The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-22
TRIAL OF e. M. YERGER.
Before n Military Comamfssfom. for
Ehe Killing OF Joseph G.. Crane.
TWENTY-THIRD DAY.
WEDNESDAY. July 7th, 1863.


WEDNESDAY. July 9TH, 1868.
TESTIMONY OF DR.. RoBT. KILLS.
| reside in Jackson am practicins phys
Iclan: have been practicIng about y years !;
within those years | have been Superinten-
dent of the Lunatic Asylum near this
city for years; when occupying THAT posi-
ton 1t was my special business to give my
personal attention to persons subject 30
mental arrangement; have in my medical
experience, had occasion to treat persons
laboring under the effect Of delirum trcmcns :;
there are marked and characterized dfferen-
ccs between the mania that We usually see in
insane aeylums and deIirinm tremcns-
from which the disease derives its name
there is a cool skim "A coated tongue.
aud great apprehension or fear Of dan
ger. i should be able to detect ii case
of deIirium tremens from moral insan-
ity, or intellectual mania; there may be
organic diseases in both Instances. Gen.
eral moral mania l. a disturbance and NOR
bid action of the moral powers of the indi-
yiduai; there is snch "A thing recognized
among writers as periodical insanity, but
the paroXysms may not occur regularly as
some other forms of disease called periodical.
but it is recognized as periodical insanity.
the intervals being more or less long or
more or less lucid hereditary TART is looked
upon as very prolific cause of insanity,
ana think many writers regard at least p
asylums as having hereditary taints. Per-
sons so descended are much more liable to be
insane than those not so; the disease may be
developed from any cause that would not
distract healthy. sound mind without this
hereditary faint. The excessive use of alec
holic stimulants would certainly have a
great tendency 10 develop insanity, and it
Is very prolific cause of insanity, even to
those who do not possess the hereditary
faint. There are a great variety of predis-
political excitement. over study, wounded
feelings, domestic Affections; these are some
of tile moral causes. Standard authorities
on insanity take the position-where there
is no moral liberty, there is no moral resDon-
sibility from my experience and observa-
ton, certainly concur in this opinion; |
cannot conceive anything more probable to
bring about parOXysm of emotional inSan-
ity than great mental excitement for some
weeks, the free Use of Intoxicating liquOr.
during the time together with travelling on
railroad ears without sleep, tnen to receive
information that some indignity as he might
conceive, had been offered to himself and
family would undoubtedly be provoking
cause for bringing on paroxism of general
mania; disease OF this character can hardly
exist without an e&trava 1ance OF manner,
of conduct. of speech and anything connect
ed with the subject who is laboring UNI
der this mental insanity; taking the testi-
mony of the witnesses in this case. | should
say that the accused was laboring under
moral insanity, assuming the facts to be true
as far as | can rec ollect the symptoms do
not discover any characteristic symptoms of
delirium tremens in any Of the circumstan
ces mentioned by the witnesses.
BY Judge Advocate:
do not think that suspicion is a eharac-
teristc sypmtom, but may be present in de-
lirium tremens; | have read of but two
eases when the patient was combative while
under the influence of the disease, but
these were exceptional cases; do not
think Mr. y erger was laboring nnder any
symptoms OF delirium tremens ut the
meeting of Sorsby, from the fact that
the delusion was an ephmeral one APP
parently, and if he had been laboring un-
der drlirium tremens it would not have
passed off so readily and other persons on
the street would have noticed the peculiari-
ty of a person laboring under delirium ire
mems. His actions might have been &C
counted for as laboring under that disease
as a very exceptional case; cases occur by
no means frequent-where persons in delr-
ium tremens attack others in the same room.
suDposing the parties to be enemies; | have
never seen case where the parOXysm always
manifested itself in the same way. SO far
the case has been developed and the
symptoms given. there is certainly no evil
dence to my mind that the accused was la
boring under delirium tremens or drunken
ness; i only give my opinion in reference
to the particular times referred to.
BY Counsel for accused:
While the symptoms of moral insanity
would be recognized by a medical examiner
or a person well acquainted with that form
of disease, casual observers might frequent
~ meet and pass the subject without detct-
ing any symptoms in him at all, because |
conceive insanity is less understood than
any other subject brought to the attentio n
of the people generally. | presume the rea-
son is in the first place, the science of
the mind is very abstract subject; in the
second place, people pay little or no atten-
ton to the study and observation of mental
disease, and it is something which does not
occur often in the community and great
many persons live life time without seeing
an insane man as they suppose.
By the Commission:
l have known the prisoner personally
about years; l have never been on what /
would call intimate terms with him. / met
him frequently on the street, always on
friendly terms; man subject to hts of de-
rangement, | would say-criminally speak
ing-is not responsible for his acts even in
lucid intervals, that is when he committed
an act which the courts of the country
denominate as a crime.
Here the prosecution closed their case
with the understanding that they should
have permission to introduce certain witness
ses who are absent, but are expected to ar
rive.