Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-26

opJSSICu W Wy lilC uClSioC anu uiNh
out.
DR.. Georgia Stewart, who attended
Mrs. Taylor during the birth of her
child, stated that she did not believe
the woman insane, except in the same
degree that all women are while under
going a similar strain on their physical
makeup.
N. F. Hicks, assistant superintend-
ent of the Iowa Children's home, was
the most important witness called by
the state Mr.. Hicks related in detail
the story of Mrs. Taylor's visit to the
home on the day of the murder of her
babe and of the rejection of her APP
peals for the placing of the child in
that institution.
He said: The woman came to the
home on the morning of the eighteenth
of September at about II o'clock. The
cab in which she had arrived, ] OBJ
served, was dismissed and drove away.
She came to the door and asked me to
take the child.
Husband Deserted Her.
Il asked her the customary ques-
lions concerning herself and husband.
She informed me that her husband
was in Boone and had deserted her.
That she could not afford to keep the
child and wanted to leave it with us.
She refused to give her name or that
Of her husband, and when | Informed
her lJldL we COulu not TAKE Ine DdDG
she turned and walked away"
While Attorney j. r. Jaques of OF
tumwa, who made the opening plea to
the jury for Mrs. Taylor. recited the
story of her life, Of the misfortunes
with which she had met, of the handi-
cap placed on her mental qualifications
by nature, of the injury sustained by
| her husband and his subsequent death
the witness bent her head and cried
softly.
When in summarizing the evidence
however he spoke of the testimony of
DR.. Gershom Hill Wednesday after
noon, in which the alienist described
her mental qualifications as those of
an undeveloped child. with the further
expert opinion that that condition
would never be removed, the girl wept
bitterly and her frail form shook with
half suppressed sobs.
| Attorney Jaques refused to admit
that the girl had been responsible for
| the murder of her child, and contended
that the evidence would fail to convict
| her of the offense. He interposed
insanity in her behalf however, in
| case she was responsible for the COM
mission of the crime. He asked for a
verdict generating the ~trl from all
blame.
| THE law casts mantle of charity
over persons accused of crime At
torney Jaques said "It says you
shall presume person innocent until
| it is found beyond reasonable doubt
that he is guilty. I don't know that
! this woman killed her child. She con
fesses she did, but how much credence
can you place in the babblings of an in
sane woman?
] Parsons Closes Plea.
| Attorney J. M. Parsons, for the de-
Tense, made the closing plea to tho
! jury.
During his plea the defendant sat
! flush faced and dry eyed, watching
I intently every move both of her at
torney and the manner in which his
argument was received by the jury
She apparently realized to the full
est extent the Importance of that ar
gument and that upon it's slender
string must depend the final verdict OF
guilt or innocence.
course of his address with dramatic
scene at Union park in which hei
from it's own garments and cast into
! lowed by her with awe stricken in.
terest but the eye did not vince ever
under the most narrowing of thu
grewsome details, nor did her form
give indication of the strain undel
which she was laboring
Recites Crimes Details.
! With impassioned appeal Mr.. Par.
sons called upon the jury. if they be.
/ liayad Mrs TayiOr erlIi1tx, nf rri,,,f