Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-09-23
Jury Gets
Brysorl Case
Late TODAY
BY LUTHER A. HUSTON,
1 NJ c Staff Cerraenon1a,+

court House, huntington. IA :,
Sept. ga tragedy age-old but
ever new, that followed the Illicit
love of a man for the wife of an
other, was nearing its final chapter
here today when court opened for
the closing arguments in the trial
of DR.. Herbert J. Bryson for the
murder of Mrs. Helen Irene Haines.
with whom he lived for more than
year in unwed secluslon in a noun,
tain village of Huntington county.
Quick Verdict Expected.
Before noon today, II is expected
the fate of the former brilliant
Washington physician will be in the
hands of a jury. Assistant District
Attorney Slyker, for the prosecution,
and William Wallace Chisolm, for
the defense, made the closing argu-
ments this forenoon quick ver-
diet from the jury is anticipated.
The jury, when it retires for its
deliberation, will be confronted, I'M
less unexpected instructions from
Judge Thomas F. Bailey. decree 9th
erwise. by five possible verdicts.
namely:
Murder in the first degree, murder
in the second degree, manslaughter,
not guilty by reason of insanity. or
plain verdict Of not guilty.
Murder in the first degree. If that
is the jury's verdict, will carry with
it a sentence to death in the cleo
trio chair. A verdict of murder in
the second degree or manslaughter
will carry with them sentence to
the pententiary. A finding of not
guilty by reason of insanity will
relegate Dr. Bryson to confinement
in an institution for the crimina. in
sane. If mot guilty" are the words
Of the jury's foreman, DR.. Bryson
VIII go free.
State Wants First Degree.
The state, it was made clear in
closing arguments of the prosecg-
ton, desires verdict Of murder in
the first degree. II was indicated
however. in the final address of Dis
trict Attorney G. D. Fetterhnof, that
verdict OF murder in the second
degree would not be unacceptable TO
the commonwealth.
For the defense any verdict more
severe than one of not guilty be-
4ause of insanity will he bitter
disappointment. The defense frank
Is stated that it could not ask an
acquittal because of the testimony
Of its own witnesses that DIR. Bryson
tecause Of the organic brain disease
from which no is suffering, is still
potentially dangerous to society"
Dramatic moments marked the
closing hours of the trial when Har-
iry w. Petrikin, OF defense counsel.
hood about Mrs. Elizabeth Bryson,
whose war-shattered son is on trial
and bitterly excoriated Mrs. Cath
leen Kirby, mother of the slain
woman.
Petrikin, in an hour and half Of
fervid oratory, branded the dying
declaration of Mrs Haines that Dt
Bryson shot her as the Cast act of
a scheme OF Mrs. Kirby and Helen
Irene Haines to vamp DR. 8ryson
and bring about his ruin" He re
ferred to Mrs. Haines as social
derelict" and urged the jury not to
extend sympathy to Mrs. Kirby.
"No mother who takes her girl
and trades her for purpose is eil-
titled to your sympathy he told
the jury. "No New York vampire
can come into Huntingdon county
and parade her woes before twelve
Of this county's citizens and expect
the sort of consideration we want
the mothers we love to have"
While Attorney Petrikin depicted
the tragedy of a broken life that the
defense contends has been the his
tory of DR.. Bryson and pleaded with
the jury to save from an ignominlous
death the "husk of man that re-
mains" Mrs Bryson, the mother
wept Internationally The strain
Of the long trial and the ordeal OF
testifying were plainly wearing upon
the fortitude the aged mother has
exhibited throughout the trial
The trial came to close without
a solution of the mystery woman
in black" Although she sat at the
elbow Of defense counsel through
out the trial, she was not called to
The witness stand.
The conviction is general that she
was one Of the props" Of the trial,
cleverly brought here to add season
ing to the cases dramatic elements
and that she will vanish as sha
came, in wrath of ANONYMITY