The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-03-18

Every Endeavor Made to Free Man,
But Evidence Against Him Was
Too Strong and Jury Finds
for Life imprisonment

convicted Of numbering his wife, is
contained in the current issue Of the
Review-Miner. Several Winnemucca
people participated in the trial. The
prosecution a week ago brought out
salient points as to the finding Of
the body, taking up week ago yes
terday final testimony. The Love-
lock paper says:
Glen Holt, the 14-year old son of
the defendant and dead woman, was
called by the State and testified that
his mother was right-handed; that
he had never seen her use a pistol
or have a pistol. He also testified
as to his mother having two dia-
mond rings, the theory of the state
apparently being that as the larger
and more valuable ring had COM
pletely disappeared, such disapper-
ance might account for a motive for
a crime.
Mrs. T. E. Powell Of Winnemucca,
bosom friend of the dead woman,
corroborated the testimony Of other
witnesses that Mrs. Holt was right
handed-that she never saw her use
or have a pistol.
Lenora E. Moore, on behalf of
the State, testified that she was
sick in room 35, Big Meadow Hotel,
on the morning Of December 2, last
the day of the tragedy and that
Monte L. May took breakfast to her
about 10 a. m. While breakfasting,
the defendant came into the room
and asked May for his 32-calibre
automatic pistol. He told May, in
her presence, that Mrs. Holt re-
turned from San Francisco the
previous day and said something
about a divorce, the purport of
which she could not remember.
Holt said that he had been gambling
all the night before (Dec. u and
appeared natural and jolly.
At this point Assistant District
Attorney Goodman informed the
Court that the State had no further
direct testimony to offer.
DR.. Raymond st. Clair, the we'll
known surgeon of Reno, was called
for expert testimony. From the
records of St. Mary's Hospital he
read that he performed major
operation upon Mrs. Holt on Sep
tember %, 1916, that cancer of the
cervical canal compelled, the opera
tion being known as a complete
hysterectomy and precluding mother
hood.
He then, as an expert, testified,
that the operation changes the char
acter and mentality of a woman
that she usually becomes irritable,
excitable, melancholy and suspicious.
That frequently it develops de-
structive tendencies and an inclina-
ton to homicide and suicide.
The cross examination of DR.. St.
Clair by Mr.. Goodman Of States
counsel, was exceptionally clever
and developed the fact that only q
trifiing percentage of those sub
mitted to such an operation became
insane
DR.. Sullivan, former superintend-
ent of the State Insane Asylum at
Sparks, verified the testimony of DR..
st. Clair as to the effect of such
operations, but upon cross examina-
tion admitted that the percentage
of insanity cases from the opera
tion were exceedingly small, and
that there was no standard for de-
termining insanity, it being a mere
matter of comparison.
1t was apparently the intention
Of the defense to show that the
dead woman was insane and COM
mitted the crime in an irrational
moment, but so far as proving her
to have homicidal or suicidal tend
encies, the testimony was complete
failure.
DIR H. B. Mcdonald, local dentist
was the first witness for the defense
He testified that about 10 a. m. the
day Of the tragedy he was shaved
in the shop where defendant wal
emploved. that he noticed nothing
abnormal or unusal about the de-
fendant; that he looked and acted
that morning as he always looked
and acted.
Upon cross examination, the doc.
tor admitted that he took a chair
Immediately upon entering the shop
was shaved by another barber, had
his face covered part Of the time
with no ttowels and left the shor
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