Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-05
THINKS HOLT IS VICTIM
OF TEMPORARY INSANITY
His Wife Confident He Shot Morgan
While Suffering From Mental
Alteration.
BROUGHT ON By ovERwoRK
Nothing in His History, Associations
or Character That Can Offer ANY
Possible Explanation for Acts En-
cept Nervous Disorders.
[Special 40 Thc Times. nisnatoh.

t'Peciai 10 ne Times DiSDatch.]
DALLAS. TEN, July 4.-That she
believes her husband shot ]. p. Morgan
while suffering from a mental aberra-
ton was the declaration of Mrs Frank
Holt this afternoon. Mrs. Holt. who
is the daughter Of Rev. o. +. Scnsa-
baush, presiding elder of the Metho-
dist Church. South. and one of the best
beloved ministers in the State is ready
to join her husband at any time. hut
friends have advised her that she can
do no good in New York Martin w.
Littleton. n former Texan. and friend
of the Sensabaush family. has been
asked to look into the case, but It is
evident that the family does not con-
template a vigorous defense. so conf
dent are they that it will be brought
out that Frank Holt is a victim OF
overwork and temporary insanity.
In an interview this afternoon Mrs
Holt said:
Il am supposed to be the wife of the
FRANK Holt VINO shot Mr.. Morgan on
Saturday. l am hoping against hope
that there has been some frightful mis-
paratory TO making n home for my hus.
band, he recently having been elected
to a position in Southern Methodist
University in the department. OF Lam
guages. 1 know that my husband has
been very intense in his work at Cor
nell. and that ne was much absorbed
in the preparation of his work In the
new university at Dallas, all Of which
brought about a nervous strain and n
depressed state of health, but I had
not a suspicion that any mental trouble
had resulted l believed that little
rest was all that was necessary for the
restoration of his health.
II am sure that Frank had no ill-will
against Mr.. Morgan, and personally had
no class prejudice against his wealth
My husband was educated at Poly
| technic College at Fort Worth and then
taught at Oklahoma State University
for two years. He then studied and
taught at Vanderbilt University. Emory
and Henry College, in Virginia, and
from there went to Cornell. He has
never given any evidence OF Socialistic
tendencies.
MISFORTUNE DUE SOLELY
TO NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
II am sure that the great misfortune
that has come to him is due solely to
a nervous breakdown.
While in poor health he wars proud
10 ba
new university. We have two children,
one two. and the other baby, and Mr..
Holt was devoted TO both. Most of the
| time he was cheerful as to the outlook,
and his only trouble was overwork.
He mad gone to New York to do special
. research work preparatory to coming
TO the Southern Methodist University.
ana was In constant communication
with him by letters. There was moth
ing in any of them TO indicate any such
outbreak rs has apparently occurred.
one thing that probably depressed
him was that physicians had told him
that he had tuberculosis of the bones.
and, while he made no complaint. he
frequently referred TO his failure 10
gain in weight. 4 few years ago he
suffered from frequent severe head
aches. but during the last few years
t'ieS Idu grown less severe, rather
by diet and careful living they had
been controlled.
You can corroborate my statements
regarding my husband from his school
mates and friends at any of the uniyer
stiles he attended. / know that they
would say that he was a man of strict
integrity and high ideals and that
lawlcssness was no part of his make
up. My father. who is known over the
entire Southwest as hiEh-mindcd
man. loved and respected his son-in
law.
There is. therefore. nothing in nv
husbands history. associations'or char
actcr. that can offer any possible ex-
PLANTATION for his acts. except that they
are the result of nervous disorders. and
his friends are unanimous in that con-
clusion, and none OF them for n moment
consider his conduct in any manner
other than that of temporarily ire
sponsible man. and they. as we'll as
our family. are entirely confident as to
the outcome Of the trial"
Mrs. Holt huged her babies often dur
ing the interview, and at times stopped
TO brush away tear. She was haC-
gard and wan after n sleepless night.