The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-11
Fate of Woman Accused of
Procuring Pruyn Girl
to Be Decided.
LAWYERS ARGUMENTS
CONSUME WHOLE DAY
Sarcasm and Genuine Feeling
Punctuate Remarks of
Attorneys.

IItItIu, ANON. IVA tIoNNSu Noub
room today greeted what was all but
the last act of the trial of Mrs. Nan
Thompson, alleged procuress, when the
final arguments of the attorneys in the
case were given. The case was not
placed in the hands Of the jury until
nearly $50 in the afternoon. but de-
spite the long hours no one left the
room, every member OF the audience
for the occasion forgetting time to hear
the eXpositions as set forth.
Perhaps there has never been bet
ter summary for both state and de-
fcnse in a criminal case given in the
the state of Montana, than We're the
ones heard here today. The advantage
of the un,suaness of setting, the fact
that the woman against whom the hid
eous charge has been made is the
mother of three pretty little girls, and
the fact that her chief accuser is a
girl but three years older than her
oldest child, has created a more than
statewide interest in the proceedings,
and has served. here in Helena, to draw
increasing numbers of hearers to Judge
Poofinans courtroom daily.
Anaevine Talks for State.
The morning session was consumed
almost in its entirety by the argument
of County Attorney Fred Angevine OF
Missoula for the state. In an able and
forceful address, the young prosecutor
appealed to the reasonableness of the
stories told by the defendant and her
husband, and urged upon the jurors
they inquire into the surroundings in
which Lutic's life at the Thompson
home was lived in determining the
truth or falsity of the defendants case
When Mr.. Ansevine had finished,
Attorney W. l.. Murphy, chief counsel
for the defense, arose and spoke for 4
half hour before the noon recess. His
morning words We're given in matter
of-fact manner with no attempt to
plead with the feelings of the men
who are now adjudicating the case.
Makes Telling Plea.
But when the afternoon session be-
gan with continuation of the defense
argument, this all was changed. Mr..
Murphy made most remarkable plea,
in which he went to some detail to tear
open before the jury's eyes the flaws in
the case of the state, and closing with
am appeal eloquent TO II marked de-
gree.
HOW successfully he IIlitue HIS pIedu-
ing was evidenced by the jurors. They
sat spellbound, and when after near
ly two hours he closed with picture
of the Thompson children sitting alone
at night with thier father, and Won
dering where the mother is" there
were tears not only in the eyes of many
persons in the court, but in the eyes
of some members of the panel.
Yet, his remarks We're not all such
as would tend to bring tears. His pic
ture, drawn when he bid the jurors
Ito tear open the veil of the future
and look ahead five Years to see Ellen
Lucetta Pruyn,' was one of the most
eloquent and yet fiercely condemna-
tory pictures of the entire day.
What Of the Future.
will you see her." he asked, seat
ed in her home, with her children
rrouped about her knee? Will you see
her knitting by the fireside, or read
ing to her husband in some little home
like cottage over which she is pre-
siding?
"Or, gentlemen of the jury, will you
see her with rouged lips and flashy
hose with her bosom exposed low to
catch the eye of some young man and
lure him down to his ruin
Il pray God the picture l first drew
may be correctly of this girl, but l am
fearful that unless she is most care
fully guarded by the state, the second
will be the true one
Mr.. Murphy's scathins denunciatior
of the girl was not charged with bit
terness. Rather it gave the impress
sion that his soul had been moved b,
the continual discrepancies which ht
had pointed out in his summary, unit
he could no longer hold them in t
himself There was nothing of the per
sonal in his manner of speech, but only
n great desire to prevent what he fel
would be an injustice should his ellen
be sent into the gray walls at Dee
Lodge.
Calls Her Chameleon.
lie referred to her constantly in va
rious terms descriptive of the change!
which have marked her. story as tolt
here from the one she related Will,
Continued on Page Ten.)