The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-04-01
GARRISON
GIRL MAKES
HER CLAIM
Declares She Was Insane
F.. Wien. She Poisoned Her
.RiyaI. Two Weeks Ago
BUT'SANE NOW, SHE SAYS

Temporarily in sane
when she poisoned Mrs.
Grace Storrs two weeks
ago, but sane NOW.
This was the plea en-
tered Tuesday afternoon h.
Judge Tallman's court hv
Ruth Garrison, the iS-yeaY-'
old girl who confessed she
had placed strychnine in
the fruit salad eaten by the
wife of Dudley Storrs. the
man with whom she was
enamored.
When court convened, a
large crowd had again fill
ed the Railways and court
room to catch a glimpse Of
the youthful murderess.
When the judge asked II che was
ready TO plead. her attorneys am
swered for her. She Is Represented
by Thomas Askren. Of Seattle. and
Reuben Hilen. of Snohomish county.
both personal friends OF the Garrison
family.
would BE Safe"
mot guilty by reason OF insanity
at the time of the commission OF the
crime" was the technical wording OF
the plea
Accompanying the oral statement
was also a written plea setting forth
that since the date of the crime.
Ruth Garrison has been sane and
would be safe TO be allowed at
large"
The extraordinary plea is made
necessary, the lawyers explained
afterward, under the laws OF the
state. in order to give Ruth Garrison
a fighting chance for liberty. The
law requires a written statement at
the time Of entering plea of insan-
its in which the court must be ap-
prised as to whether the defendant
still claims TO be insane or whether
sanity has been recovered
Up to Jury
Ii will be up to the jury, when she
is tried, TO determine first whether
Miss Garrison is guilty OF murder.
Notwithstanding her plea of insanity.
or whether she is innocent by reason
OF insanity.
In the event she is found mot
guilty." the jury will have TO answer
the specific question of whether she
is still insane. II the jury says no."
she will 20 free. IL the jury believes
yes" and that she is still unsafe to
be at large. Miss Garrison will be
sent to the insane ward OF the peni-
tentiary. Thus, in order TO gain her
freedom. she must not only be ao-
quilted of murder. but she must also
prove that the temporary insanity
which she claims led TO the murder
does not exist any longer.
May Get Life
II she is found guilty of murder
In the event the jury dishelieves her
insanity plea altogether--she faces .
life term in the penitentiary.
IL she is found not guilty of mur<
der but the jury declares her stun
insane, she must remain in the in-y
sane ward OF the penitentiary until
the court should order a new trial by
jury TO determine the question OF
her sanity. She would remain in tho
penitentiary until a jury decided sho
WAS no loncpr insane
In conference between herself
and her attorney. Thomas Aslxren.
Prosecutor w. {. Gresham of Okla
hogan county. and Deputy Pros-
ocutor John ID. Carmody. of Seattle.
Ruth refused to talk of her relations
to Dudley NJ Storrs. or whether or
not she would testify at the trial OF
her paramour. Askren advised her
to hold her silence.
Tuesday was the third time that
Miss Garrison appeared before
Judge Tallman to plead to the
charge.
The first time was on Friday.
March 2i, two days after her con-
fession. the next was Friday. March
IS. Both times Judges Tallman
granted her attorneys an extension.