Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-02-21
sNEED DEFENSE
SPRING SURPRISE
PROSECUTION TAKEN UNA
WARES BY TURN OF
TESTIMONY.
DOUBT sN[ED's SANITY
PHYSICIANS TESTIFY HE WAS
UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH
RIGHT FORM WRONG At
TINE OF KILLING.
By Associated Press

ry Atsocistcn frcss
VERNON. Texas. Feb. 20.-fwo
physicians. Dr. ID. c. Darnell and DR..
J. Edison. both OF Vernon. testified
that in their opinion ]. B. Sneed was
not capable of judging right and
wrong when he killed Al G.. Boyce,
Jr.. at Amarillo, that he was not cap
able OF criminal intent at the time,
and that when he saw Boyce his rea-
son was dethroned.
The physicians were called as
witnesses for the defense at the trial
OF Sneed charged with murder.
DR.. Darnell supplemented his ORR
ginal statement with assertion that
Sneed probably would have killed
all Boyces II he had seen them at the
moment he killed Al Boyce, the con-
dition OF his mind being such that
he was incapable OF reflection or rea-
soning and was governed entirely by
his subconscious mind
DR.. Darnell said that Sneed. just
before the killing. was suffering
from melancholia produced by fear.
and when he caught sight of Al
Boyce his reason quickly left him
and he became irresponsible.
On cross examination Sneed iden-
titled for the state two letters. one
from the telegraph operator at Hous-
ton to Sneed divulging the contents
OF message purporting to have been
from AL Boyce, which the operator
had heard going over the wire, bid
ding Mrs. Perkins of Louisiana come
20 Dallas to prevent Sneed from
again locking up his wife. The other
was from Mrs Perkins to Mrs.
Sneed in which she invited the latter
TO visit Lakes Charles. La.
The defense practically closed its
case this afternoon.
Il Is expected that all testimony
will be In tomorrow morning.
]. b. Sneed completed his testi-
mony n, 10 o'clock this morning,
and nothing of Importance was de-
veloped outside of his statements on
yesterday. He said that in Fort
Worth he got TO thinking OF his
troubles. OF the wrong this man lAl
Boyce) had brought upon him and
his children: how miserable he was
and would be the balance OF his lie
and something. he knew not what
impelled him TO go TO Amarillo. Thai
the first night there. which was sun
day night, was spncl by him and ZIP
ting nthe Cottage Hotel; that OF
Monday night they rented the room
in the McKibben cottage; on Thurs
day he got Epting to rent the Poli
street cottage and buy the furniture
that on Friday he made the Whit
box to use in carrying the gun baci
10 Calvert with him. where he ha'
decided TO go. that the box for th'
gun was made so he could carry !
put together and so it could be got
ten at handily for his protection
that on Saturday afternoon he wa
lying across the bed thinking of hi
troubles. and thinking about his chill
dren, and not having seen or hear
OF Al Boyce during his stay In ANA
rillo, was afraid he had gone bac
down to Calvert TO get the childre
OF witness. and about that time look
ed out of the window and saw Boyc
coming down the street and rushe
out and shot him.
Hanger Denies Conversation Wit
Mclean
Senator W. A. Hanger next too
the stand. hciug called by the stat
out OF order that he might catch "a
train for Fort Worth where he ha
a sick boy lie denied having tn
conversation with Mn. McLea
which Sneed on yesterday testifie
about. but said that Mclean caTe
him up in the afternoon and aske
where Al Boyce was: that he tol
Mclean he did not know; did ne
think he was In the country as Mr.
Boyce had written him Hanger
lust a few days previous asking
get word to Al Boyce she wanted
see him In Amarillo before he lef
and that he was unable TO deliv'
this word because Boyce was NJ
there.
The defense then called TO u
stand DIR. J. r. Dodson. Sr.. who hs
been In the court room during u
time Sneed was on the stand. ar
was asked from having heard u
history OF his life and the lat
events connected with II II he b
lleved at the time Sneed shot ar
killed Al Boyce he was capable
distinguishing between right al
wrong as to that particular act.