Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-05
Mas. KIRBY AGAIN BEFORE THE HrsrrNos COURT.

Mas. KIRBY AGAIN BEFORE THE HCSTINGS Court.
JUDGE WM. H. Lyons PRESIDING.-liER CASE
AGAIN ADJoURNED.-Th court met yesterday at IL
o'clock.
Dr.. Gaiaard on being cross-eXamined by the
counsel iOr the defense, said believe this 10 be
case OF tegned insanity am inclined TO thlnk tha'
the prisoner has a good deal of sleep. Writers say
that the longest time any person has been able To
live without sleeping has been nineteen days. IL Is
also said that in cases OF insanity the SKIN must al
WAYS be DRY. Mrs. kubys skin has been moist on
every occasion when have visited her There arc
no signs of insanity about her eyes. 1t tins woman
il insane IL is a species OF insanity bordering on
idiOcy. In some OF the autcccdent visits she was
asked TO show her tongue, which she did with prompt
ness A remark was then made that insane persons
never showed their tongue when asked THIS remark
was made in her presence since then She has failed
u show her tongue. Ills arrested our attention,
though only circumStantlal evidence. The SIgnh-
cant sign of nationality about Mrs. Kirby - m ASK
ing for what she wants to eat specify ing her diet
aud when "A handkerchief Is moved from hcr head
10 ask that Il be placed back and IA showing her
| tongue when asked. | will not say positively that
the woman IS not insane, but such j. my belief. IN
sine persons are unqueSOnably able 10 realize pain.
| / have visited the LUuatc AsylUmS Often ana more
than hllfO the patients are usually walking the floor
/ aud in most cases give rational answers. ! have
seen Mrs. Kirby, altogether, sin times since her CON
| iuemeut
! Dr. Houston being sworn, said have seen Mr..
l
have seen "A great many CdseS OF alteration OF
the mind, and am led 90 the CaGcU-iuu by the teS-
/ tmOuy of Others, n well "a, my own observation.
that this is u case OF icgued insanity. Beng asked
whether her life would bc endangered by COniine-,
| ment or not / must say that think not. think
that If II were positively known that this woman Is
| insane. she should be immediately sent away
There are as many varieties of insanity there are
of suy other classes Of diseases There i no means
however OF finding out case of INSANITY except by
close observation Tor }9me time think that have
known cases Of telgued insanity 10 lc kept zap Tor
more than six weeks. ] would not positively say
that this woman is not insane. AIN OF the opinion
however, that she Is not insane. stepped IN the
/ courtroom about three weeks ago, when ! heard
Mr. johnson arguing this case. | remained about
4 fifteen minutes, and observed MIS-. Kirby, who was
then before the court, then came TO tho conclusion
that il was ease of simulated insanity. Ny opinion
has not changed since but has been somewhat con-
l trmed by my recent visits 10 the jail When eu-
| tered the TuOm several times where this woman was
/ the same stare has always been fixed on me. 10
/ looked more like the stare OF wonder. have never
/ heard anything rational from her. The last visit /
paid, asked her to show her tongue. She rltused.
/ Before that she always showed her tongue. The
attendant. told me the night before my last visit
that she hld several times tried 10 make her escape
I would be perfectly satisfied that she vas insane %
really thought that she really believed her husband
l % be living.
! Dr. HaXal. being recalled, stated that he visited
\ the prisoner on Tuesiay last and that his opinion
a. 10 her mental condition had undergone no change
whatever.
! pr. Dove, recalled have seen Mrs. Kirby daily
/ Siucc the last examination. Ny opinion has been
somewhat streug thened Ia regard 10 her insanity.
She Is under tine impression that she Is al boarding
I house. aud believe she does not know where she
/ s 40 this moment
! nr. spence Of the Board of Health being sworn,
said have been pIacticing physician for twenty
! eight wears. / graduate OF the University OF
/ Pennsylvania | have heard none OF the evidence
in the case before. BY request OF the counsel took
~-It near Mrs. Kirby this morning for the purpose
of finding CIT, - best could. whctherit was 20 gem
I uine case Of insanity From what / could OF
her actions am led 20 the conclusion that she is il
| sane. On further examination my opinion mi ht be
| modified. am country practitioner, and have sent
I grrat number OF insane persons o. the Asylum
/ Mr.. johnson asked that the case be cOntin-
ue for several days in order that other testimony
. NAV be had.
! Mr. Surdyant Commonwealth Attorney, could
see 10 reason Why this should be deferred any
/ longer. The evidence Of the best medical gentl,
men had been taken in the case, and he could see
/ no reason why other evidence was needed.
| Judge Crump in reply, urged that the case be
| continued for few days longer.
/ Judge W. II. Lyons then said can see no
| harm that will result from delaying tue case,
because il is the wish Of every one that the truth
should be arrived at. therefore continue the case
/ until next Thursday, at II o'clock.
/ The cOurtthen adjourned.