The Washington times., 1920-05-13
CLAIM INSANITY IN
C0CKRELL FAMILY
Witnesses Say Alleged SIayer's
Uncle Was of Unsound
Mind.
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the statement that he had taken
Cockrell to be of unsound mind be-
cause "he made mistakes in his lee
lures; that he would sit off by him
self and whittIe: and that he would
refuse to answer questions asked
him."
II. T. Pullman, former school
mate Sf-the defendant, told Of Cock
relrs coming to his house to live
after his marriage, and of Pearl
Cockrell, his wife, following him
there. He said Pearl Cockrell had
a habit of staying out late at night,
and that Shirley Cockrell usually
came in atR o'clock in the evenir.y
Cockrell, he said, had refused at
times. to take a drink OF beer with
him, because st displeased his wife"
Believed CockreIl Insane.
He said he judged Cockrell to be Of
unsound mind, but admitted on cross
examination that he had formed this
opinion after Cockrell killed his wife.
Casius Cockrell, a cousin of the de-
fendant, was the third witness called
this morning by the defense. He
stated that his father. James Cock
rell. had lost his mind when he was
about ffty-two years of age. He told
Of a scene in his home when his
father had attempted to bite him.
at took four Of us to hold him. and
the only way we could keep him from
getting away was by tying his hands
and feet" he said. He said that his
father had later been sent away"
Born to BE Slayer.
-
veloped in Philip Shirley Cockrell the
desire to kill, according to testimony
Of his mother, Mrs. Cora Cockrell,
given yesterday afternoon.
Mrs. Cockrell told the jury that
two months before the birth OF Philip.
her husband threatened to shoot him
self and that a revolver he was flour
ishing exploded, causing her to be-
come exceedingly nervous.
Mrs. Cockrell was the first witness
called by the defense. She was on
the stand. an hour and a half. She
was dressed in deep mourning. a
crepe bordered veil covering her face.
She sat seemingly calm during q
severe cross-examination by Assist
ant District Attorney OLeary. A re-
action came after she left the stand,
and she tainted in the witness room.
Believed Husband Insane.
On direct examination Mrs. Cockrell
said she believed her husband, Frank
Cockrell. to have been of unsound
mind. On cross examination she ad-
mitted he had never been confined
in any kind of sanitarium, and that
her reasons for thinking him insane
were his general morbidness and
constant threats to kill himself. She
told OF taking revolvers, razors and
butcher knives from him during these
morbid outbursts.
This condition OF general depres-
sion had manifested itself In her son,
Philip, early In life. she said, and had
become more pronounced after his
marriage to Pearl Hortense Cockrell,
whom he Is charged with killing.
Philip Had spasm..
She said that during the first ten
years OF his life, Philip had eight
spasms, and that he used to sit
around and pick his fingers and
wiring his hands"
Three medical experts will take the
stand for the defense to testify as to
the insanity of CockreIl. Trey are
DR.. William A. White, superintendent
St Elizabeth's Hospitals: DIR. i NJ
Ladd, 1870 Connecticut avenue. and
DIR. John E. Lind. senior assistant
physician, st. Elizabeth's Ho.pital
The alienists who will protest the in
sanity plea OF CockrelI are Or n
Percy Hickling. District AIiepi.t. and
DR.. Cornelius DE wessc, superintend.
ent Laurel ssnitarium.
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