Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas • 20

8 the ABILENE REPORTER NEWS Abilene Tex Wed Eve May 28 1973 Jury told that father asked where to buy cyanide Within moments she quoted her husband Timothy was vomiting O'Bryan grased the boy about the waist and went limp in his arms and he (O'Bryan) laid him on the bathroom Two days later she said about the media attention given the ley's funeral "He talked quite a bit about newspaper and television coverage" said Mrs O'Bryan She said he also talked of how to spend the insurance money named several things such as making a contribution to the she said Mrs O'Bryan said she tried to dissuade her husband from taking out accidental death insurance on the children at a Pasadena Tex bank kept insisting it was a bargain and that several others had done she testified felt we didn't have that much money and I thought it was foolish to have that much insurance ($10000 each) on two small children" Mrs O'Bryan said she knew nothing until after Timothy died of $200U0 straight life insurance policies on the children which had taken out on Oct 3 She learned of the policies on Nov 1 she said just asked Ronnie did he really take care of that about the slie recalled said yes he had paid cash for the children paying $108 in cash at a time when the family was several payments behind on two loans She said she knew nothing of the $20000 policies until after Timothy was dead and O'Bryan began talking of how to spend the money O'Bryan began weeping when his wife was asked if he felt any more affection for their daughter Elizabeth Lane 6 than for their son was more lenient and partial toward she said The defendant covered his eyes and with a crumpled handkerchief His shoulders shook and he attempted to talk with his lawyer in a choked and tortured voice Mrs O'Bryan testifying in a trial that could send her husband to the electric chair appeared cool and without emotion She spoke in a clear steady voice and kept her eyes averted from O'Bryan Brinkley's testimony was the first to indicate an interest by in cyanide He said O'Bryan pressed him about the possibility of obtaining the chemical for use in the office but Brinkley said he interested much too dangerous to have in the he said On cross-examination by the defense Brinkley said the chemical was used the early to clean optical equipment wouldn't say it was a common thing but we did use he said But since the 1950s he said most have abandoned the use of cyanide for more efficient and less dangerous cleaning methods ByPAULRECER Associated Preu Writer HOUSTON Only weeks before his son died of poisoned Halloween candy Ronald O'Bryan asked where to buy cyanide and discussed with associates how lethal the chemical was according to testimony Tuesday in O'Bryan's capital murder trial here i Mrs Daynene O'Bryan 30 the defendant's wife and the mother of the poison victim also appeared for the state and her testimony shattered O'Bryan sending him into a teary seizure of sobs is on trial for his life in the Halloween night poisoning of his eight-year-old son Timothy Marc O'Bryan The state contends he murdered the boy with cyanide-laced trick or treat candy in order to collect on life insurance policies Albert Brinkley an optician employed at the same Texas State Optical business where O'Bry an worked testified that the defendant quest ioned him closely about obtaining some cyanide question was asked by O'Bryan where the chemical was available He said he wanted it for polishing some gold frames" said Brinkley replied I didn't know where it was available or if you could buy it'' Mrs Daynene O'Bryan described life with her husband and said they were heavily in debt and under constant pressure for money Yet she said spent money on $10000 ac- cidental death insurance policies on their two children After her son's death she said she also learned that also had purchased $20000 life insurance policies on each of the Dr Joe Blackburn an optometrist who formerly worked with O'Bryan said O'Bryan talked often of his heavy debts was often adding up his debts on the adding machine and said he was going to pay them he said Dr Blackburn said he also remembers O'Bryan discussing cyanide "and how lethal it was" In her testimony Mrs said the family was still heavily in debt and owed a credit union "a thousand dollars and maybe more" the US government and a finance company $2000" She also told of O'Bryan's reaction to the death of their son beat the walls and asked out loud why an eight-year-old boy had to die" she said Later she added drove away from their home alone and explained afterward "he had lo be alone and just roll up the windows and scream" O'Bryan told of Timothy's death she said shortly after she arrived at the hospital where the boy was taken She said he had been left with the children on Halloween night after a trick or treat outing while she went to visit a church friend She was at the friend's house when she was called to the hospital she said told her the children had asked for some of their Halloween candy and that he had given Timothy a Giant Pixy Stix a powdered confection packaged in a plastic tube Her husband said he opened the candy Mrs O'Bryan said and "poured it down his (Timothy's) The boy was given a she said and a face and said it tasted bad He (O'Bryan) gave him some Kool Aid just to get the bad taste out of his WIST TEXAS ORIGINAL DISCOUNT CENTER THREE LOCATIONS IN ABILENE TEXAS 41 Mh Ely Blvd Opea Mea-5at AJL-10 ML Closed Saaday 2550 BAIIOW ST Open Mean-Set AJL-10 Ml Closed Sunday 2202 ROHM 1ST FtMAT 0AJL-10 ML Closed Saturday Opea Saaday 0 AJL-10 ML VI 1 JUNE73 MC36 I WK RESERVE TK HOT TO UNIT OOAOTITIES Prices Good Through Sat May 31 1975 Barrow MEN'S SHORT SLEEVE SHIRTS Polyester Cotton Blends 77 Reg 447 LADIES SUMMER HATS 1 00 POLYESTER INTERLOCK 97 Our Reg 297 EXTRAVAGANZA COTTON BLENDS 45" Wide Assorted Colors TABLE OF PERMA-PRESS FLOCKED MATERIAL-45" Wide Cotton Polyester Blends Our Reg 197 441 LADIES LONG SLEEVE TOPS LADIES TUMMY CONTROL PARTY HOSE 135 320 OR 300 Sizes: S-M-L 100 Nylon GIRL'S PANTIES 100 Nylon Solids Reg 797 OUR REG 137 Prints Reg 897 Reg 127 GIRL'S KNEE-HI SOCKS Sizes: 6-8z -9-11 100 Nylon MEN'S BLUE DENIM JACKETS PANTS SLEEVE SHIRTS 97 Reg 117 50 Cotton 50 Polyester Sizes: S-XL OUR REG 2497 a Size: 6 Vi-12 BSD Width LADIES KRINKLE-S0FT SHOES OUR REG 697 50.