Evening star., 1922-09-23
FIGHT FOR BRYSON
REACHES CLIMAX
IN PLEA TO JURY
Continued from First Page)

Continued from First Page)
Spyker began the closing argument
for the state.
He told the jury that It is in the
box to base verdict on good sense
and not on sympathy. He spoke slowly
and enunciated his words with pune
tilious clarity He compared the
physicians who took the stand to
swarm of bees He called DR.. Tom
Williams a wasp with deep stinger
who did not jab deep enough the
first time and was called back to
sting again. Dr. John NJ. Ladd. he
declared. was like a little yellow
jacket, buzzing here, there and every
where and jabbing every time he got
a chance. Then Dr. Chas. 4. Luce.
said the associate prosecutor. was
like humble bee. slow and purpose
full. and the other physicians from
Washington were humble bees, the
prosecutor added.
Mr.. Spyker then began summing
of the evidence.
1t is the history Of the world, said
Mr.. Spyker. that when people live in
open violation of the moral law and
did, there follows in nine cases out
of ten criminal act of more
serious type.
Ridicules Defense.
He ridiculed the defense. He want
ed to know why the defense didn't
show some unsound actions of Bry-
son while he was treating service
men a the Walter Reed Hospital. He
recalled extracts from the Bryson
love letter declaring his affection for
Mrs. Haines and asked:
rs this the letter of lover or
lunatic? Yet" Mr. Spyker continued,
Or. Ladd has said that this is the
letter of a lunatic, and not of
lover"
He used the reports of DR.. Bryson
on school sanitation as evidence of
Bryson's sanity. He added that one
single intelligently complied report
may offset the testimony of all the
experts the defense brought up here.
Mr.. Spyker accused Attorney Petri-
kin of unfairness in his address last
night in attacking Mrs. Kirby as
witness.
Love Letter Read.
The closing hours OF evidence TAX
ing dragged along yesterday after
noon in the dullest monotony.
AT one time, however, the tedious
procedure was relieved by the read
ing of an alleged love letter from
DR. Bryson to Mrs. Haines. dated Au-
gust. 1920. The prosecution put it
In it DIR. Bryson spoke of his love
for Mrs. Haines and called her en-
dearing names. He told of the pur-
chase of Palm Beach suit. and de-
clared that in it he cut handsome
figure with his military bearing and
fine shoulders. Among other things
it said:
Aren't I the incest little boy? !
intend to be the most attentive, affec-
tionate. young lover in existence, and
you will wish we could go on for
ever, keeping young and having no
old age to bear down on US. making
my darling, and that covers every
thing. You love me, and that covers
your side Beaucoup kisses from
yours, most lovingly, Herbert"
This letter was made basis for
argument by the prosecution as
| showing that DR.. Bryson continued
after the war to pay attention to
| his appearance and his meticulous at
| tire. It was offered in rebuttal to re-
flute the claims of the defense that
| Bryson had become slovensy since
| the war in his personal appearance.
In sur-rebuttal. however, the de-
fense recalled DR.. John NJ. Ladd to
the stand to ask his opinion as to
! the sanity of the letter-writer. He
testified that it backed up points of
| the defense in that it showed Bryson
as grandiose in his manner and brag-
! ging about his wonderful appearance.
| which had previously been cited as
a symptom or manifestation OF his
mental decay.
| Insanity Plen Denied.
| There was a mass of exhibits In
troduced by the prosecution in an
effort to disprove allegations of Bry-
T., sons insanity Among them were re-
ports to the sanity officer of the
county regarding sanitation in the
| schools assigned to Bryson as medical
! inspector.
| Dr.. f. c. Brumbaugh of the local
| hospital and DR.. Hutchison of the
| same hospital testified that the ac-
cused was Il fellow-member of the
county medical association and that
at one meeting since his arrival II
this vicinity he conversed lntell.
gently upon the subjects which were
contained in papers read at the meet
| ing.
bin. sheriff Of the county, testified tc
| events occurring on the nigh whey
| DR.. Bryson was placed In custody
and the attitude of the accused ply
sician at that time.
Both declared that they were pres
emf when District Attorney Fetterhoo1
warned the prisoner that If he hat
ANYTHING to say it would be uset
against him In court ana lnaL tlE pTlS
| oner replied that there was nothing
he wished to say. Each declared tina
he had not seen anything in his ac
tions leading to the belief that BrysoI
was mentally unsound.
Mrs. Cathleen Kirby, mother Of
Mrs. Haines. was recalled to the stant
Yesterday afternoon to testify regard
ing handwriting Of DIR. Bryson. ,ant
Identified several specimens of hi:
manuscripts. which were placed in thu
evidence as exhibits by the prosecu
tion. The defense attempted to OBJ
tain from her some letters in the hand
| writing of her daughter. Mrs Kirby
declared that she had left at home The
| only one she had from her daughter
| in fact the last written to the wit
! ness-and was keeping 1T as &
! memento. She made a pathetic pic
ture limping to the witness stant
shrouded in black and supported b,
| a stout cane.
Both mothers, in fact, one fighting
| for the life OF her son and the othel
! fghting for the memory Of her daugh
/ ter. spoke volumes by their appear
ance alone Mrs. Bryson. on the stand
Ialthough seventy-one years Of age
spoke in sincere and distinct tones, II
a voice occasionally broken.
She created q stir in the courtroom
when she said simply:
"aerbert had been back from thu
1 Naxfca0 eoAAnP and IN civilian clothes