The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-17
CLAIM CUTCLIFF INSANE;
 WIFE ON STAND
 TELLS OF ATTACK
Brother and Sister of De. fendant Declare He Was Irresponsible - Mrs.
 Cutcliff Describes
 Husbands Assault
By CLARK BOOTH.

By CLARK BOOTH.
 Under grueling eross-examination. in which the prosecution tried to break down the testimony of the witnesses for the defense, John w. Altman, attorney for | William H. Cutcliff, charged with assault with iatent to murder his wife, Mrs. w. | H. Cutclifg opened the defense in the case yesterday afternoon on the sole basis that I the dcisndan: was insane at the time he IS alleged to have tried to murder his wife.
 Attorneys foc the prosecution put the witnesses for tEe defense through a grueling ross-examination, attempting to break oown their testimony. The prosecution in the ease having rested after tho testimony of the main witness f>V the state. Mrs W. H. Cutcliu. had left ;he stand, Charles Edward Cut cliff, brother of the defendant, was intro- duced as the rrst witness for the defense MT. Cutcliff was first questioned by Mir. Altman, and in a dramatic way the wit ness told how hIs brother, the defendant had on one occasion come to him crying and wringing his hands and saying that after ali he had done for his family. they were working aaginst him. and ne guessed he had better end it all by kill ing himself.
 SEEMED TO BE LOSING MIND My brother" stated the witness, was then in a FerS nervous condition, ana looked like . man who was losing his mind On mary other occasions previous to this he stated, William Cutcliff had been subject to fits, and would foam at the mouth and act in very irrational manner.'
 The witness vas cross-examined at length by Capt. Frank <. White for the prosecution, and at one dime Captain White was interrupted by Mir Altman, who objected to the manner in which the prosecution was carrying on ths cross-examina ticn.
 You are trying to lecture the man, stated MT. Altman. and in my opinion the courtroom is not a place to lecture in. Besides, you are taking up too much time and delaying the case"
 Captain White answered MT Altman, stating that Ie would conduct his side of the case as he saw fit, and stated to Mir Altman that if the attorney for the defendant didn't have so much to say great deal of time would be saved.
 WITNESS DID NOT REMEMBER
 Captain White, in his cross-examination of Charles Cuteliff asked many questions as to conversations that the witness had with .he defendant previous to the cut ting. and in nearly all cases the witness would answer that he did not remember.
 Mrs Mary Halter cousin of the defend- ant WIS the next witness for the defense, and her testimony tended to corroporate the statements of Charles Cutclin Tn that the defendant was subject to hts, ana hau been fer some time.
 Mrs Margaret Antwine, sister of the defendant. testified that she had attend ed her brother on several occasions when he would become subject to one or ms fits" and said that on these occasions he would look like a crazy man
 His remarks on one occasion, whlle ne was under the influence of one of these fits, stated Mrs. Antwine, was that he hoped he would soon get well, for the sake of his wife and family
 A conversation overheard by Mrs. Ant wine when the defendant was speaking tc Dr. E. F Riggs was introduced as testimony. "Dr. Riggs" stated Mrs Antwine. told my brother that if he did not give up his business he would cer- tainly lose his mind she stated
 The entire morning session of the court was taken up with the testimony of the main witness for the state. Mrs. w. H. Cutcliff. wife of the defendant. It was for an assault on her that the defendant is being tried.
 MRS. CUTCLIFF TESTIFIES
 The counsel for the defense proclaimed to the court that the defendant was not guilty, and plea of not guilty by reason of insanity was made after which Mrs. (utcliff took the stand for the state.
 In cool and composed manner she told the story of the cutting.
 q was on the second floor of our home doing some house cleaning stated Mrs. CutcIiff "The children were all at school and my husband was in the library. A few moments after I had started my house cleaning my husband came into the room and said: Your time has come you have lied to me and 1 am going to kill you l screamed when l saw that he had razor in his hand, but he told me not to scream. and grabbing me by the collar pushed me into the next room, and holding me by the collar, cut me several times across the neck.
 At this point of her story Mrs. Cut cliff showed the sears that she said had been made by the razor
 LEFT HER ON FLOOR
 "I begged him to spare me and think of our children, but he would not listen to me- she stated He left me lying on the floor of the room, and with the blood freely flowing from the cuts thought I was surely going to die. After efforts 1 managed to get to the lower floor, where I heard him using the tele- phone I then made my way over to Mrs Jaffe's house. across the street from which place I was taken to St Vincent's hospital.'
 Mrs Cutcliff showed the jury where she had been cut and stated that MT. Cutcliff had cut her five times on the neck
 The cross-examination of the witness was then begun by the defense. MT. Altman asking Mrs. Cutcliff if her hus- band had about a month previous ac- cused her of talking to a man over the telephone She declared that her hus- band had asked her who she was talk ing to over the telephone, and that she laughingly told him 1t was Mrs. Screws.
 MT. Altman asked the witness if her husband had not also accused her of telling some man that Cutcliff was get-f ting wise, and that he was going away, and thai she had not fold this man