New-York tribune., 1870-04-27

iot e & M against The alleged seducer of his wife,
through strange lawyer whom he had never sen bnt
suspect his insanity and verified his complaint, at last
going office three times IN one d4y without any
apparant motive. where he knows the alleged seducon
OF his wife must have become knoWhi anu hnaIy gong
INTO an office and sitting down at . desk which
Commands view of both doors Of the office, and wait
without speaking with pistol IN MS pocket ana on see
pd then s6oots him then slipping out of the ofce and
going 10 strange hotel where he has never been before
man under those facts was sane a. Not those facts
alone; no. sir, not on those facts alone .
enf occasions that he would shoot him on sight,
had him, had not shot him, would that change 1t
O. suppose that you add to that that he had no de-
mson in regard 10 this particular class OF questions
which refer to, would that furnish any evidencef A.
No. Sir.
q The question put to to you by the counsel on
the other sidea long question; had tat one question
ever been shown to you heforei A. Yes, Sir.
To Mr. Gerry-Dr. Neais was with me the second time
1 saw the prisoner; there was no concealment.
O. Now when congestion Of the brain exists, the In
sanity you mentioned yesterday need not exist as long
as the congestoni A. No. Sir; 1t may come and co. be-
ing in operation moment and not at another when
Iexamned the prisoner found symptoms of congestion
OF the BRAIN
O. In your Judgment had it existed long timei A.
Yes Sir.
O. How long might it have exstedl A. As long as the
seepessness had existed in the absence of organic dis
ease the frequency the pulse depended the conges
tOn OF the brain: the sympoms of deirum remens are
marked and there is no difficulty in determining them
@ You were called by the people In the ReynodS case
A. Yes Sir. -.
@ You previously made an examination of the prs-
O. Did YOU request thedefonse to be present A. No,
SIR do not know whether the DstrictAttorney ever
O. You we're called to testify in the Chambers case. A.
O. You testified that that insane. A. No, Sir
O. And when got ont Of the Courtroom he gloated
over the fact that he had tI1uphed over all the doctors
but A. Yes, sir.
O. Where you discover the existence of disease Of the
sanity A. Yes, Sir; insane people may become angry
and they may commit acts that look like those OF man
who is happy.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. RALPH L. PARSONS
'r Ralph L. Parsons was then called, and in answer
III Graham testified a. follows:
/ reside at the New-YOrk City Lunatc Asylum have
physician since 1851; went to the Lunatic Asy
un in the Spring of and remained there between
three and four years the capacity of Assistant Phys
.an; returned as Resident Physician in June, 1865;
should judge that treated between 5000 and 5000
.ass Of diseases of mind have at present 1,2OO
under ny care =,
O. Is il unusual for insanity TO exist for length of
time of harmless, essl A. 1t often does exist
for u considerable length of time.
q SupposiLg party naturally TO be OF the ueIehu-
snts teinperament-a Sangune nervous temperament
would the sensitive explosive character OF the hu
c greater between 4 and so years OF age than at any
Ither period all other things being equal! A IN many
cases think this is true.
O. l. there any period of mans life when his love Tor
hi, wife would he greater than at any Olherf
Recorder Haekett-I shall permit the prisoner to
.wcr II. if he can.
of their wives, but would be owing to the crcum
stances ease a matter of fact think have
The evidence that when there begins to be failure OF
animal powers there is "a feeling for the women.
O. Is there anything more strong i'll mans mind than
Recorder Hackctj-I shall permit the witness to
swer; should like TO be instructed myself ON the sub
lcct
@ Surprising the mind of individual, in respect to
il nfn.lf ffnns A hg
und il possible to believe that his love for his wife
irresponsible state of mind so long the mind all
>orbed in such subject A. 1t would not necessarily
produce such state of mind.
O. Would he likely to produce such state of mind
A. IL wOuldbe likely 10 produce insanity.
@ suppo,ing the man whose pulse was beating from
100 to 40 naturally active mind, of nervous and
suguine temperament, and worked upon by the eope-
paramOu how would all this act in reference to causing
insanity a. 1t would not necessarily produce 1t II
would Ice strong cause; it would be very powerful
READING OF TESTIMONY.
Mr Graham here read TO the witness portions of the
testimony of Mr. Billings, Morris Wickham, Mr.. Nonus
James Taylor Joseph OBrien, Dr. John A. Ward, Dr.
Matison, and Mr. Mangam, taken on a previous day Of
hc trial desiring him in his answers to accept this test
mony as true
O. believe You in Court when the long question,
which the DstrictAttorney thinks is oratOnary,
asked! a. Yes, Sir
Mr.. Graham here read the long question which was
yesterday prOpOuudcd to Dr. Vance and continued: In
addition 10 the long question: ask you, assuming these
acts which have been marked particularly by yourself
Irst his ncohcrence Of IDEAS secondly, the impairment
,f his memory: thirdly the loss of the idea of his
identity: and, fourthy, hallucinations Of sight and
hearing, and belief in the existence OF things
ouged and profound eXcitahity OF manner which We're
characteristics observed by MS associates; extreme
prolonged mental depression; distracted manner; his
conversation considered with reference to the fact that
such 10 impress many people with the ldea
At Tho luk1 q
aud cOVersing; his incapacty Tor business also MS
Iistuyhed sleep and inability to sleep sufficient portion
ll time for many consecutive months; his impaired ap.
rite his impaired general health and these additional
.irunstauces that his mind was very much disturbed
few minutes before the shooting; the open commission
deed The TRIBUNE Office where Richardson, the
deceased was an owner. and where, if he had been
sane man. he must have he could not succeed if he
went there deliberately for the purpose OF shootng-Or
was likely to succeed; that lie must be oveTp0w.
rred taking Mr. Richardson in his stronghold, instead of
Oh the street. the evidence that attempt was made 10
escape; the fact that at i o'clock in the evening within
three hour, after shooting he is found in the West
mOrcland Hotel ia this city, registering his real name,
written In his usual manner; seen by Two persons VINO
never saw him before, Of them the clerk, who OBJ
served him staring yacany al him. who noticed hlS rest
less manner. and whose suspicious were excited with
reference to him that he made an arrangement with the
hall servant that they should watch ms room tnat ngn
deeming hn on account o tis coIuSl' 10 S
persOn that he had often met chardsOn VINO
Tfo at the S''eD decd might have been committed in
secrecy had he so chosen. Now, Sir assuming
what have read to you stated to you, as hypothesis
for the basis your iudgmentOf course you denver
hypothetical judgment; you know nothing about the
whether all of them are yed,-assuming what have
read TO You TO be true bearing upon the CONDITION o
McFarands mind up To, and Throughout the Z1h OF
November. 1862 and particularly upon the time between
t2Oon the afternoon OF thdt dN, Whe nc was seen ny
Mr. Billings, until 5:27, in THE TRIBUNE once, when one
I the attaches says the shooting was over ana lie then
observed the cOckswhat do these facts assuming tnein
10 be true indicate To the sanity or insanity OF ts
prisoner time Of this shooting supposing 1t to have
occurred between 55 and $50 on the afternoon OF the
25th of November, 1851
Mr.. DavisI object don't wish this question to pass
admitted proper by think II is emlnently I'M
proper and not sustained by any authority whatever
object on several grounds. One Is the counsel, on
stating his hypothetical facts, did inerard his own
opinions This is simply calling for the opinion OF an
pxpert upOn the opinions of nOeXperts He nterlards
II also by his argument, and not by facts
testified to by witnesses; and for these reasons, as well
a. Others il I'M ght be suggesed-t is apparent to my