Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1924-11-28

Inc opening statement Oh Inc de-
tense Was TO the effect that they
would prove the defendant was pos
sessed with a series of systemiZed de-
Iusions up until the time of the kill
ing and until after. He was under
| the impression that a number of To-
| cal attorneys OF this city were con-
spiIing to nave him disDarred from
the practice OF law and in order to
reacn their goal were planning to
have him accused of stealing a watch
and were going to plant the same in
his ofiice. They we're also to have
him connected with an adultery case
as well as throw him out of local
lodge. In order To accomplish their
supposed plot they were examining
his mail and were endeayoring in
various manners to get the goods"
on him.
The first witness for the defense
was W. E. Taylor, father of the de-
PENDANT. Mr.. Taylor at the present
time is the superintendent of a
school for the deaf at Boulder, Mon
| tana. He stated that his son was
born in 1898 at Austin, Texas, where
| he completed his high school educa-
/ LlOn- AC ldAill1 IlONC0 W 0OOdAi6
| and the defendant completed law
course at the University of Idaho in
| 1914 and has been engaged in prac-
ticing since that date He said that
| the defendant had never been ar
rested and that he was not a quarrel
some man nor vicious in nature.
Several hours of the courts time was
consumed in the Identification by Mr.
Taylor of series of letters that were
written to him by his son prior and
after the killing of Daniel McLaugh-
lin. AS soon as the letters were
properly identified they were sub
mitted as exhibits and some six hours
were consumed in reading them.
They contained a more or less dis
connected story of plots, counter
plots and schemes, whereby the sup
posed enemies of the defendant were
endeavoring to frame him." Nc
Laughlin was mentioned quite fire.
quently throughout the letters as
well as numerous other local men.
Some of the letters were registered |
and all were sealed with sealing wax. |
The father stated that they just hap
pened to save the letters as they had
not cleaned out the drawer where
they were put after receipt. No let
ter was received by the defendants
father ten days prior to the shoot
ing ARRAY.
Fred G. Taylor, reporter on the
Portland, Oregon, Oregonian. and a
brother of the defendant, also stated
that he received a number of such
letters from the defendant, as it was
usually the case that Taylor would
take a carbon copy of his letters and
mail it to his brother.
The state offered a motion to deny
the admission of the letters in the
case unless the purpose was stated
by the defense and in compliance
with the request of Attorney Beck
with the defense stated that they
were introducing the letters in the
case to show the jury the condition
of the defendants mind, and tol
prove their theory of insanity.
The defendants father was again
called to the stand and he stated that
when the letters of his son first be-
gan to arrive that they did not con-
slider them seriously and then later
the seriousness of Verne's condition
became noticeable he made trip to
this city and tried to get his son to
leave here and to take medical
couree. He said that many of the
letters were kept upon the request of
the defendant.
William Bach, clerk in the local
post office told the jury of various
instances where the defendant had
accused him of opening and delaying
his mail He said that on one oc-
Aof Of- .
fee with several letters and a stick
Of sealing wax. He sealed the letters
and handed them to Bach and said (
II guess none of you guys will open 1
any of these" Bach also identified I
a number of the registered letters as /
having gone through the local post {
office
J. w. Caldwell, local hardware /
and lumber dealer, was the next wit {
ness and he stated that he was well t
with both the defendant S
md the deceased He said that Tay s
or had acted in the capacity of at t
.orney for him on numerous occa-
Iions. He had noticed the peculiar a
lctions of Taylor and conversed with a
lin relative to his notions, relative [
o the plots and told him that there d
vas nothing to 1t and advised him v
o forget it or he would eventually d
ose his mind. He told the witness t
bout Mclaughlin planting stolen a
watch in his Office and the defendant il
aid that he could hear it ticking h
md had moved all of the furniture v
n the office around trying to find g
t. He also said that he had sold
Taylor many padlocks and there h
we're two locks on the front door of g
lis office, one in door through a ii
and one on the rear en- p
rance. The witness stated that :.
rom his observations and CONVERSE
ions that he did not believe that
'aylor was in his right mind at
he time of the killing and did not
now the difference between right |
nd wrong. The witness stated that
e had acted in the capacity of Re-
loval officer in England for a num- |