The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-06-03

i S1s - WIN NE negro 2in tnesa - !o; no asked
y ssksd hss Why; Nhs caid shs would not % NJ
he cal,.S Der some nsnss Id slapped her and s'ruai
Q DID he NOT th1pw her On sAs '0und, stamp On hss
body, and try to kill heH A Yes W
9 DID he not strike her on the forshesA a 4, fss
sn. w ~ nsvs ara a., the negro do in eonsequss
n Q DID be- Or did he MOI. say he would KIN hss
Ne DID while he was striking her.
testimony OF DR.. Charles Nichols. !;
~ M DosrR-Q Have at any time given you an
nma'on Of the answers expect you 70 give betevs this
coSrr A. You have not
fession am doctor Of medicine and supehntsnd-
ent Of the Governments Hospital for the Insane.
~ HOW long have you occupied that positioni 4
State what class Of persons you treat In your asy-
ium A. Insane persons exclusively.
Are they or not persons who have been In the
vice OF the government exclusively A Mo- my patients
include the Insane Of this district and occasionally p
vate patients from other parts Of the country.
u o, not the great persons you treat COM
posed Of soldiers ind sailorss A. II is
Please define moral insanity A. When the mqfal
or effective faculties affected exclusively by disclose
Of the brain, call it moral insanity.
moral insanity A. Ny impression is that insanity Is
oener caused BY physical disease than by mor causes
the fact that insanity takes that form depend
the character Of the individual becoming insane.
Is active service in the Geld among soldiers any
time the cause Of moral insanity not frequent
canse however In other words, have known Of
moral insanity among soldiers.
Has or has not insanity increased very much in the
A. i
@ Has it not increased much more proportionately
tnan the increase OF the armyf A. II has
% s sns Sss
men were not accustomed before going into the service
@ Are young men who enlist exposed moro 10 in
sanity than men who enlist in middle fep A. am not
sure that they are; my impression is that young
accommodate themselves change In their manner OF
life much more easily than men of middle age.
What are some Of tho leading symptoms Of moral
insanity A. The cases diversified the ind
IL
70 DO right which he did not believe 10 be right in health
and which people generally do not believe 70 DO right,
would regard that as symptom OF moral insanity.
Is depression OF spirits at any time considered
symptom of insanity A. It's
l. great taciturnity considered symptomf A. II
Is frequent symptom Of insanity, though can con-
eeye how tacltnrni!y could exist without insanity
Is great cunning In making plans concomitant OF
insanity A. The insane frequently exhibit great
ming In their plans TO effect object
Is IL or not possible for a mad to confederate
with other mad men or sane men in their plans? A.
would say it is not impossible, but that it Is unfre
O. Do mad mon confederate together in pianss
A. Very seldom.
@ Is is a morbid propensity to destroy proof
OF insanity A. Not proof, but very common at
tendant OF insanity.
q Is i. symptom Of insanity il ono apparently with
out provocaon commits crimef A. should regard It
as giving rise 70 suspicion OF insanity, but not a.
proof of IL ut all
O Is or is not conduct different from the usual
mode OF the world the best proof OF Insanity A. 1
will answer that by saying that single condition is
departure from the usual OF would be
garded ~ strong ground suspect the existence Of in
sanity.
Q. Are not mad remarkable for great crucltyi A.
Ny impression Is that mad mon exhibit about the
disposition In that respect that mon generally do.
T. DO or do not mad men in committing crime
commit criminal acts
Q. II should try to murder q sick man in his bed
without ever having seen him before, would it DO pre-
sumptive proof Of Insanity 1t would give rise my
mind 10 . suspicion that the man insane; should
not regard Il AZ proof
Q II tho same person should at tho same time try to
murder four other in the house, OF whom
he bad ever seen would not strengthen that suspicion
A. / think 1t would.
O. If the Same person In the commission Of the deed
were to stop for five minutes conversing, then walk
away deliberately leaving his hat and pistol behind and
then ride away slowly that could follow him
insanity A. think 1t would it Is peculiarly Of the
insane when they commit criminal act that they make
little or no attempt TO conceal IL but that is not always
the case.
@ If the person should cry out whilc stabbing
one Of the attendants, II am mad! am mad!' weud
II not be further ground for suspicion that no
A. Such exclamation would give ground in my mind,
to suspicion that the man was feigning insanity.
q. What would be the ground for that suspicions A.
The ground il that insane rarely make such
nations similar ones; they rarely themselves
FOR criminal acts on the ground that they insane
@ Do not mad men sometimes say they mads A.
They do sometimes, but 1t Is not fegnng with Thorn.
have told yoa they ad Tsoy @
quently do It In this way:-An individual knows he liz
regarded as insane and il taken 10 task for any i'm
proper act will excuse himself on the
ground that he s insane and therefore not responsible
O. II the same person have moi tioned should, al
though In possession Of sound horse, make effort
escape, but abandon his horse wander of the
and come back to house surrounded with soldiers,
where no might expect be arrested would that
additional ground for suspicion that he insancS A.
l should regard every act Of y who had committed
crime indicating that he indifferent TO the conse-
qucnces n ground FOR suspectng that he was insane
@ II this same person should return To this house
have spoken Of with piece Of his drawers for his hat
seeing the house possession OF sodcrs would that
be additional proof OF insanity A. can hardly SEQ
what bearing that would have the question OF in
sanity.
q understand you TO say that mad seldom dis
guised themselves the disguise in question consisted
piece of drawers taken for a hat asked whether the
II would depend upon circumstances with insane IL
h. common popularity that they dress themselves In
fantastic manner for example, making headdreses OF
pieces OF old garments; thcy do 1t apparently out OF
childish fancy for something fantastic to attract stten
ton don't recocct the OF insane person dress
ing himself in garments OF that kind for the sake Of Dis
guising himself.
II this person. after his arrest should express
strong desire to he hung and great Indifference TO fc
would that be additional ground for suspicion Of insanity
A. think IL would.
O Would it DO further ground Of suspicion II no
seemed totally indifferent during his trial. and laughed
when hc was Identified bcraying stoiiditV Of
entirely different from his associates' A. think It
would
q State what physical sickness generally accompanies
ins.nity IL snyt A. Ibievo disease, either functional
organic OF the brain always accompanies insanity
other disease necessarily or perhaps usually 90
O. l. long connaed constipation one Of tho physical
conditions accompanying insanity A. Long continued
constipation frequently preccdcs insanity constipation
Is not very frequent among the actually insane.
Q IL this same person have described HAD been
suffering from patton for weeks would that DO
an addit onal ground for insanityf A. think some
weight might be given IN that circumstance
Y II the same person. during his trial and during his
confinement, never spoke until spoken TO, at time
when all his companions peevish and camorous; II
he expressed want when all others expressed
many II he continued the expression OF indner-
ence while others were nervous and anxious IL he
q n
ment Of hts cy e. would II not be sdd ground for
believing him insaneY A. think Il wouid
Y II this same man. after committing the crime,
shocij, being questioned 10 tho cause, say
that he cncmo nything distinctly but only struG
glc s desire whatever TO kill, would not that DO
additional grv.. FOR suspicion OF insanitys think
u would
q. Vitae are the qualities Of mind a person most
needed by keeper 10 secure control mAdmeus A