The Washington herald., 1914-12-19
'CLEARY WEEPS ON
GIRLS SHOULDER
Dramatic Scene as He Sees
Daughter for First Time
Since Murder.
TAKES STAND FOR HIM
Politician Sacrifices Girls Reputation
to Strengthen Defense-Alienists
Testify for Him.

New City. N. Y, Dec. IS-"TwiIight
Sleep was introduced tonight as a de-
fense for murder. DR.. Floyd s. Gregg.
an alienist. of Buffalo, N. Y. invented
this variation of the stereotyped in
sanity plea while being examined as an
expert witness for the defense In the
case Of William v. Cleary, charged with
the murder OF Eugene Newman. He
testified. that at the time Cleary shot
Newman, his son-in-Iaw, he was suffer-
Ing from a twilight state induced by
mental shock and was irresponsible TEN.
porarily for his actions.
The most sensational episode OF the
trial, however. came when Mrs. Anna
Cleary Newman entered the room tG
testify In behalf OF her father. who had
killed her boy husband. Supported on
the arm of Ambrose Cleary. her fathers
brother, Mrs. Newman entered by a rear
door and made her way to the witness
box.
As she approached the table where
Cleary was sitting with his wife and his
lawyers. the defendant suddenly leaped
to his feet and seized his daughter in
convulsive embrace. 1t was the first
time he had seen her since the murder.
He had even been in doubt, with the
rest OF the world, as to whether she
would consent to testify In his behalf.
Cleary's outburst was wholly uneX-
pected and apparently was unpremedi-
tated. He seemed overcome with emo
tion. and as Le roughly pushed his
brother aside and seized his shrinking.
black-garbed daughter. a gasp arose
throughout the crowded courtroom.
Juror Pats Pairs Shoulders.
Grasping his daughter by the shouI-
ders he buried her face In his breast,
and as she struggled in a sort of terror
to free herself he clung tighter and
tighter. uttering great choking sobs and
half-articulate cries OF endearment and
gratitude.
II was like a scene from a melodrama-
almost too realistic to be real. AS they
struggled together Cleary and his daugh-
ter fell against the jury box and one OF
the Jurors reached out and patted them
sympathetically on their shoulders. -Four
of the Jurors wept openly, and there WAS
scarcely a dry eye in the court.
Finally some one got Cleary to release
his daughter and she went on the stand
while he fell into his chair, buried his
massive head in his wife's lap and sobbed
throughout the girls testimony.
Mrs. Newman's story was brief, but it
cost her many a struggle. She admitted
that her marriage to Newman had fol-
lowed the discovery that she was to be-
come a mother. but said their engage
ment had antedated this discovery by
three months. She said her parents knew
of her dilemma, but had never been told
that Eugene Newman was responsible
for II.
Then Cleary. somewhat restored to
composure, took the stand. and began his
testimony with a recital for his reasons
for objecting to Eugene Newman as a
suitor for his daughters hand.
Told to Prepare for shock.
He said he was "a believer in heredity,"
and gave this as one OF his reasons for
wanting Anna to have nothing to do with
Eugene Newman. He said he knew the
boys father had been confined IN the
Middletown State Hospital. He knew the
father was separated from the boys
mother. who had eloped from Haverstraw
with a boy OF sixteen.
1T was brought to my attention" he
said. that my daughter was associating
ated from the Haverstraw High School I
took an apartment in New York with the
object OF keeping the girl from contact
and sight Of the boy. After we moved to
New York believed the friendship was
at an end. Anna took up a musical
course.
II remember Dr. Schultz's sitting down
between my wife and myself on Wednes-
day after he came from Annals room. He
told me to prepare for a shock. and said
I was ready"
with difficulty. He choked and his face
turned a pasty purple. In hoarse tones
he went on:
He told me my daughter should be-
married and I understood my girls con-
dition. When he came from her room
again he said he had wrunE from her
the name Of the man-John Newman Ut
was Gene he meant) / went into the
dinning room. My wife went to the girl
then to me-three or four times-ask-
ing me what was l going to do. II
said I could not tell just then. It was
uppermost in my mind to keep it from
the world
Words Become DIsJOinted.
Cleary's words became disjointed He
muttered keep It from my wife's mother
from the world time to think-I ask
ed my wife to let me alone till / had
time to think and she left me alone till
after the evening meal"
Then suddenly shouting Cleary said:
All wanted-go away-go west-away
i told her we'd go to Chicago.
Asked what he recalled of the occur
ences after Newman entered his office
Cleary shouted It's all in apparition.
can't remember II. I did see, but re-
nothing; not in the least"
DO you have any recollection Of
shooting Eugene Newman
"oh, my God, no." said Cleary.
Cleary said he did not know until after |
the shooting that his daughter and New |
man were married.
Il didn't learn IL until after he was |
aead." he said.
Had you any intention OF taking his !
ife?"
NO" cried Cleary.
Had you ever thought Of it?''
No." more loudly and hoarsely than |
before.