The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-09-30
Jury Declares
Mrs. Welt Sane


When the hearing Of Mrs. Mary j.
Welt was called last Friday morning,
before the County Court Judges in the
circuit court room, as to her sanity,
the court room was as crowded as it is
when the most important case is up
for hearing. The developments of the
previous afternoon, when the case was
brought before the County Court, had
thoroughly aroused this community,
as the rumor had gained currency that
an attempt was being made to "rail-
road" Mrs. Welt. a poor woman, who
has recently been in the county in
firmary, into an insane asylum.
Whether or not there is any truth
in such report The Times is unable to
say. 1t is fact, however, that no ev-
idence was developed at the trial to
prove such an allegation. The facts
developed were that Mrs. Welt had
left the infirmary last Thursday
morning and had gone to the home of
w. A. Kennedy in this city, where she
started "rough hose" with Mrs. Ken
nedy. Kennedy soon made his ap-
pearance, going home from town when
he had been told that Mrs. Welt was
looking for him. In attempting to
send the unwelcome visitor away, the
argument became so heated that Ken
nedy knocked her down couple Of
times.
This trouble resulted in charge be-
ing presented to the County Court
that Mrs. Welt was insane and should
be confined in State Hospital No. A..
When that charge was presented, sew
eral men who believed Mrs. Welt to be
sane, but sinned against. raised a
purse and employed W. A. Brookshire
to look after her interests. 1mme-
diately Mr.. Brookshire began to tram
pie under foot the old established
methods of procedure in regard to
passing on the sanity of those unfor-
tunates that have been brought be-
fore the County Court. He immedi-
ately requested jury to pass on the
evidence. Such a request had perhaps
been unheard of in this county, in n
hearing before the County Court. But
Mr.. Brookshire produced the law on
the subject, which left no room for
argument. and the Court decided thai
jury of twelve should hear and de-
eide the merits of the case. Court
then adjourned until $3.50 o'clock the
next morning.
B. H. Marbury appeared the next
morning to assist Mr.. Brookshire, and
Prosecuting Attorney W. E. Golfer re-
luctantly appeared as prosecutor, at
the urgent request of the County
Judges, though he stated it was no
part of his work to prosecute the case.
The first witness called was W. A.
Kennedy. who said he had no doubt
that Mrs. Welt was not only weak
minded and ignorant, but that on some
subjects she was positively insane
Pressed for more specific statement
he said that on the subject of matri
mony she was insane; that sh'
thought he was going to marry her
while such an idea had never entered
his mind. Marbury here interrogate'
Kennedy: as it because she wanted
to marry you that you think she i
crazy?" which created a ripple o
merriment in the court room. Brook
shire then continued the cross-exam
ination by asking Kennedy if he di
not transact business for Mrs. Wei
for some time, and if, while SO acting
he did not buy some property fror
; her; all of which Kennedy answere
, in the affirmative. Then Brookshir
made telling point by asking hir
why, when he knew Mrs. Welt to b
, crazy, he had such business dealing
with her? Did he not know sue
+ transactions were illegal?
Drs. F. S. Weber and Geo. l.. Wat
{ kins held quite lengthy examinatio
: into Mrs. Weit's mental condition,
{ an adjacent room. and on the witnes
= stand both testified that she was san'
, If any doubt still remained in tn
mind of anyone, it should have bee
dissipated when Mrs. Welt took tn
stand in her own behalf. The promE
and intelligent manner in which sh
y answered all questions indicated this
, she was not only sane, but as INTEL
gent as the general average of pc;
n pie, especially if she is uneducate
= which her testimony failed to di'
= close. The jury was out only Ion