The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-30
TIE JOSEPHINE WEISS HOMICIDE.
Henry Vasqutz, the Alleged Murderer, Is
Proved TO Be Insane.
Medical Testimony on tho Po!nt-A Sketch OF tho
Prisoners Early LiSe-He Falls from tho
Belfry Of Monte ssrrato Church, In Ha-
vana He IL Sent to the Lnnstic
Asylum on Blackws!l's Island.

The case Of the People vs.. Henry vasquez, young
Caban, charged with the murder Of Josephine
Weiss, by stabbing her with knife on tho 21st OF
October 1902 at NO. 90 Crosby street, yesterday
called up In the Court OF General Sessions before
Recorder Hackett
II win be remembered that the murdered woman
was the mistress OF the prisoner, and That after kill
Ing her he attempted to take his own lifo. Ills
counsel Mr.. Anthem. stated that he wished to with
draw his plea of not guilty and to plead that the
prisoner Ia now insane and not IN condition to
make rational defence.
Assistant District Attorney Sullivan said he had
no objection to the plea being Withdrawn, TO which
the People would take Issue.
The Recorder allowed the plea Of not guilty to be
Withdrawn, and the jury were sworn to try the
question Of the sanity insanity OF the prisoner.
vAsQUEz, WHEN SIX YEARS OLD, FALLS FROM A
CHURCH TOWER.
Mr.. Anthem opened the case, and proceeded to read
the deposition Of an Havana physician who attended
Henry vasQuez IN his youth. This gentleman de-
posed that yasquez had delicate constitution and
nervous temperament; that In childhood, wnen
six years OF age, 1s49, he fell ftom the befry Of
church In Havana receiving severe injuries. which
deprived him of his senses; that his life was de-
SPARED Of and, upon partially recovering he suffered
acute pain in the ear, which deprived him Of his
reason; that In 1862 he had such severe attack as
to be completely deprived OF his reason and
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE;
that he was subject to mental alterations, during
which he would throw himself on tie floor, be very
violent and would make violent efforts TO escape
from the house, using strange language:
The testimony OF other citizens OF Havana who
were intimate with his family was also read, which
confirmed the evidence OF the medical gentlemen.
They stated that his father desired TO give young
Vasquez @ good education, but be could only read
and write and was unit for business. The deposit
ton OF the father Of the prisoner was similar to that
OF the other Witnesses. He stated that me
PAROXYSMS OF INSANITY
with which his was aDicted lasted fifteen days,
and when they were severe lie was exceedingly vio-
lent ana had TO he watched by the servants IN the
house. He sent him TO the United States III 1854
when he was twenty years old-for the purpose Of
learning the trade of machinis!, but PARTICULARS in
the hope that q change OF climate would be bened-
clal 10 his health.
MEDICAL TESTIMONY.
Mr. Anthem then called DR.. Gonzalez Echeverrla,
who by mutual consent OF the counsel and District
Attorney Garvln visited the prisoner In the TOnlbs
to find out his state OF mIni.
The Doctor first stated that he knew the parties
toned IN TIE commission, and that they we've very
respectable citizens Of Havana He had interviews
with Vasquez IN Spanish at the Tombs, and became
convinced that he was not Stimulating He was
very much troubled saying that they were persecul-
ing him at the prison; that ghosts We're constantly
after him, and that Josephine and Nellie came to
and his conversation upon every visit was very
indecent and always upon obscene subjects.
He complained at times OF pain IN the ear, from
which there was O slight discharge OF pus.
The Doctor further stated that when he resided in
Havana learned the fact that there Is hereditary
tendency TO insanity on the mothers side and that
was subject to paroxysms OF Insanity; that his In
teliectual faculties were not much developed that
he was suffering from syphilis. and that he consid.
cred him insane at the present Time and incapable
OF making rational defence.
There was no summing up by the counsel on
either Slde and after brief charge by the Recorder
the jury rendered verdict that Vasquez was insane.
The Recorder directed the clerk to make out an
order remanding him TO the Insane Asylum al Black
Wells Island.