New Britain herald., 1916-03-20
EPISODE TX.

the attorney for the State, and there was a breathless tension in the room when Langdon, addressing his new witness said vibrantly: "Dr. Foster, you have told the court that the defendant, Mary Page, is a victim of attacks of 'repressed psycho- sis superin duced by the sight of in toxication, and the smell of alcoholic connections. When suffering from such attack would the patient be conscious of what went on about herr"
 Certainly not. No more than a person in delirium. There are cases of insanity where the patient, though insane, is still conscious of those around, and can recognize them; but 'repressed psychosis' IS like violent delirium. Not only is rhe sufferer nn- conscious of those around her, but carries no memory of CT own actions back into her normal state"
 Then if Mary Page was suffering from such an attack when David Pol lock was killed, would it not have been possible for someone else to enter the room and commit the murder unno- tjced by her?"
 ''1t would. If Miss Page had one of her attacks on the night in question she would have been equally uncon- scfous of the fact whether she or someone else fired the fatal shot!"
 A long, quivering gasp of ineffable rellef hoated from Mary's pale lips at the words and two little flames of hope and excitement leapt into her eyes Here at last was someone who be- heVed-who understood-that she did n I.,,-. happened after that first horrible glimpse of the drunken lecrlng face of the man she hated
 Even Langdon had seemed at tin1es to cherish vague doubts and had pressed her cruelty to try to remem- ber-even hazily-the events ti1a1 were a blank to her: and in consc- quence the words of tho great alien- jst were balm to her aching hoart and seemed in truth wonGrous vindica ton.
 But the flame of that awning hone melted the ice of numb cndurance that had for so long upheld her and she was drawn inevita bly, out of the hyp- nosis of stolid waiting into a sudden throbbing agony of feeling and expect ancy. Time, which untj! now had seemed Of small importancc--minut and hours alike falling drearilv into the abyss of eternity-Decdma sudden lN poignant factor. She wanted to scream to them all to nurry-hurry- hurry! There was so much to be told; so much to be explained before they would know-and set her free,
 Langdon, watching her in amazed concern, saw her slender body shake like a reed in a storm of emotion. and reading in 1t not the breaking of the icy letters of immob bile despair but the shattering of a wonderful self -contro, hastened to her side, With an adm oni- 1ory and reassuring whisper of cncour- agement To his surprise she smi,co at him through the unsred tears and caught his hand for an instant in 2 feverlsh grip as she murnlurc,? tremu- louslv
 There's nothing the matter. Phil. -I-am just hopeful
 ''I may have to call you to the stand for a little,'' he went on anxiouslv Do you think you-you vii! be able to-"
 "Why of course" she answered. with such a surprised note in her voice that Langdon was Derforce re- assured and turned his >tortion again towards pr. Foster, who was flushing angrily under the badgering of the prosecutor.
 What you tell us Is worry interest ing" the latter was saying sarcasti- cally. And so you followed the life l Of the defendant. or let us say you traced her life back year by year
 And did you decide which event was the direct cause of hcr-er-pcculiar ] mental brea kdowns?"
 1T did"
 l What was it?"
 ! Her fathers brutality on tho night 1 che fled from the house in wild ter ] TOT. Miss Page had suffered from her 1 horror of alcohol from | baby. As 1 have told the court before, pre- | natal influence made her especially l sensitive and with her increasing years 1 and understanding enlarged the in 1 cipient horror till it became reprcsscd 1 psychOsis."
 Then it was her ia hers treatment
 rather than his intoxicate1 condition,
 that drove her insane?" persisted the 1 prosecutor; but Dr. Foster saw the 1 drift of the question and shook his 1 head emphatically.
 Tt was not. It was the sight of
 bis intoxication, and the reek of the l whiskey on his breath. The pain ! of his brutal grip on her shoulder, 1 and the sight of his Ill-trea tment of
 Ter mother naturally had their ef- 1 fcct-but they were not the main I causes of her delirium."
 1 How do you know that Mir. Page
 gripped her shoulder bratally? Isn't l that merely hearsay ev1dence'''
 No. The marks of the hand were
 plainly visible on the shoulder of Miss
 Page when she was brought to me.
 These heavy bruises overlay {, curious
 irthmark that came ard went, and
 the nails of Mir. Pages hand had dug 1 ench furrnWs into the flesh that The