, 1862-12-24
Trial OF VIM Ropp for the Muir.
der Of his Wife.
FIFTH DAY,


a1nined, Indicates positively that the prisoner
is insane DR.. Allen testified on Monday that
the insanity was Of style that could not he
counterfeited, and gave, at that time, and
again yesterday, his reasons for such belief, In
the afternoon session yesterday. there we're
several physicians called to the stand, all Of
whom. while varying somewhat in the details
OF their evidence, coincided as to the question
of ineanity.
DE-. ]. ADAMS ALIENS TESTIMONY REsUnpn
DR.. Allen continued his examination IN
chief, rs follows:
The conduct OF raving mailman varies: il cen.
ahS man1tests violence towards all about them.
otntIs ean Ga be controlled BY come persons; others
Esoss-E E:raminea- First had notice of this case
Ioalr weeks ago; was requested to go By MI. Dex
ter: he spoke to ne IN the morning andI wentinto
me jail n the aftcrnopn3 he wished to ascertain
hi condition Of mind; he tod me it was thc man
HePp, Who had murdered his wife: Ikncw nothing
about TIN days: the first time went In. both Tho
prisoners counsel went in; I was introduced a.
s;: II; alien; E! Aopp manifested no knowledge of my
In case of hereditary insanity different types of
tue disease nay z OCCUR in the same family: onetype
another still in a grandson; disease NAV appesr
in one form in the parent aud another in the child
M not an opposite form; designated the disease OF
indnclng such condition OF the brain as to control
the whole will, choice aud action; Think at times
ean;ty is not disease Of the mind, but Of the ma
ferlal structure through which the mind acts;
there @ have been Gases q insanity where post.
seaee Of the structure Of the brain; the pria-
scr oncr Enlte vas very rapid at each time I saw
only in connection with other evidences. WV
J. 4.-What kind Of insanity do Won consider +he
5rF,-
disease of the BRAIN producing disturbance imme
Glatcly OF the emotional action or manifeetstion
OF mind; loose designation wonld be mono
manla' on inquiry in regard to his health he pro
ceeGed to give an account Of 1t Of sickness forty
or fifty years ago, before he came to this country
Q-Sta1e s ~ Thfther n your iudgment the priE
not have any appreciation that he was liable to tic
a 40: N not It 81 from the firm conviction he
he bad to do was to state his case to the court and
jury and they would acquit him at once.
Q-Did he seem to be aware he was going to
have trial. or what it was fors
Axes, but supposed he would be acquitted If
ne had slated IN the same earnest MANNER hiE re-
said ne bad no appreciation OF what he had done;
Tue prisoner s disease would, in my opinion, con
trol the VIII OF the prisoner on these subjects.
scolding and raging at his wife, and while acting
under the Influence Of the subject you have men,
TONED. would upon the entrance Of a neighbor
whom he respected. Immediately cease, ana be-
come docllc. calm aud courteous Indicate that he
possessed the power to control hie will and acts.
END to Judge between right and wrong:
Rs 95Here you present at the examination Of
AENo: knew nothing Of him until eight orten
days ago: the effect Of mcntal alteration on the
memory ls understandings increased. come
tines weakened-ifit is ordinarily nterfered with,
Q.Hit had been shown that this defendant came
to 5h1s country poor and BY his energy and skill
wealth mp 10 the TING Of the commission of this
act, would it shake your belief in his insanity:
A-No: 1t would Indicate that he Was affected to
limited extent, As far as his faculties were con-
cerued. When examined the prisoner in the ilil
other physicians were present. also the prisoners
counsel, have never consulted with those physi-
man Of considerable selt-eatecm, 81 very tenac-
ions Of his reputation; in late examinations Of the
brain the recent perfection Of Instruments enables
us to detect symptoms Of disease which formerly
would have escaped our notice.
AT haH-past eleven, on account Of the all
sence Of witnesses, the Court adjourned to
laEpast one.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Promptly at the hour the Court opened.
and the testimony Of medical experts was
proceeded with.
DR.. HENRY wING-s TESTIMONY
In my first examination OF the prisouer nv ct
tentio1 was chiefly directed to his pulse, I1otcd
It half dozen times durin. period Of one and 1
nall hours IN order to 1carn its absolute character
under different mental emotions. During no two
alike.
My physical examination was confined to bia
pulse found it very difficult to get his conyersa
ton to flow in those channels most desired, il,
order to perfect my examination. found the
ent from healthy state. It appeared, I may say,
cadayeroua- It s my opinion that the pulse indi,,
Gated material 1eceIon, or acute disease in some
part ol his system. I examined his lungs, 4bdo-
men and heart. There was no Indication in the
nngs Of. disease: the abdomen was large but evi-
asnsy wsa % 6 E thought its
tions made :. .eafef33ezamination, in their rela-
tton to pulsatjen: 1f6hnd there saa nom four to
four andrl mn TtFpirations to one pu1sation I
Thought this indicated disease Of some vital or
gan. noticed the odor: af the skin; this is Of
dEeaass o f rn so55eet
was adiseasc Of the brain. NY conclusion was en-
HEY se. satsiaetofy 10 me: have no doubt abont
Isaw him traverse the hail OF the jail at time
sv AMEN one nateed aa o5 @ tn5 hs was r.
Iy his manner TO have an elevated eense Of recti
tndc-
,o31 r the ,1 eoHrse e1 conversation With Hepp he
the mlnistrations of Wesley, and spoke of bible
that Wesley had given his father. He seemed to
q and as Rs ions IS theg Ssd
he had always been an obcdIent SON
las the witness made this statement, the
prisoner, for the first time during the progress
Of the trial, leaned over toward his counsel,
and held a brief consultation with him.
The cratic character OF lis conversation was 50
marked that it was difficult. to obtain any sort Of
connected statement from him. His brcakinge and
F91 tsS ms hit b H pzHa d peh auts t.
health: He said tbat lie l,ad had any trouble
On one occasion be stated very positively that she
bad M acknowledged her guilt, and that was VIXEN he
When be aakedthc cause Of her crying. she had
replied that if it had not been for Filkins, there
never would have been any trouble, ard that be
insIity. he did not know. he said. whatmeaus thev
had used to cEtranse his wife from him but be aup-
POSED the same as sneh men always nsed- He said
that his Interpretation Of the meaning of the toast
at the tavern was the right one. I thought from
what saw Of him that be had been man Of kind
" feelings. Hethougit he had done right aud said
il he was hung for it. that be should still think SO.
He said that he had no feeling abont having killed
h,s wife and @ dd net m know a. he llad any need to
prisoner Hopp and examination. came to the
conclusion s that he was insane. Iha1e no doubt OF
1takc it 10 be a case Of slowly deye1opcd heredi-
tary insanity; it is peculiar type Of insanity,
Having heard the most Of the evidence in this
neither strengthened nor diminished my opinion,
except in regard to the evidence Of the brothers
1nsan5ty; Ny conclusion is that man Of lis
form q insanity: In all my interviews be has an.
peared honest. I think that persons not acnneint
"a witt the various forms Of insanity would mt
be able to detect in this case. It is or 50 pec,1
har 8 type, that persons. unless we'll Acquainted
with such caseE. would not regard it as insanity.
AZ general rule. the antipathies OF insanc per-
sons are strongest against those who Otherwise
they have regarded the most highly fand perha1s
with n1oet affection.
C,pss Eraninfd-T fret time I went to the
jul. Mr. McComae, Mr.. Dexter, and Dr. N s.
Davis were with me, 1went at tic suggestion Of
Mr.. Dexter. ~
You ask ifhie confinement in jail for four months
would produce i'll my opinion. a arrangement
such az this case presents You may be able to
prove that By some one else; you cannot by me:
cannot see the connection where four mouths CON
hnement would produce such changes as have
specified. a serious arrangement OF the liver
might produce sons Of these symptoms it might
eontfib1te 10 aSggrayatc some Of the symptoms;
his confinement and diet might produce very great
physical change. At the time Irieited him fist
was not aware Of his having q brother who was
al an important fact in forming nv opinion OF the
Prisoners condition. T made up NY mind at the
time Of my first visit and before heard ANYTHING
IN regard to his brother. Icannot locate precisely
the exact portion or section Of the brain diseased
think that at the time Of the killing OF his wife
ne was aware, physically of Whist he was doing:
but do not think he was capable Of apprcciatilE
an opinion. but not correct one So far az the
2ct or deed OF taking his wife life concerned
nent.
Ialluded in one of my conversations with him,
10 his probable execution, his wjfts death. Sc,
ana at tile time had my finger on Ills pulse. am
sure that no sane man could have preserved the
y ~, 1