The Washington times., 1917-05-03

state of mind of the person. who
wrote the first letter."
The doctor replied: 'In my opinion
he was crazy"
"And, doctor, what, in your opinion
was the state of mind of the person
who wrote the second letter."
'1n my opinion his mind was more
normal"
Under cross-examination by Mr.
Lee, he admitted that anyone who had
written the first letter he would have
considered crazy.
Mr.. Lee brought a laugh when he
asked: Then II l, or Judge Moffett
or other of my distinguished friends
for The defense, had written the letter
you should say we were crazy?"
Yes, sir" said the witness.
DR.. Showalter said he had known
the prisoner for six years. and had
never seen anything to indicate alb
normality or insanity on the part OF
Prof. Vawter.
The witness said he never knew he
drank at all.
Liquor and Braiustorms.
Questioned regarding "brainstorms,' II
he cited instances in which there had
been cases of temporary insanity
brought on by liquor. Under cross
examination, however, he admitted
that in most cases there was indica-
tion of the brainstorm the day fol
lowing It.
After DIR. Showalter was excused,
DR. A d. Evans was called, qualified
as an expert, and asked the same hy-
pothetical questions.
Taken in connection with these
other facts, l should say the man was
insane" he said, commenting on the
letter written by Vawter.
Under cross-examination by Lee he
was asked:
Suppose a man, to whom none of
the things outlined in the hypothetical
question had happened, were TO write
this letter offering his wife to another
man and asking in the same letter for
that man to pay his whisky bill. what
would you think of that mans mind?'
81 would find 1t hard to distinguish
between insanity and degeneracy," he
replied,
There was q long colloquy then re-
garding the differences between de-
generacy and insanity. The witness
said degeneracy was chronic, but ad-
mitted under cross-eXamination that
a man who might be considered de-
generate by the public because OF his
lack of deeency was not necessarily
born so.
DR.. W. F. Henderson. uncle OF Mrs
Vawter, was then asked the same hy-
pothetical question and replied: 'The
man who wrote the letter was evil
IDENTIFY crazy"
Under cross-exsmination by Lee
Or. Henderson said he had known
Vawter for years and had noticed
eccentricities in the prisoner. but
that the only sign OF abnormality he
had seen in him was represented by
the letter.
DR.. Henderson explained that he
had always considered Vawter un.
balanced. although an able teacher
of mathematics.
There was much merrIment when
following Lees question as to
whether the witness had ever seer
a perfectly balanced man. Attorney
Jordan interiected:
You've seen Mr.. Lee, haven't your
Whereupon Mr.. Lee replied: "And
he's seen a mighty unbalanced man.
DIR. Henderson added that there
were many other persons in the coun'
ty who were unbalanced but not in.
sane.
The defense then announced Mrs
Vawter would be called and adjourn.
ment was taken TO 2 o'clock.
Jack Lee Explains.
| Yesterdays sensational denouement
in the letter from Vawter offering
virtually to sell his wife for $6S and
some odd cents, disclosed a feature
of interest only secondary to that OF
the major expose.
1t revealed the reason why Jack
Lee, after steadfastIy refusing &c
prosecute any sort OF case for more
than a score of years, and SUCCESSFULLY
defending hundreds, consented to act
as special prosecutor against VawteI
at the request of the Heth family.
| For weeks efforts had been made
to get some statement from him re
garding his sudden change of front
but he was always silent, or else
made some jovial. evasive reply.
But after the letter had been intro
duced in the evidence and swept of
his feet every one who read il OF
1
during a brief recess in the heart OF
the trial. He had strolled into the
counsel room for a cigarette. wher
the question was broaehed.
''Mr. Lee, il II a fact that that let
| ter is the reason for your breaking
your custom of never prosecuting q
case?"
He paused a moment and puffed
refectively at his cigarette.
Didn't Want Case.
Then he answered:
"It is. sir"
He smoked on for q moment, and
then resumed:
"At first, / didn't want to take tbs
case. They asked me to. but / re
| fused.
Then they showed me the second
two letters-not the big one-I didn't
know about that until later. But
read Eawteris statement through
counsel before the bail commissioner
And remembered that Heth was th'
| first cousin of the best friend evel
had. He's dead. too. now. poor fellow
| So / accepted"
| Lee also disclosed an interesLlng fac
] in regard TO the case a little later on
Explaining why he hadn't introduced
| the Vawter letters at first, he said
with his twisted smile: