The Bismarck tribune., 1934-01-19
POSTPONE TRIAL OF
WOMAN DOCTOR WHO
is SERIOUSLY I'LL
Physicians Ordered to Examine
Defendant in Sensational
Murder Case

Criminal Courts Building. Chicago
Jan. l9.-iP)-Dr. Alice L. Wynekoor
was carried into court Friday In such
. serious physical condition. her doc
tors said, that her murder trial was
postponed until next Monday.
Dr.. Wynekoop resisted postpone.
ment Of the trial, as she has before.
Nov look here" she said. In ar
anteroom Of Judge David's court. Al
he was considering whether the tria
should 60 on, I'm going to die and w
IN know 1t. For heavens sake let.
get on with the trial. My name must
be cleared before pass away"
Judge Joseph B. David promptly ap.
pointed two heart specialists, Drs
Francis McNally and Arthur Byfield
to examine the 62-year defend
ant and determine whether her con-
dition Is such that the trial should
continue.
Condition II Perilous
Two other doctors examined hel
In the county Jail infirmary during
the night and announced her condi-
ton was "very perilous."
DR.. Wynekoop has suffered monen-
tary heart attacks-in most instances
remedicd In q few minutes by stimu-
lants-several times during the trial
Her weakness Friday recalled the
elderly woman physicians statement
at the time Of her arrest that:-"It
doesn't matter what happens to me: ]
WON'T live long anvwavn
She announced determination, how
ever, to remain on trial, coming ia
court Friday with pulse Of 100 and
temperature Of 500.
From the first day Of the trial, DR.
Catherine Wynekoop, daughter Of the
defendant, had stayed by her side
keeping her fingers almost constantly
on her mothers pulse.
Several times the younger doctor
expressed doubt over whether DR.. Alice
could last out the trial.
Hear Of New Confession
Before postponement of the court
, reported confession" by John Van
Pelt. janitor at the Wynekoop home
to the staying Of DR.. Alice's daughter
in-law, Rheta. caused Judge David to
order all newspapers kept from the
courtroom.
Tho Judge also ordered bailiffs to
take precautions against the jury see
ing any newspaper headlines while
going from the court to their quarters
Ia the nearby county jail.
Both prosecution and defense said
they had heard reports" OF the con-
fession, but insisted that so far as they
knew It had not been made to anyone
In authority.
Previously during the trial. however,
defense attorney Milton Smith had
declared In questioning q state wit
ness that I'VE will prove before the
end Of this trial that Van Pelt once
confessed numbering Rheta."
Assistant States Attorney Dough-
erty, shortly after the postponement,
order Van Pelt taken into custody.
Eight little words which the state
contends constituted the only credible
admission DR.. Wynekoop ever made
concerning the demise Of her pretty
-in-law, were related to the
jury Thursday.
II did It to save the poor DEAR
were the words and they were attrib-
uted to DR.. Wynekoop by Dr.. Harry
r. Hoffman. director Of the criminal
court behavior clinic. while he was
being questioned Thursday by Prose-
cutor Dougherty.
DR.. Hoffman was being asked about
I statement DR.. Wynekoop signed say
ing Rheta had died accidentally Of
an overdose Of chloroform and that
she shot her In the back after life
Was extinct, when the prosecutor
sprang his surprise.
ibid YOU he asked, ''have any
further conversation With the de-
fendant soon after she made the
statement3"
"Yes," the witness replied.
"What did she say and what did
you say2"
II asked her why she had done this
thing. and she replied I did It to save
the poor DEAR"