Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-05
SUN STROKE BASIS
OF SNYDER APPEAL
Widows Childhood Mishap
Cited in Plea for Stay
to Test Sanity.

BY the AknociateG Press.
STATE CAPITOL. Albany. n. Y.
January ga sun stroke suffered as
little girl so affected Mrs. Ruth Sny.
der's mind when she grew up. her law
yer told Gov. Smith today. that she
lost her sense of responsibility and so
could not help killing her husband.
For two hours lawyers n,ade a last
fight before the governor. When the
lawyers were through the governor
merely gaid: "Well. the hearing Is
over" and walked out OF the room
1t was understood that he will render
decision on Monday.
Although the governor rendered no
decision his remarks just before the
hearing ended caused many TO believe
that he would extend no clemency.
He spoke with dry smile OF tAis
| psychosis" and twilight zone busi-
ness" and told defense lawyers that
much of what they had told MIN
might better have been presented 10
the jury at the trial.
with State troops in civilian clothes
scattered through the crowd. the last
fight for the lives OF Mrs. Snyder ana
Henry Judd Gray opened before GOV
smith shortly after room, the spa
cious executive chamber was hiieo
with spectators and among them
were many to whom tho outcome OF
| the hearing was matter OF Keen per-
sonal interest.
Mrs. Josephiue Brown. aged mother
of Mrs. Snyder. was In the front row.
directly facing tho governor WIN
dnwncast eyea and folded hands she
| sat ns impasslve ms though III the
quiet of her own home.
Edgar uaxciton, chief counsel Tor
Mrs, snyder. sat close I" iachaIu
NeWcomhe, the Queens County dis'r'ct
attorney. who prosecuted the case,
Samuel Miller. counsel Tor Gray SAT
behind them.
Senator Baumes and several mem'
bers OF the Crime Commission we're III
| the room. The governor was preeeueu
| into the chamber by Mrs. smith an"
their daughter Catherine.
Gov. Smith asked how much tsmn
| each lawyer would want, ltaaelton
said half an hour would sntiic" hih''
aud Immediately ha began hts plea
Itazeiton said that In early child
hood Mrs Snyder suffered from seri'
ous sunstroko aud u serious fall
Mother Ut Woman Weeps.
"'rhia was concealed from me-" he
said, until recently. hut nov | nave
found out that these eVenta over
shadow her whule life. She Was after
that subject 10 moments of great JOY
aud great depression. She was snh'
| Ieot 10 attacka of epilaphy M tethhra
| some stlahs. baiderland nalady of the
| mind.
u am advised by psyohiatftst that
| ahe II In "a twilight aona Of limited 10"
sponsibiljty."
At thia point Mrs, Brown heaan 10
Weep quietly,
liaxelton announced this mofnins
that he would aska neither for pardon
nor communication uI sentence for Mrs,
ltnth Snyder at today'a oiemsnos
hearing,
All he wanted for his client, he said
WAS 30 day atay Of execution, ~
that practitioners Of "tha new pay
ehtatry" might examine her 10 auh
stantlate hts assertion that sha II 81
siisaa ased emniionalis. though not Ia
sans IN tha legal sense, that aha can
mt help dotng wruna. even 10 the
| extent ot murder
Miller, euunaal TOR dray, aaia that
ha would also aak for anday stas
~ hla ilfst muea, Ii that shnuld he
refused however, he said ha would
Continued on Pass \, GpluMn ~