The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-06-01
USE OF ALCOHOL HEREDITARY
Pathetic Story Of Brilliant Lawyer
Who Dlsowned Son When
Charged With Murder.


A young man from a good family
committed an atrocious murder and
was put on trial for his life Hls
grandfather had been an excessive
drlnker, His father and mother both
drank moderately at meals. His Hfa
and history indicated great brain
feebIeness and degrees OF insanity
Tor at least two years before the muir
der. Public sentiment was very
strong against him at the trial. The
district attorney had employed an
able lawyer to assist him and he pub
licly announced that the cause Of IIs-
lice demanded the prisoners death
Two distinguished physicians we're re-
tanned to swear to the sanity OF tina
prisoner was called as an expert
In his defense, says a writer in an
exchange AS the trial went on u
was evident that the efforts Of tho
state would be directed 10 break the
force of my testimony as to the In
sanity of the prisoner | answered
the hypothetical question and ex-
planned il at some length for the de-
Tense, and then was cross-eXamined
by the states attorney, who was evt
dently determined to destroy the i'm
preston which had produced on tho
fury
The attorney was man OF keen in
tnllRgf nj thnrntVUh af fhn
art Of examining witnesses. Aftg
trying various methods to create con
fusion in my statements. he settled
down to scientific examination. In
sisting on exact answers without quail
lfcations AS the examination pro
gressed II was evident to both OF Us
that we were surprising each other in
questions and answers. There was In
his questioning unmistakable indicG-
tions Of a very clear knowledge OF the
alcoholic mind and method OF reason
Ing such as can never be described In
books.
Although two able physicians were
seated at his side suggesting ques-
tons II was evident that his knowi-
edge Of such cases was far superior
to theirs, and the turns and forms OF
questions we're revelations of famil
larity with the subject that was a sur
prise to me.
At the close of the days trial 7
concluded that a personal acquaint-
ance with the attorney might give me,
an insight into his mentality that
would be to my advantage In the next
days examination, which after n
night of consultation and preparation
would undoubtedly be still more Sc
we're. Upon being introduced by the
Judge, |, in an undertone, remarked
to the attorney that had never be-
fore been examined by any one who
had such acute knowledge OF the
drink craze and its victims, and that
| knew that this knowledge did not
come from books. After a moments
hesitation he answered me with a
quivering lip, "Yes, know OF this
matter personally in my family and
IL hdo bttll u nhtltNOll w iuts
He asked me TO come to his room
at the hotel that evening for a per
sonal talk. The interview lasted until
midnight He then told me OF his
only son who was expelled from col
lege for drinking, and OF how he had
driven him away from his home
against the advice OF his wife, and
that his son was now serving a life
sentence for murder in western
prison. He spoke OF his bitter feel
ings against the attitude his wife had
taken. for she had insisted that the
boy was diseased. This he himself
could not believe and he reviewed the
heart burnings and sorrows which
followed the death OF his wife, and
her steadfast faith in the mental
sickness of the boy, and her dlsaD-
proyal of his own harshness; and how
at her death he realized that she was
right, but his pride and position made
him fear to think of this subject Sc
riously. He spoke OF his own drink
ing days and Of his abstinence at his
wife's request after the birth OF his
son Even on this trial he did not
dare to permit his feelings to assume
the possibility of mental disease.
told him frankly that he made a mis-
take, that his wife was right, that hts
boy was a victim, the direct trans
mission of his own drinking habits.
We shook hands and parted with n
which was not apparent IN
the next days examination, and yet
beneath the bluff and stern exterior
| could see the real man struggling TO
put the question so that my answers
would be the least favorable TO his In
terest The case was won. My testi-
mony prevailed and the victim was
placed in an insane asylum, where hO
died two years later No one knew
that our midnight interview saved
this prisoner from judicial murder.
few years afterward this lawyer
me as an expert in the de-
tense of a similar case. At the close
Of the trial | went to his son, a poor.
halfidiotic man, No ques-
ions were asked, but | knew that he
lad only recently been released and
brought home to die, The fathers
tenderness toward him showed this.
The crime had been committed in an
other state and no one knew the facts
If the case.
A year later this lawyer was found
lead in lis bed, and the boy was
placed in private asylum, where he
S now living, Fortunately, his mind
$ gone and he is unable to recall the
,ast This incident illustrates some