Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-04

practically all others, was far b.
o grief when it skidded, turned at
between New jersey avenue and
LaughIin 10 Address
Jury Today in Trials
Final Arguments
Final arguments were to be made
by attorneys today to the jury of
10 men and two women before
which Attorney James J. Laughlir
and Dr. Henry L. Peckham, jr., have
been tried on abortion charges.
The summing up before the jury
was delayed by a conference in the
chambers of Chief Justice Bolitha J.
Laws, who is sitting in the case. At
this conference attorneys continued
arguments over instructions to the
jury. which were begun late yester-
day. @.-
Mr.. Laughlin, veteran of many
court contests, said he expects to
address the jury in his own be-
half, with his liberty and his flu
ture as a lawyer at stake. The
penalty on conviction is up to five
years imprisonment.
He is charged with having ar
ranged illegal operations for Mrs.
Esther Pickard Hobbs. %, to whom
he was engaged prior to her mar
riage last May. DR.. Peckham. ply
sician with Offices at 42S Eighth
street Sc, is charged with having
performed the operations.
Three Hours for Each Side.
The Government and the defense
each was allotted three hours
for addressing the jury. Assistant
United States Attorney Arthur j.
Mclaughlin was expected to lead OH
He was to be followed by Mr.. Laugh
lin, who may divide his hour and
half with T. Emmett Mckenzie,
one OF tie attorneys who has aided
| in his defense.
+ II. Mason WEIGH, attorney for DR..
Peckham, will argue on behalf OF his
client, and then Assistant United
States Attorney Charles B. Murray
will close for the Government.
It is expected the case will be
given to the jury tomorrow, unless
the attorneys fail to use all their
allotted time. II the arguments
run short, the jury may get the case
late today 49," .., ~.......>
After testimony had been COM
pleted yesterday, Mr.. WEIGH moved
! for a directed verdict of acquittal
Of DIR. Peckhann, He offered to make
an argument in support OF the mo-
ton. hut, Justice Laws overruled the
motion without hearing the argu-
ment.. .E"' ..'..~-' .~..-
+, Experts Testimony Attacked.
Defense attorney also argued a
motion to strike out the testimony
iof Dr.. Wilmer Souder, handwriting
expert of the National Bureau of
Standards. He had testified the sig
natures On the two Esther letters"
are so similar as to arouse suspicion
but that he was unable to decide
whether the signatures are genuine.
One, of the letters, dated March
co. told Mr.. Laughlin goodby and
said the writer was going home
The other, dated May 16. absolved
Mr.. Laughlin of any connection with
an illegal operation.
| Mr.. WEIGH, arguing to strike out
DR.. Souder's testimony, said 1t was
improper to "superimpose an ex-
pert's suspicious on the suspicious
of a juror and he asserted the wit
ness had said he was unable to say
whether the signatures were au-
thentic or forgeries.
Justice Laws, pointing to DR..
Souder's testimony that the flow
of ink at the crossing OF the ST in
one of the signatures indicates one
stroke had been made considerable
time after the other. overruled the
motion. Four experts testifying for
Mr.. Laughlin said the signatures are
genuine.
These arguments were held In the
absence Of the jury, as were argu-
ments over instructions to the jury
which Justice Laws is to deliver,
There was discussion whether the
Jury could acquit one defendant and
not the other. Justice Laws said
he would arrive at conclusion
about an instruction on this point
later.
Confusion on Dates.
The indictment in two counts
charges illegal operations were per-
formed on Mrs. Hobbs ION or about"
March 20 and %. Mrs. Hobbs and
other Government witnesses, how
ever, have given the dates as March
10 and 81.
MIR. Laughlin offered alibi testi-
mony of witnesses who accounted
for his actions at the periods men,
toned by Government witnesses
from March Is through March %.
DR.. Peckham denied having per-
formed any illegal operation. He
testified he was summoned to at
tend Mrs. Hobbs on March % at the
home of Mrs. 1rma Petrain, 2215 II
street NV. He said he found the
young woman about to have a mis-
carriage and, to relieve her Of pain,
he assisted in the delivery.
Patients testified they were in his
ONCE on March 10 and had not seen
Mrs. Hobbs, who had said she went
there for the first operation. There
was testimony he took a young
woman to a movie on March 70
and to dance on March %.
GombIine to Be Topic