The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-22
INSANITY IN THE COURTS.
JACK .kEYNOLDSs TRIAL FOR Ean
MURDER or MR.. TOWNsEND.

The Widow and Orphans on tae stsadIThs
New History or the Finh Ward Herre~-
The Medical Faculty Called 70 the Do
fence sfs Drunken Monster.
The trial Of Jack Reynolds, alias Sylvestse
Brcen, for the murder Of William Townsend on ~
the evening OF the Goth OF January last was beess
yesterday morning In The Court OF Oyer and Terns
ner before Judge Ingraham, District Attorney Gar
vim sppssrlng for the people, and Mr.. W. p. Howe
for the defence The cour, room and tie corr,dsrs
leading thereto were long before the opening OF shs
TIE Court literally jammed with an excited muiS-
tude eager to get glimpse OF the prisoner who En-
tered the room al II o'clock pale and hagsard ~
beard unshavcn and his hair tangled and unkcupx
He presented truly most wrctchcd spectacle h
had the same Wild, vacant stare which he has main
tanned since his arrest and IL anything was sppsr.
emily lees rational than al the previous session q
the Court.
rHE WIDOW, Nns. TOWNSEND,
with her children, including infant, was in cosrs
With number OF her iriends. She was the objccs
OF as much scrutiny tho miserable murderer Of hss
husband. She was attired In deep mourning and vuD
closely veilcd Al II O'Clock District Attorney Gar.
vim arose and moved that they should proceed witA
the trial, and aftcr much difnculty tile foowisG
named gentlemen were impanced ~ Jurors
St2 2 fosfHi Il TfEHhsi' S2RSASS; SaN ASisos oRsLEvEA
F2Fltk F9ir & Pk aos&Hi S*Hf Hsfs SHa VI fsSSsS SSEh
Vle Court then took q recess Of thirty mlnstsI
On the resssemblnc OF the Court District Attorr y
GaIv,n very briefly addressed the Jury, He sa9
tonished At the enorniy ofits details Ho aidsex
lack % protection FOR ilfc also to the total nt 4
pr, provoeatcn on the part Of thomurderer to comris
tue -W'u' deed' ,,, ,,o
Lydia Townsend frat took thu % and and tee, 81 "a,
The people that she was is year. Old and dag q
nary .sy her & father, he, ,,SI ana hsI.slI were
Sas@ Sa ~ ne sHssiS
81. fon si en2w me am your brother and wa star
aud had hardly .uirci.ui ods,ion. 10 Sws
ow ' men sss tSsr ast nsS ss ne
20 out prso1sr then siabbcS i,scr ana dragged Si.
'sss @ h:s :s. . ss 20:
Se % M xe We sa ISSsa Se
OF M ssa an nS S ns A. Gs one ssss IN
The witness was cross examined at length BY Ne
Howe, but no hev 6,ctr were eiueed.
sna.rs, .,,5 I.N nsesd e. another qsnensr II yssr oa
rocncG ~ sister, Sis He T .us x.s si s SST
er2i,rnaniInee but nothing material was elected
from whom Jacs Reynolds stole
THg KSiFE,
sssel ss "a a.. ,, ne Er,oa;T @ :P,s ed 2 The
thai nc ed no work, i.soner ssld he scotchmsn
ca iSs bench es mina,e Hc pri.oSsr pas h es
oye his srn. and golnr up the stsb- ssid aoodb -
SHs ~ M o''S H"y- ~. ss ssp sd , Is:
prisoner ateared rational enough, out MAS insoSL
:, lh"me. Arnold was examiued. and substapui,ei
The stolen snoemaker's knife was produced. .aA
Identified as the one Hudson had loet.
Thos. ). Beichcr. John seulIy. Peter Kline wm
Walsh, ofis9 Hudson street. and Sergeant Tues Aat
aed that the prisoner was under the influence o,
liquor. but was not man whom the ofncer wouat
sve arrested % ee the street for intoxoson. AtfI.s
he WAS wild and violent but soon became traotaDie.
rHs WIDOW MARY TOWNSEND
appeared on the stand with q babe in her arms
She testified thnt when she LETT her house on ths
s.,ng With =, VIE NE I'm s,S Of January her husSsnd wa
pss' srs sssn sHs re- rs,nTned % 'ss found him
Psss00SE Ss!Sif nor %d ;Ss ,hiaF sSa her sa.Ssaj
age at hi death. "~ " ~''@Nof
TIE testimony for the prosecution concluded with
, nn' oi " shine, who made tho oortmoIen, sy.. o.
shpt fyVy who Visited the prisoner In his e"'' iu
mcd'a;sS alter the murder.
ruE DEFENCE.
DIR. Hammond testified as follows for the d,isac.t
he va. a Ihyscian, aud gave specsl atten % 10
the request of the D'strlct.Altorney. he mao we
examinations OF the prlsonct--one er H., "a
l5gnd me len Gontai more defrss,tG ere udD 'S d;
c5n.er aorRRsHaSGI RHGI hc 'ees scsaes. BE Gq! ,s,
ION te dl.eye. Of The mind, a very good ,l moi
Msnd.ly fulIy as GOAL moi oe,,ers Dean esoi ros
seAu NM good anthortl on epilepsy. The pueno.
study and N'
NAV CAUsRs INSANITY
had also recently been discovered; IL Was poss tia,
two and even three eIamiraions Of subject nth.
made without the detection OF insanity, OutM prcS
nre Is a most dinfcnh matter TO distinguish rhers
sanity Ceases and insanity begins epIeDsy ,
ea.e q the brain and spinal chord ,wiine. hss
treated several hundred cases OF ep 'rfsVI
there can DO epilepsy unattended with ;, o. ma
stiack. ,hs se,s oe apparently, ,oiGny oslel
TO commit crimes Of WHICH afierwsrd they had ne
slishett remembrance. Voiional Insanity n ths ijrtf
MLere map has no control over his wall he had -a9Ns
Instances OF this "impulsye insanity" whore sou-
mad gone 80 fnr A to their victims before kina
morod desire 10 destroy exists IN impuisiye Insanity
u was nory apt 10 apply to brother or friend, ol
Ia the Q Sc Of Townsend.
Adjourned until ios O'Clock nis morning