Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-21
bRYSON'SODDWAYS
TOLD BY NE|GHBORS
Counsel for Accused Physician
Introduce Evidence to Prove
Mental responsibility
ACTIONS OFTEN ABNORMAL

Huntington. Pa. Sept. 21.--Counsel
for the defense in the trial Of DIR. Her
bert j. Bryson formerly of Washing
ton, who IL charged with the killing Of
Mrs. Helen Irene Haincs. with whom
he lived In the countain village of Cass-
Vile. continued today to present tcs-
dmony tending to show the mental ir-
responsibilities of the doctor. who was
said to have been shell shocked and
Gasscd while serving with the Rainbow
Division in the Argonne. DIR. Bryson
was a major In the division.
The prosecution yesterday presented
through witnesses an ante -mortem vcr-
bal statement Of Mrs. 1Iaines that Dr.
Bryson shot her in the course of
quarrel.
Witnesses today were mostly neigh
bors who testified to alleged cccentrici-
ties of Dr. Bryson while practicing his
profession in Cassville.
Mrs. Annie Trout. n domestic at thc
Rryson home for three months. testi
fed to the 'unjustifable attacks" fre-
quently made by DIR. Bryson on Mrs.
Haines. She said his temper seemed
to fame up suddenly and without ap-
parent cause.
The defense offered as an exhibit a
letter from Mrs. Kathlenc Kirby.
Bryson complaining of her daughter :
clandestine living with the physician in
NASHVILLE and their previous clopement
from Washington. Mrs. llatnes was
the wife Of a Washington chauffeur.
Abnormal Actions Described
Or. +. 4. Detricht. of Cassv!ll".
testified To discrepancies and faults in
a diagnosis which Dr. Bryson had made
with him and TO his alleged condition at
times as practicng physician.
Other odd ineXplicable and alleged
abnormal actions of DIR. Bryson We're
given by number of neighborhood Wit
nesses. Frequently, it was testified,
Or. Bryson would suddenly compare
a noise or some confusion to the Ar
gonne regions.
Mike Ross, Of the mining village of
Robertsdale, where DR. Bryson first
practiced after leaeving Washington
with Mrs. Haines. was another inter-
esting witness. He testified that, hear
ing that DR.. Bryson was charging only
twenty five cents month to all pa
tients, he called on him TO test his
ability on an imaginary illness. includ-
ing sprains, fevnrs and paralysis. DR..
Bryson. he said made diagnosis Of
his imaginary ailments and gave him a
prescription.
pne or tDe SIX iCtlPrS WHICH Mrs.
Helen Cathleen Kirby. mother of Mrs
Haines. admits We're written by her
was produced Yesterday. 1t is dated
September .. 1921. and was written
from Mrs. Kirbv's home at 125 Post
avenue, New York City. This is the
letter:
Shielded Her Daughter
Dear Or. Bryson: You will be
surprised, no doubt. to hear from me.
and ! am sorry that my first letter or
note will not be- pleasant. Hatnes
wrote me a very threa tcning letter tell =
ing me he had put his affairs in the
hands of the Department of Justice and
that he would put the man who stole
his wife behind the bars for five years.
He said she could come back. as he
loved her Cindeed he docs). He loves
his sense of possession.
letter and told him Helen bad gone tr
him. working against Helen.
81 can feel it. Mrs. Larson wrote
to me few weeks ago and said hr
made an awful fuss when he found my
Helen had gone and he denounced hel
and blamed her for helping poor Helen
He Immediately left and did not pay
his board or room rent TO her.
"Now, DR.. Bryson. will your mother
remain firm and not divulge your where
nbouts? If he should find you. let m
know at once. Please keep this from
my Helen. She has had enough. Hopin,
you are well. | am,
VERY sincerely,