Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-07
MRS. ROSTER FREE.
Pennsylvania Woman Gets BY With
Insanity Plea.

Pennsylvania Woman Gets BY With
Insanity Plea.
Mrs. Catherine Roster was on Friday
at Philadelphia, Pa, acquitted by the
jury which tried her for killing Miss
Mildred Catherine Reckitt, her hus-
bands stencgrapher, and soon after
ward was freed of the indictment
which charged her with the killing Of
her husband, Oscar Roster, at the same
time.
AS the foreman pronounced the
words, Not guilty." the 22-year-old
defendant uttered a piercing shrek
and tainted. She was carried from the
court room by her chief counsel, John
R. K. Scott, and a court officer, but
was quickly revived. Friday was the
ifteer day of the trial.
Irene udous applause swept the
crowded court room on the announce
ment Of the verdict and the cheering
continued despite frantic efforts of the
court attaches to restore order. At
least six women tainted and in the
case of some of them difficulty was
experienced in restoring consciousness.
Later Mr.. Scott made a motion to
release the prisoner pending the ac-
tion Of the district attorney in the Sec
ond indictment-that charging Mrs.
Roster with causing the death of her
husband. District Attorney Rotan
and Assistant District Attorney Spei-
zer with Mr.. Scott and other members
conference.
Since she was adjudged insane at
the time of killing Miss Reckitt," Mr..
Rotan told the court, "she was insane
when she killed her husband"
That is quite right" said Judge
Barratt, and bills were then submitted
to the jury, still sitting in the box,
with instructions from the court to
find Mrs. Roster not guilty, which was
done.
Mrs. Roster, who had returned to
the room with her baby, Richard, in
her arms, was stormed by those eager
to congratulate her when freed. Wives
of several of the jurors were among
those who offered their Fluctuations.
She was profuse in her thanks to the
Jurymen for Gheir action.
Asked what she next intended to do,
Mrs. Roster said:
REST and fortitude. I am so happy
l can not realize it. All my love was
centered in Richard"
She was then asked about Oscar Jr.,
an n-year- old son of Roster by for
mer marriage.
II am very proud of him." she an
swered. II am going to bring him up"
The shooting took place in the rooms
of the Roster advertising agency, of
which the dead man was the head,
January 81 last. Roster was 3S years
of age and Miss Reckitt 20. For nine
months the defendant was in prison
awaiting trial.
| a plea Of emotional insanity was
made by the defense, which produced
many eminent alienists, who testified
that at the time of the shooting the
defendant could not distinguish be-
tween right and wrong, contention
denied by the commonwealth, which
produced other experts in mental dis
eases, who gave opinions that on
studying previous testimony they were
convinced of her sanity.
In the charge TO the jury Judge Bar
ratt declared the vital issue in the
case was sanity. If mentally de-
throred," he observed, "the jury would
acquit the defendant; but if it found
that she was sane, conviction should
! be the verdict"
The case went to the jury Friday
| afternoon and the jurors were out one
hour and 45 minutes. Jurymen said,
that while there was some discussion,
only one ballot was necessary.