Cross examination of Dr. Henry A. Murray '15, lecturer on Clinical Psychology, ended yesterday in the Alger Hiss LL.B. '29 trial in New York City as Dr. Murray altered only one minor point in his earlier analysis of Whittaker Chambers, leading accuser of the defendant.
As the defense concluded its evidence for the trial, prosecutor Thomas F. Murphy came forward and attempted to tear down the testimony of Dr. Murray and Dr. Carl A.L. Binger '10, both of whom claimed in a previous session that Chambers had a "psychopathic personality."
Better Than Stalin
In his earlier statement Dr. Murray said that the fact that Chambers once called himself a better Communist than Joseph Stalin was an indication that he had "grandiose ideas." Yesterday, however, Murphy told the psychologist that Chambers' remark was not completely voluntary, but was not completely voluntary, but was made during a cross-examination by Hiss' lawyer.
The prosecutor asked Dr. Murray if this fact altered his opinion. The witness nodded and replied, "I scratch that item out entirely." It was the first time he had conceded a point to the government. The rest of his previous diagnosis remained unchanged.
With the burden of defense testimony out of the way, the trial is expected to end soon--possibly this week.
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