Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-21
NJ DOWE[L JURORS
QUESTION HIM ON
MOTIVE IN KILLING
Slayer Admits Drug Addic-
ton on Stand-Argu-
ments Are Begun


state and defense closed their cases
at $3.50 p. m. in the second trial here
OF Frank Mcdowell, the 19-year-old
former Georgian, on an indictment
lG*ing him with the Staying of his
KsBing mother at their home in St.
Petersburg several months ago.
After both sides had closed, Nc
Dowell, who had sat throughout the
trial near the counsel table, arose,
and, addressing the court, said:
FL would like to testify in the
case"
Your case is in the hands of your
: counsel replied Judge M. A. Nc
Mullen, presiding over the trial.
Yes, but they do not know any
thing about it," Mcdowell replied,
smiling as he spoke.
Mcdowell was not allowed to take
the stand then, but later was permit
ted to talk, though his statement was
ruled out as evidence.
The defense first announced at
1886 that it was ready to close, after
the state had finished. but afterWard
requested that the decision be held
up momentarily. J. l.. Kelly, Coun-
sci appointed by the state to defend
Mcdowell, then asked that he be
sworn, and took the stand as a wit
ness in behalf of his side of the case
Kelly testified that with the aid
of DR.. II. Mason Smith and DIR. w.
II. Spier, alienists for the defense,
he had prepared q list of books on
medical questions, a part of which
were fictitious. The list, he said,a
was read to physicians for the state
to test their knowledge of matters
about which they testified. The list
was admitted as evidence over the
protest of the state.
Judge Charges Jury
Judge McMullen began reading his
charge to the jury just before 4
o'clock, after which arguments of
counsel will follow. Indications were
that the case probably would not
reach the jury until tomorrow.
Mcdowell was allowed to go on
the stand after Judge McMullen had
. finished his charge. The court an
nounced, however, that the story of
Mcdowell would not be part of the
record.
The boy began in a rambling way
to tell Of his experiences in st. Peters
burg, dealing with his associations
with r.. G. Payne, insurance agent,
for whom, he worked as sub
agent, and telling of his efforts to
persuade his father to take out
policy The boy said he had great
difficulty in writing his fathers APP
plication, and could not remember
definitely whether he finally finish
. ed it or left it to his father to COM
plete.
Admits Drug Addiction
The youthful slayer admitted that
he had been a drug addict for sew
eral years, and had taken several
kinds while he was a resident Of De
catur, Ga. He said he had found
little difficulty in obtaining the drugs.
al remember there was something
about having a book" Mcdowell said.
"A man fro mthe Tampa Times came
over. Mr.. Kelly took it away from
me. / don't believe / wrote that
note on Paynes typewriter. You
ought to have an expert"
A juror asked the boy, why did
you kill your mother and father?'
II don't know; L wish / had the
time to go through and tell you all
h about it,"
Another juror asked: How long
after YOU killed your sisters was it
before you had a spell?'
~ don't know. DR.. McMullen never
ekined me; he just said something
IA i me having summer dates at
49, JAIL" Mcdowell went on. DR..
McMullen was a rebuttal witness for
the state, and testified that he had
examined the defendant.
Asked About Decatur Fire
Juror: I'VE would like to know
about the burning of the house."
Answer: II do not know. Once
before / had set the kitchen on fire.
There was something said about find
ing a gun, but / don't know. | be-
lieve if the heart-shaped note were
analyzed it would explain the situa-
ton
He lost himself and asked the pros
ecuting attorney if he would not tell
him something to say about the evil
dence against him so he could say
something about it.
"Winters always had a depressing
effect upon me-" Mcdowell said.
In reply to question from a juror
as to how he killed his parents, Nc
Dowell told rambling, disconnected
story that he did not think anybody
would think it was a crime, that he
would be responsible. He was on the
+ stand about thirty minutes.
Taking, Doctor Testifies
That Mcdowell has practiced
fraud in his efforts to create the
| impression that he was insane at the
| time he killed his mother and father.
was the substance of testimony of
DIR. j. Il. Bowen. Clearwater physi-
clan, placed on the witness stand in
rebuttal of testimony of alienists for
the defense.
Arguments began at Ais o'clock.
Judge John L. Bird, assisting in
Drs. sMcNullen and Lamhdin both
said they had examined Mcdowell
and considered that he knew righ.
from wrong at the time he killed his
! parents
George NJ. Coslick, chief of police
OF st. Petersburg, rebuttal witness
for the state, said Mcdowell told
him .hat he realized after shooting
his mother and father that he had
done wronc, admitting soon after
the crime. he knew he had made
an awful mess of it," and the only
thing to do was to try TO cover up
the deed. The chief said Mcdowell
loto nm lIlJl ilS <tiNthSS AAN'Nt "t''t~
ed money, because he knew he
was Il smart man" and felt that
lack of money held him back.
The defense finished at 11:14 a,
M, following testimony of DIR. II.
Mason Smith. Tampa alieniSt. who
for seven years was connected with
the State Hospital for the Insane
at Chattahoochee.
DR.. Smith testified that in his
opinion the defendant was in such
Al physical and mental condition that
he cotnd live but few years longer