
my back on The grim walls Of Cherry
HfH I stole again. declared the old
thief NY long hours Of misery and
dread disease-Uy uncomfortable crav-
irr 20 steal
F'Since 7 WAS Il mere tot 7 have stolen
something nearly every day when was
not locked Nd Never has there been a
dav when ] was free from that awful
feeling. Often I stole and threw away
the loot Never I'D ] keep stolen prop
ertv unless 7 wa in need
Testimony mistaken
Assistant United States Attorney
Harvey Given subjected Lee to a grill
Ing cruss-exauiuation, but In no mate
rial instance was his testimony shaken
He sought not TO hide nor conceal q
si.eEa crime. cOufessinC freely and
frankly each OffeCSe as read from a
long list av the prosecutor More clear
7z- FiE the crOSs-eXaminatiO depict the
character described by Pope
"TIe who, stiE wanting, trough he lives
on theft,
Steals much, spends little, vet has moth
In r5buf5aI Of the testimony Of the
three alienists for the defense the Gov
eminent placed on the witness stand Dr.
Edward NJ Brush and Dr. George
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