Evening star., 1925-11-09
Stricken at Age of Six Weeks,
She Had No Mind" Says
Accused Physician.
BODY TWISTED LIKE S;
ARMS AND LEGS STUBS
Could Not Turn in Bed, Grunted
When Hurt-Beset by Many
Illnesses. He Declares.
Ry the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LITTLETON, Colo, November .
An oldfashioned country doctor
DR.. Harold T.. Blazer. took the stand
today at the opening of court in his
own defense at his trial. where he
is charged with slaying his owr
daughter, Hazel, the 34yearold child
woman"
The courtroom was jammed AS DIR
Blazer walked to the stand with a
firm tread In a low but distinct
voice he answered the perfunctory
questions of defense counsel, III. W
Sprangler. relating his education fol
the medical profession.
Hazel was born at Dillonvale
Ohio, in May. 1891" he testified. ''Al
6 weeks she was stricken with spinal
meningitis that left her a hopeless in
valid-without mind. as near as
could tell" he said. He spoke with
out visible emotion as he described
his helpless. imbecile daughter.
Gould Only Roll"
she couldn't walk. talk. feed OF
help herself. She could roll about the
fioor-that was &ll
she couldn't even indicate il she
was in pain. And often | couldn't dis
cover where it was. Then she would
go into convulsions and become rigid
she had mouth and teeth. but could
not successfully masticate her food
II had to be liquid or else soft, chop
ped-up food.
Her legs. feet. arms and hands
were less developed than those of a
6-year old child. Her body was larger
but greatly malformed. and the spine
was twisted almost into the shape of
the letter s.
Her chest. bones and ribs protruded
SO as to be visible through the skin.
she could rattle piece of paper and
occasionally would amuse herself by
tearing the paper to pieces. She did
this by rolling on top of the paper and
then pulling 1t with her left hand.
Although she weighed about 80
pounds she was as helpless as an in
FAINT of two months"
AT night she couldn't turn in bed.
She made an unintelligible sound that
indicated that she was in distress or
wanted attention"
Although the defendants voice
broke slightly earlier in his testimony
he apparently regained his cemposure
as his recital continued. Il slept in
the same room with Ha Eel from the
time she was an infant"
Typhoid and pneumonia were mum.
bered among the many illnesses that
beset the child woman" from in
fancy, the witness said. Whke her
father was teatifying. Mrs. Frances
Bishop, younger daughter, sat with
her head bowed, shielding her face
with her hands as occa sionally her
body shook with sobs.
We came to Colorado in 1al0,i set
tling at Montevista," he said. I'VE
moved to Englewood, Colo. in De.
hnr
the death of my wife. After Mrs.
Blazers death l cared for her by
myself"
Describes Illness.
Il thought often what might be-
come of Hazel when ! died. l never
talked the matter over with my wife
before her death.
once when / was away on busi-
ness Hazel was stricken ill and other
doctors said she would die. When I
returned home she looked up at me
and almost laughed. She was almost
well within "a hours.
Il stopped practicing in April!
1924. when I had spells of numbness,
which made my head feel heavy and
l couldn't see very we'll. / could
think at these times, but l could
never be sure my conclusions were
right and / was afraid I might make
a mistake In prescribing for patients.
SO ] quit practicing. These spells
started coming on six or eight years
ago. They were the same as those
| suffered during the last two wears.
but not so pronounced. They got
worse after Mrs. Blazers death and
occurred oftener.
Sometimes they lasted for day
and a night and l was unable to
articulate, think or see. | have a
cataract over one eye and do not
see well anyway.
Skull Fractured When Youth.
When / was % years old my skull
was fractured by falling limb, but
| apparently recovered.
I'm the year prior to Hazel's death
J had s or 10 spells-several after
/ came to Englewood.
Il don't know whether or not ]
ever lost my mind during these spells.
| rarely ate during them.
Il have a faint recollection of q
conversation with my son-in-law and
my daughter on February "a. 1924
1t was this day that Hazel was found
dead in the room with her father.
I'm not sure / remember any.
thing about it.
Il don't remember when they came
home''
While DR.. Blazer was telling of his
spells and numbness," the State g
attorneys took notations on his tes-
timony and prosecutor Stone injected
his first objection-abOut the witness
loss of memory after the shaving. At.
torney SDangler changed his ones