The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-13
DIR. V. J. LaRose Tells of
Cases of missing"
Identity" Due
AflictiOn
PENNINGTON TELLS
OF HELPING BROWN
Says He Gave Courier'News Man
Good Story to Aid in Boost
ing Circulation

which tried Cecil Pennington,
HazeIton drayman, for murder in
the first degree returned ver-
dict this afternoon finding him
guilty of manslaughter in the first
degree and fixing the penalty at
five years. Imprisonment. Pen
nington was indicted by the EN-
mons county grand jury for MUIR
Of Mrs. e. l.. rerras, who was
shot and killed at her home in
hazelton the night Of June 6 while
crowd was seeking her son-in-
law, WaiIie Daugherty, charged
with boarding 1857 bushels Of
.915 wheat.
Five other principal defendants
whose indictments before the
grand jury were secured by A.
torney General Lan0er, e. J. eab-
cock, manager Of the Victoria eI.
evator at Hazeiton; Louis TorkeI-
son, leading business man; Harry
.Eiiithorpe, village marshal;
xnaries Armstrong, member Of
pioneer Emmons county family,
and Bert Hartman, were acquitted
this week by jury which con-
sumed just thirty minutes in ar \
riving at verdict.
Psychic epilepsy" the brain NAL
ady which results in cases Of missing
IDENTITY and which may cause its
victims to automatically walk, talk,
eat and 60 through normal or abnor-
NAL actions of which they have no rec
objection when the attack has passed,
was described in district court yes
terday by DR.. Victor J. LaRose of Bis
marck, testifying as an expert wit.
ness in the trial of Cecil Pennington,
Hazelton drayman charged with the
murder Of Mrs E. L. Perras on the
night OF June 6, when he is: alleged to
have called at her home with other
aHzelton citizens seeking her son-in-
law, Wallie Daugherty, charged with
boarding 1867 bushels of 1915 wheat.
The defense had placed Pennington
on the stand to testify in his own be-
half hta the had been subject to men,
tai alterations and periods Of lost con-
sciousness for several years, this az
Fiction, the witness testifying, having
followed a runaway in which his head
was severely injured. Pennington
claimed to have no knowledge of what
transpired the night of June 6; he pro-
fessed inability to recall that he had
been at the Perras home or that he
had fired the shot which caused Mrs.
.Perras' death. He could not remem-
ber subsequent conversations on the
subject; he could not recall having
met or seen E. J. Babcock, Louis Tork-
elson, Charles Armstrong or Harry
Ellithorpe, alleged rioters acquitted
just prior to the calling OF the case
against Pennington.
Asked whether this form of epilepsy
did not sometimes follow blow on
the head, Dr. LaEose replied that
head injuries were listed as one of the
causes. Psychic epilepsy is not extra
ordinary; there are numerous cases
on record, said the witness. 1t is cpl
lepsy not fully developed to the stage
where it results in fits and catalepsy
"People subject to psychic epilepsy
of things automatically and have no
knowledge or realization of their ac.
tions later. Many cases of losses OF
identity, where a man apparently nor.
NAL. suddenly loses himself, perhaps
regaining possession Of his faculties
days or weeks later, in distant part
of the country, generally are attrlbut'
ed to psychic epilepsy. 1t may came
from alcoholism, infectious or specific
disease; it may be hereditary or ii
NAV have resulted from head injur'
les" E@ s
DR.. LaRose conducted the making
of x-ray photographs of Penningtons 8
injuries, which he exhibited In court
testifying that there were no 1nd1ca'
ton apparent that the brain had 'Deen
permanently affected.
Pennington, resuming the stand in
the afternoon, identified John B
Brown, Courier-News correspondent
as a newspaper man with whom ne
had talked following his impr1son
ment in the county Jail here. He de
MED having told Brown or o. w. Roo
erts. district food administrator, thai
he. with Ellithorpe, BaiScock, Torkei
son and others, surrounded the Per
ras home. and that he encountered
Mrs. Perras, gave her shove, and
that his revolver was accidentally dis
charged. Asked what he did tell the
Courier-News man, he said:
"Mr, Brown told me it would adver
tise his papers and he would sell lots
more of them if I gave him a gooo
story"
Attorney Sullivan: "And, OF course
Won wanted to help Mr.. Brown sell his
papers?'
pennington: Eyes, sir, did,
John B. Brown, called by the prose
cution, testified that he was specla
correspondent for the Courier-News
when he interviewed Pennington anc
that Pennington had told him OF hav
ing surrounded the house and tha'
CONTINUED on Page Eight.)