The Washington times., 1938-03-11

fendant pitted her wits against
the tricky questioning of Assistant
District Attorney Martin Frank,
who is seeking TO prove she shot
and killed her husband Michael
Ryan, because he was too tired
to take her dancing,
REVERSES PICTURE
And Frank, with quiet ruth
lesSness, continued in his attempt
to show that in the Ryan house
hold it was Patricia, the wife-not
Michael, the huSband-Who was
mo angel"
AS Mrs. Ryan steadfastly in
sisted her rookie" policeman huS-
band was brutal when drunk,
irritable when sober, eXtravagant
and q poor provider at all times,
the prosecutor. steadily built up
portrait of Michael Ryan as a
faithful husband, fond father,
and a hard working citizen.
Against this, Frank held before
the quivering girl on the stand
q picture of herself as nagging,
pleasure-loving wife, who cursed
her husband, picked fights with
him, hurled things at him, and
scolded him into taking her out
on a night when he was too tired
to keep pace with her dancing
feet.
LOUD DENIAL
Patricia loudly denied the por
trait painted by her inquisitor.
In q burst of spirit, she flashed:
II didn't swear at Michael!
don't use obscene language.
didn't throw things at him!"
: Irked by Mrs. Ryan's inSiStence
that she was the injured party in
the marriage. Frank declared to-
day he would put on the stand
the entire Ryan family-"in a
whole parade" - to contradict
Patricia's picture of her husband.
He will, in rebuttal, call Michael
Ryan'S mother Anna, his brother
Billy and his two sisters, Margaret
and Mary, to testify that the slain
man was not the besotted SEX
craZed beast the defendant would
have the jury believe.
RYAN SISTER INDIGNANT
The older Ryan sister, Mrs.
Margaret Pellegrino, rushed out
Of the court room almost in tears
late yesterday as Patricia testified
20 Michaers brutalities. Crimson
With anger, Mrs. Pellegrino cried:
How can she sit UP there
eand defame Michael's character
swhen she knows he is dead and
can't defend himself? I don't
blame her. for fighting for her
llife-but why does she have to
ehlacken MichaelS memory with
= lies?"
The sister said she was eager
] to testify.
IT didn't want to say word
against Patricia at first" Mrs.
5Pellegrind declared. But now
that she has told, so many
things that are untrue I feel
owe it to my brothers memory
30 contradict them.
WAS GOOD TO PATRICIA"
michael was good to Patricia.
He loved her and he loved his
children, and he tried his best
ID make them happy.
"I'm surprised at Patricia act
fhg this way. She used to be my
lose friend. She told me every
thing. She's no angel-but I
always liked her. She never had
any complaints about Michae1S
brutality while he was living
and could defend himself"
The State forever blasted Pa
tricia'S claim to Self-defense in
1.-THE killing of Ryan when Frank
forced her to admit that, on the
hight of the Staying. there was.
open to her an avenue of escape
she said she had used only three
nights before when, she claimed,
her husband sought to force his
attentions upon her.
TELLS OF FLIGHT
sThere was a wide doorway
10 your bedroom?"
"YeS," she answered.
''Now. on this occasion, three
i nights before this killing, when
Michael attempted to force his
& advances upon you, what did
you do?"
II ran out of the ROOM" Pa
tricia said.
"Did Michael try to stop
you?"
mo, he didn't"
n 'Did he run after you and
TRY to catch you?"
mo"
did he follow you at alp"
mo"
a PARENTS IN SAME HOUSE
She admitted that, if she had
turned to the right in fleeing
instead of to the left, she could
have sought refuge with her par,
ents who occupied the same
house.
"You wouldn't go to your
parents and tell them what
Michael was trying to do to
you?" Frank demanded.
Patricia hung her head.
"T Couldn't couldn't tell
them about it. I was ashamed
70 let them know" she said.
The prosecutor pounded on
patricia's love of dancing which