The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-04-24
INSANITY PLEA
BACKED BY
TESTIMONY
Court Grants Recess
to Allow Counsel
to Confer
Continued from Page u

Continued from Page II
a few hours after his arrest on
the morning Of the murder.
Reaguer was given a spinal
puncture two hours after he was
admitted to the hospital, DR.. Gil
bert said, and a laboratory re-
port revealed a negative condition
as to any social disease.
Defense recalled Julian Brown.
Culpeper automobile salesman,
who said he had taken Reaguer
in an ambulance to the University
of Virginia hospital at CharlotteS-
vile in 1882 and that the same re-
port on an analysis Of the de-
PENDANTS spinal fluid was made
at that time.
Reaguer Quoted
In previous testimony Brown,
who knew Reaguer IS years, had
said that he had seen the de-
PENDANT on the Sunday following
the murder victims marriage on
September &c, 1885, and that
Reaguer had said he was glad she
had married, because it was a
burden on him." At later meet
ing Reaguer "Said the same
thing" Brown testified.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney Irving Goldstein, who, with
Assistant Cecil r. Helm, is con-
Quoting the prosecution, stated
today that the trial will extend
well into next week. There is no
indication as to when the defense
will rest it's case and the Govern
ment has two alieniSts who will
spend hours on the witness
stand combating the insanity
defense.
Reaguer was glad Willie Mae
Fletcher had married, q witness
testified late yesterday.
The witness, Turner Foster, Cul-
pepper automobile salesman. met
Reaguer several days after the
marriage of September 26, he testi-
fled. On this occasion Reaguer
is quoted as saying:
II am glad she is married. 1
have been trying to get out from
under for two years. I hope they
live happily"
Reaguer knew that Willie Mae
had sold the auto he had bought
her, Foster said, and referring to
that incident quoted Reaguer as
saying lit is all right with me"
Two endearing letters, both Of
which contained pleas for funds
with which Ito buy new car, "
written by Willie Mae to the elder
~ undertaken, were bombShell in
the prosecution ranks late yes
terday.
The letters, dated October 7,
1885, and october 9, just three
days before the girl was allegedly
slain by Reaguer, after an all-night
dispute in a downtown hotel on
October IL, avowed her love for
the defendant and her aversion to
married life" She had been mar.
ried less than 10 days.
In his opening statement, De-
Tense Attorney Shea had told the
jury he would attempt to prove
that Reaguer considered his af-
fair with Willie Mae at an end
when she married the young
highway worker. The young
woman, however, pursued him,
Shea said, and would not let him
alone.
DR.. O. K. Burnett, young Cul-
pepper physician who sent
Reaguer to the University of Vir-
ginia Hospital at Charlottesville
three years ago, formed the spear
head of the insanity defense.
Diagnosing Reaguer'S condition
as a possible brain injury and
hemorrhage" with att dan
hardening of the arteries of the
brain and heart, DR.. Burnett said
that the affliction is progressive
and is marked by mental de.
terioration.
The defendants wife, although
she has been in attendance dur
ing the trial, is not expected to
be placed on the stand, attorneys
said.
Defense Attorney Burnett
Miller, jr., of Culpeper, paraded
a large number of character wit
nesseS to the stand yesterday.
These witnesses testified they had
known the defendant for periods
ranging from five to so years and
his reputation for peace and
quietude in the community" is
invariably good.