The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-03-17

according to the superintendent OF
| the hospital, DR.. Edward N. Brush,
that the defense will base its strong.
est contention that Ishida was the
victim Of the absurd decisions Of
paranoia from which he has now re.
covered.
1t is heer tina parallel to the
Thaw case becomes marked. It was
! Evelyn Thaw's recital OF Stanford
! Whites alleged attack upon her which
! is supposed to. have driven Harry
Thaw insane, regardless of whether
the story was true or false.
Whether Ishida will go to the gal.
lows. or leaev the court room a free
man depends on whether IL can be
proved that he was insane during the
Christmas holiday season when he
shot and killed DR.. Wolff. The State
lunacy board has already agreed that
he is entirely sane at present. Ad-
mittedly sane today and thoroughly
veTsed in all the technicalities OF the
particular form OF insanity with which
he was supposed to be suffering at
the time OF the crime, the defendant
will follow the numerous brain spe.
cialists scheduled to be called on both
sides with both understanding and
anxiety. He will, in a manner OF
speaking. be able to sit in judgment
on himself and from a psychopatholo-
gist's point OF view be able to know
whether he himself as an accused
should be held legally responsible for
the murder or not.
AIIenIst Defense's Hope.
The defense is pinning its hopes on
DR.. Charles J. Hill. director OF Mt.
Hope Sanitarium, the same alienist
who figured some ten years ago in
the trial following the shooting OF
Sentaor Brown by Mrs. Bradley, the
technical claim in which was the same
as in this caSe-insanity claimed at
the time of shooting with sanity re-
stored at the time OF trial. The woman
defendant in the Senator Brown case
was acquitted.
For the prosecution all the mem
bers OF the State lunacy board will
testify.
With both State and defense call
ing scores of witnesses, il appeared
as though every brain specialist in
the State was in the courtroom when
the trial opened at 10 o'clock. In
stead of the proYerbial jury OF his
peers, DR.. Ishida faced a full bench
composed of Chief Justice Burke and
Lane. Because of the known preju-
dice of the residents OF the country
side for miles around, il was not be-
lieved that a fair trial could be Sc
cured for the foreigner either by a
jury picked in and around TowsOn or
by asking for a change of venue.
Accompanying DR.. Ishida into the
court room were his friends. Dr.. Mat
Sumoto. DR.. Mari. from Johns Hep
kins. and DR.. Kasakai. from New
York All three men will testify.
Through them the defense hopes to
spring some unlocked for surprises
relative to DR.. Ishida's alleged delu
sions that DR.. Wolff had prosecuted
him by spreading stories that IshiGa
" as in the employ of the German gov
eminent and that Wolf was poisoning
Miss Jacobs mind against him.
Appearing for the defendant are
Attorneys Carl G. Grason and Elmer
Il. Halle.
lshida himself appeared calm and
three months confinement in the
Jail cell. his naturally pallid, opaque
Ckin remaining the same as wnen he
vas committed. The excessively po
lite mannerisms which characterized
him even during the commission Of
the crime were noticeable during his
entrance into the court room.
With none Of the delays contingent
on securing a jury, the progress Of
the trial is expected to be rapid, and
Ishida hopes to know his fate befoIe
the end Of the week.