Evening star., 1934-03-01
ARGUMENTS BEGIN
IN DR.. DEAN CASE
Judge Gives Lawyers Free
Rein and Will Permit
Crowd to Laugh.
0y the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press
GEENWOOD, Miss, March IL
Final rguments-unlimited under
the Mississippi law-were started at
nidmorning today in the murder trial
Of DR.. Sarah Ruth Dean, charged
with poisoning DR.. John Preston
Kennedy last July.
~You can take the bride off and
hang 1t on the gatepost," presiding
Judge s. F. Davis told opposing coun-
sci There's no limit on your
speeches"
As the jury was brought into the
court at 1890 am. after the early
morning had been consumed in at
torneys' conferences over the prepara-
ttons Of instructions, Judge Davis
had word for the jam of spectators,
mostly women, crowded into his
court.
"If you get tickled and want to
laugh, moderately, you can" he said.
"But we won't have any applauding
or hurrahing here. You must not
show on what side your sympathies
are"
May Run Overtime.
Indicating he expected lengthy ar
guments, Judge Davis said he would,
II necessary. break his rule Of prompt
Adjournments to continue court until
10 pm. in an effort to get the case
to the jury tonight or early tomor-
row.
DR.. Sarah Ruth Dean, who testified
that she had matrimonial proposals
trom two men, calmly faced the ordeal
Of prolonged arguments.
The jury, which has listened for a
month to technical medical testimony.
charges and denials "sure was happy"
said one bailif at the end of the tax
ing Of testimony yesterday.
The prosecution sought to prove
chat DR. John Preston Kennedy,
surgeon associate of the woman ply
sician, died from mercury poisoning.
It introduced the surgeons dying
statement" accusing DR.. Dean of Civ
ing him a poisoned whisky highball
ON the night of July 27 last, 10 days
before his death.
Defense Denies Poisoning.
Physicians testifying for the prose-
cution expressed the belief that DR..
Kennedy died from mercury poison
ing. This testimony was met by medi-
cal men of the defense with declara-
tions of their belief that the surgeon
did not die from that cause.
Composed and smiling, DR.. Dean,
the last witness for the defense, denied
point blank on the stand that she
had served DR.. Kennedy poison
drink of whisky. She testified she was
at home working on her trousseau on
the night the State charges she
poisoned him, and did not see him
that night.
DR.. Dean further testified that she
had been engaged to marry DR.. Ken
nedy after he obtained divorce from
his wife. but that she had broken
that engagement and was prepar-
ing to marry Capt. Franklin C. Maull
Of Lewes, Del, at the time DR.. Ken
nedy became i'll.
She said the surgeon was dissipated
ana depressed and told her the last
time" she saw him two nights be-
fore he was stricken. that Il won't
let you 60"
Arrest Wrecked Plans.
Her plans to marry the Fastener
were interrupted by her arrest, DR..
Dean said.
The State, while questioning Mrs
Bessie Barry Kennedy, divorced wife
OF the surgeon, brought out testi-
mony in which Mrs Kennedy charged
that DR.. Dean had IAN affair" with
her husband and caused their sepa-
ration.
Excerpts from scores Of love letters
were read before the jury, 40 letters
from Capt. Maull, 145 letters from
DR.. Kennedy and q batch from Dr.
Dean.
1T was an unfortunate situation,
but I loved two men," DR.. Dean said
under cross-examination just before
the State closed.
Were you going to marry two
men?" Fred Witty, special prosecutor,
demanded quickly.
mo. just one," she replied.