Evening star., 1948-02-05
.LaughIin Jury
Awaits Charqe
ByJusticeLaws
Prosecution c Completes
Case, Asking Verdict
Aquinst Both Men


Final arguments were completed
this afternoon in the District Court
trial of Attorney James j. Laughlir
and DR.. Henry L. Peckham, jr., or
abortion charges. The case was te
be submitted to the jury later today
Chief Justice Bolitha J. Laws, pre-
siding, still was to give his instruc-
tions to the jury of women and
10 men.
The last of the arguments to the
jury was presented by Charles B
Murray, assistant United States at
torney. He called for verdicts Of
guilty for each defendant and said
that the evidence overwhelmingly
demands it.
Mr.. Murray discussed the two
letters which have played an i'm.
portant part in the trial. The de.
fense contends they were writer
by Mrs. Esther Pickard Hobbs, %
The Government charges that DR.
Peckham performed two illegal oper-
ations on Mrs. Hobbs and thai
they were arranged by Mr.. Laughlin
Charges Switch i'm Letters.
One of the letters dated March
20 told Mr.. Laughlin "good-by" anc
said the writer was going home
Mrs. Hobbs parents home is ir
Pittsboro, N. c.
Mr.. Murray brought out in his
final summation that after the
March 20 letter was introduced in
evidence, Mr.. Laughlin asked per-
mission to pass this note" among
the jury. Mr.. Murray said that be-
fore all the jurors had seen it, Gov.
ernment attorneys found it was not
the March 20 letter but a letter
dated May 16 which was being
shown the jurors.
The letter of May 16, not at that
point admitted in evidence, also
signed Esther, absolved Mr.. Laugh
lin of any connection with an illegal
operation.
THAT letter could have gone
through the jury, have been re-
turned to Mr.. Laughlin and then
could have disappeared" Mr.. Muir
ray said.
Laughlin Admits Mistake.
Mr.. Laughlin interrupted Mr.
Murray's address to recall to the
court that the matter of the letters
was a plain inadvertance" and that
the May 16 letter was Immediately
recalled. THAT was my mistake,
Mr.. Laughlin said.
H. Mason WEIGH, attorney for DR.
Peckham, in his summation, pic.
tured DR.. Peckham as a typical
neighborhood physician, enmeshec
by the wickedness of the Govern
ment witnesses.
Mr.. WEIGH said:
TT makes little difference whether
she MRS. Hobbs was seduced by
Mr.. Laughlin or whether she just
tried, in common parlance, to take
Mr.. Laugh1in. I've heard Of young
women who make it their business
to seduce a foolish older man."
Mr.. WEIGH read from the Bible the
account of the plot to kill the Apos-
tie Paul and said this was an ex-
ample that "unimaginable human
wickedness is nothing new"
Attacks Confession of Witnesses.
He said that as soon as Mrs
Hobbs learned the Government was
making an investigation of the al
legged illegal operation she immedi-
ately talked with Mrs. Irma Petrain
a nurse, 2215 H street NV. This
he said, started the conversations
which made Government testimony
coincide.
Concerning the confusion of wit.
nesses whether the dates of the op.
erations with which the Govern.
ment charges the defendants were
March 20 and % or March 10 ane
81, Mr.. WEIGH said:
Esther Hobbs couldn't forget the
date on which she killed her child
Women don't forget the date or
which they are persuaded to COM
NIT their first abortion. Mrs
Petrain, who doesn't know why she
was persuaded to do her first abor-
ton, can't remember when she die
it,"
After Mr.. McLaughlin's address
to the jury of women and 10
men yesterday there were motions
for a mistrial made on behalf OF
each defendant. The motions were
denied.
Defense Asks Mistrial.
T. Emmett Mckenzie, associated
with Mr.. Laughlin in his defense
asked for mistrial on the basis OF
a remark which had been made by
Chief Justice Bolitha j. Laws, before
whom the trial is being held.
Mr.. WEIGH asked for mistrial on
the ground that Prosecutor Nc
Laughlin's speech had been sc
vicious and infiammatory" against
Mr.. Laughlin and his witnesses as
to make it utterly impossible for the
jury to give DR.. Peckham fair trial
in his capacity with Mr.. Laughlir
as defendant.
Mr.. Laughlin in addressing the
jury, referred to Mrs. Hobbs, once
his fiancee, as "the young lady" OF
as "the witness Hobbs" He as
serted she had never denied on the
witness stand the signatures on two
Esther letters" were hers. One
dated March TO- said the writer wa.
going home and told Mr.. Laughlir
good-by. The other, dated May 16
said Mr.. Laughlin had nothing tt
do with her pregnancy or with ar
abortion.
He said she had denied writing
Che first and second pages of 6
three-page hand-written letter but
admitted writing the third page
He said she denied a card and 8
letter, both of which handwriting
experts testified were hers.
Jury Members Listed.
Members of the jury are Miss
Dorothy Ann Fiala, 2127 California
street NV, Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co. employe; Ewell B
Blakey, colored, 1925 Washington
place NE, cook at Georgetown Uni
ON