The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1885-07-04 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

MURDER O'DONOVAIF ROSSA. TRIAL OF MRS. DUDLEY.  The trial of Mrs. Dudley at New York for the atiempted assassination of O'Donovan Roam, concluded on Tuesday. When Rossa appeared in the witness box on Monday the accused began a constant fire of insulting remarks, which she continued during his entire examination. When he said his name was Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, she asked, "Where did you get the Rossa ? " When he said his business was that of a journalist, she exclaimed, "Dynamiter." She frequently called him a liar, and said he got his money out of poor servant girls for himself, and swindled them. When he gave an account of the shooting, she exclaimed to the jury, "You'd better get away from that man. He's only perjuring himself. There's no telling what will happen if he keeps on lying. Won't somebody please thiow him out of the window?" When Rossa said he could not remember the number of shots she fired, she said, " No ; I believe you. You were too frightened. You forgot to tell, Jeremiah, that you cried out, For God's sake, don't kill me.' " Subsequently she called him a "murderer," " cur " and "coward." She said if he had his deserts he would be hanged, and that he was careful to keep three thousand miles between him and England, where they would make short work of him. As Rossa retired she shouted, "God save the Queen, and down with the dynamiters !" Extracts from R,ossa's paper were read by Mrs. Dudley's counsel on Repa's cross-examination, in which the destruction of London was urged in the most incendiary language. The witness admitted placing copies of the papers with such articles in Ms. Dudley's hands, which extracts being read, Mrs. Dudley showed great excitement, finally exclaiming, " You coward! You showed the white feather when a dose of your own medicine was administered to you." The court was dense'y crowded when the trial was resumed on Tuesday. After the testimony of the policeman who arrested Mrs. Dudley and the surgeon who attended Rossa, the case for the prosecution was closed. The Counsel for the defence opened the case by producing a mass of documentary evidence, showing Mrs. Dudley to be of unsound mind. There were many letters and certificates from English physicians and institutions, describino her as a chronic victim of epileptic fits and suicidal mahih. Oral testimony was offered to the same effect by her associates in this country and by eminent American experts in insanity who have been studying her case. Mrs. Dudley interrupted the proceedings, saying to the judge, "Whether I was irrational or not when I shot Rossa, I am perfectly sane now, and wish to testify in my own behalf. If the case goes to the jury now they will form an entirely erroneous impression of my motives." It was finally agreed to let her give evidence. She was sworn, and in a quiet voice said: "Gentlemen of the jury,—l may or may not be insane. I wish you to decide my case by acquitting me either on the ground that my action was justifiab'e or to convict me. I was in doubt whether O'Donovan Rossa, Patrick Ford, or Mezeroff was the most responsible. I read ()Donovan Rossa's and Ford's papers, and went to see O'Donovan Rossa." After describing the inter view substantially as already given many times, she con,inued "He was a murderer. He had shown himself to be one. I believed him then and now consider him a liar. If I am homicidal, it is queer I never shot any one before. I have carried a loaded pistol since -I was sixteen. I gave O'Donovan Rossa as fair a trial as any prisoner ever had in your court. I shot him, and am willing to abide by the consequences. I don't think that even in this land of liberty a man like him should be allowed to go about advising indiscriminate murder." The jury retired, and after deliberating for five minutes returned a verdict of "Not guilty" on the ground of insanity. The counsel for the prosecution proposed that si-e should be taken to some insane asylum in this State. Mrs. Dudley's counsel objected, saying he would propose that she should be removed to some such asylum in her native land. The Court adjourned the hearing of the arguments on the motion.