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isf Herman Pederson, Mrs. Robert LeCleir, secretary to the district attorney, and the two doctors. On cross-examination by Rasmus, Dr. Heywood said he disagrees with medical re ports which label Larson as mentally ill. He said Larson is in need of ‘‘custodial care and psychotherapy treatment. Larson was on the stand for about an hor, telling how he grew up in St. George, Utah, left home at 13 to become a dishwasher and then entered the Navy when he was 17. He spent 10 and one-half years in the Navy advancing to Petty Officer First Class before his problems began to mount and, he lost his rank. After two spells in hospitals he was dis charged from the Navy and returned to Chippewa Falls, the home of his wife. HE LOST a coal hauling job because of drinking, he said, and went to Mendota State Hospital for the Insane last October. He described his actions on the day before he met Morri son and Miss Friday. He said after visiting Dr. Brousseau in Eau Claire he went to a tavern and drank ‘“‘about 14” beers. Then he went home and got his fishing tackle, tell ing his wife he was going fish ing. He sold the tackle for $5 and later at Lueck’s landing he stabbed Morrison’s tires because his own were smooth. “I was jealous, I guess,’’ he said, ‘ He told the court that sev eral times he was remorseful over his actions and hoped that he would be turned in. He said he forced the couple to disrobe because ‘‘they were getting brave. . .crossing me up a lot. I think I started it just to be mean to them. . to let them know I was say ing what was what.”’ He admitted daydreaming frequently that he was a vag abond without a care in the world. His wife testified that one of his favorite poems was about a vagabond. He also ad mitted striking his wife on at least two occasions and hav ing struck other persons with weapons— one of them a man with a hammer and the other a soldier whom he struck with a ‘‘tub handle’’. LARSON’S WIFE told of his moody, brooding periods when he wouldn't speak to her for long periods, would’ be on the davenport, play solitaire, or sit in the base ment with the door to the coal furnace open, staring at the fire. He began getting ‘“‘pecu liar’ in the service, she said and became progressively worse after they moved to Chippewa. On one __ occasion she called police to take him away and Larson lay limply on the floor when they tried to get him to leave. They fi nally had to carry him out, she said. Dr. Brousseau testified that Larson has a psychotic disor der, schizophrenic, probably ‘of the paranoic type. To the question, ‘‘In your opinion was the defendant insane the morning of May 26?’ he re plied, ‘‘Yes’’. ‘I feel that George is very psychotic,”’ he said. He also stated that he feels Larson was unable to control his actions even though he knew at the time they were not right. Miss Friday Morrison
Newspaper Details
Eau Claire Daily Telegram
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US
Tue, Jul 28, 1959
Page 3
Full Page
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Anonymous
KY, USA 09 Feb 2026
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