Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-14
SHOCKS COUNSEL
BLAMES MISS H[X
Coed Was Responsible for
Love Affair, Attorney
Tells Jury.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
COURTROOM, Columbus, Ohio, Aug
ust 14.-Responsibility for the three
year love affair between Dr. James H.
Shook, former Ohio State professor. and
Is, was placed on the shoulders of the
girl today by Max Seyfert. defense at
torney, in his closing arguments to the
jury.
Seyfert drew a picture of Miss Xix
when she went to work as a Stenogra-
pher three year ago In the Veterinary
building at Ohio State University, where
she met DR.. Shook. describing her as
the moving spirit in the affair that grew
up between them.
Seyfert characterized as "damnable
lie the States contention that DR..
Shocks confession was voluntary and
represented the former professors story
Of the killing.
Jurors Illness Delays Trial.
"After DR.. Shook asked them to ex-
plain the four degrees of homicide, why
should he pick out the highest charge
the only one that would send him to the
electric chair?" the attorney demanded.
Seyfert started his argument, the
Tracey. the alternative juror had taken
the place in the jury box of c. F.
Butche. who suffered sudden stomach
illness last night A physician who eX-
amined Butche said he could not serve
until late in the day at the earliest and
Tracey take his place.
Myron GesSaman, assistant prosecu-
tor made the second argument for the
State after Seyfert finished.
nr Cpook forpoor OhiO State TTniyor-
sity professor. who admitted from the
witness stand that he killed Theora
Hix, 24-year-old coed, today con-
templated six and possibly seven out
comes of his fight to escape the cleo
trio chair
Shook can be convicted of first degree
murder. as charged in the indictment.
without recommendation of mercy, If
the jury of IL men and l woman re-
turns that finding. Conviction of first
degree murder. with recommendation
of mercy, carries a sentence of life i'm
prisonment. without possibility of pa
role. The jury also may return a ver-
dict of second-degree murder, granting
opportunity of parole, or of manslaugh-
ter. punishable by imprisonment from
] to 20 years.
May Win Outright Freedom.
II found not guilty, Shook may be
granted his freedom outright, unless
the verdict is based on the sole grounds
of insanity. In that case. he will be
committed to an asylum. He then will
have still a further chance of release
in establishing proof of recovery from
the emotional mania which defense
counsel assert drove him to the crime.
Shook admitted striking the girl with
a hammer after she attacked him in
his automobile and threatened his life
and those of his wife and baby daugh-
ter. The State charged that later he
premeditatedly inflicted knife wounds
which Coroner A. j. Murphy found
were the cause of death. Shook testi-
fed he could not remember attacking
the girl with a knife, and the defense
sought to prove that the hammer blows
struck while he was emotionally insane
and in fear of his life, caused her death.
Politics Are Brought in.
The Jury was called in after the
agreement was made between counsel
and the defendant and the court in
sAucted Tracey to take Bitches place
in seat No. 8. Max Seifert then start
ed the second closing argument for
the defense.
He asked the jury to remember that
If the ppQsecution Is successful, Prose-
cutter CHsser will expect the spoils of
the VlctOr, IN pollLlcdl way. OelleTV
then pictured the girl as being response
BILE for the start of the three-ycar
love affair between her and the former
professor.
IF DR.. Shook is guilty of killing
this girl in cold blood, death is too
good for him."
Seifert reminded the jury that every
man is presumed innocent until he
Is proved guilty and that generalization
must be proved for a death sentence.
Seifert assailed County Coroner Jo-
aeph Murphy for the report he made