Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-23
Leahy Making Final
Play In Death Game
AS Insanity Studied
BY BROOKS

AUSTIN, July G1.-Upon the
meaning a Williamson county jury
gets from a blurred X-ray photo
graph, and the measurements Of a
mental yardstick applied by psy-
chiatriStS of the Austin state hos
pltal the jury this week will de-
eide whether Harry j. Leahy shall
go to the electric chair at Hunts
vile, or shall spend the rest Of the
days Of his life in an insane asylum.
The giant Six-foo:-sIX cattle
tradAG of Live Oak county, who
gam6Sed with his life for freedom,
and lost, has gone under the sci
ent1flc measuring stick Of the men
tai specialists this past week. His
head has been X-rayed, his body
measured, and his mind given that
quantitative measurement which
psychiatry has developed as it's
test of normality.
Pocahontas
Leahy was given a 45-year SEN
tence in Live Oak county for the
Staying Of DR.. j. NJ. Ramsey, aged
Mathis physician, whose body was
found in a shallow grave, convicted
on testimony of a Mexican boy who
claimed to have witnessed the doc
tors murder. He won a new trial
and at Georgetown was given the
death penalty.
A modern Pocahontas, in the
person of Miss Amanda Davidson,
a Taylor telephone operator, is re-
sponSible for Leahy'S being alive
now. After visiting him at Hunts
vile, she made an affidavit of be-
lief that he is insane. Dist. Judge
Harry Dolan at Georgetown, rs re-
quired by law, then forbade his
scheduled execution and ordered
him back to Georgetown for a SAN
ity hearing. Dist. Judge j. D.
Moore of Austin accepted Judge
Dolan's invitation to sit in the SAN
ity hearing. Leahy was brought
here Thursday, and examined by
mental specialists Thursday and
Friday, and is to be taken to
Georgetown Monday morning, when
a jury will hear the specialists tes-
timony, look upon Leahy's face, and
decide whether he is sane or insane.
The last hope for life, except the
verdict of this jury, has been taken
away from Leahy by Gov. Dan
.Moody's refusal to intervene in the
case.
Leahy is under the constant
watch Of special guards in Travis
county jail.
Leah's gamble with death, in de-
manding a second trial, has likened
his whole aSe to a grim turn Of
the cards. He lost the final play.
Had he accepted his first sentence,
imposed on him in the county adj
joining his home, r would have
been in prison, facing the prospect
of possible freedom b.fore old age
overlook him. But he asked a new
trial, won it, was sent to George
town, and there received the death
penalty, which was affirmed.
BOnham Is Lawyer
Leahy, contrary to claims that
have been made for him, did not
conduct his own defense in his trial
at Georgetown. He had four law
yers, headed by former Rep. H. S.
Bonham of Beeville.
During his trial, the cattle trad
er attempted to cross examine the
widow OF DR.. Ramsey, but was de-
niedlthat privilege.
Attorney Bonham, who recently
pleaded in vain with Gov. Moody
for communication of the sentence to
life imprisonment, likely will assist
him in the final round Of courtroom
procedure that will determine
whether he shall live or die.
In the sanity proceedings, Leahy
will play another round with fate,
with the preceden1 equally for
and against i'm.
An ironic aspect of his case is
that in the search for the Mexican
alleged accomplice whose testimony
convicted Leahy, Chief Of Detectives
Sam Street of Sar Antonio was
active. Street was shot to death