The Lincoln County herald., 1873-03-26
MOW Co.'s Trial Ended.

Che jury ID the case Of Coe, the muf
derer Of Miss Summers, we're unable to
agres. standing seven fof scqui,al, on
the plea Of insanity, sod 6v. for b,ueius
the wretch. If there eve, Vas Q dslib-
crate, cold-blooded murder, it was that Of
Miss Summers, and yet two years and
and more have passed and still the gal
lows is cheated of its due. The plea oil
insanity. according to the testimony ci
Or. Hamilton shidy,..of the FOItop In
sane Asylum, had no grounds, and ye,
seven Of the jury we're for acquittal.
Here 10 his evidence before the jury:
am q physician have practiced
since 1865; since 1867 have devoted
myself specially to the study of diseases
OF the mind and nervou. system /
heard oil Of the evidence 10 the case.
Ques. Assuming it all to be true,
what 10 your opinion ss a medical man
vas the conditions Of the sccused at the
time Of the kiling2
Ans. Before answering i. may be
we'll to say that insanity is condition OF
the mind 10 which false action of con-
cep,ion or judg nen,, . defective power Of
the will, or an uncontrolled violence of
the emotions or instincts have separately
or copjointIy been produced by disease.
Dividing insanity into three heads, idiocy
demen,is ind mania, if this man is 10.
sane be must fall into one of these
places. lie ba. not idiocy as we'll as
knowledge demen,a is acquired idiocy.
1t is characteristic Of semen,ia that if i,
follows some other mental disease or i. |
caused BY blow, it cannot be dis,in
gui.hed at the first, and it is impossible to
have demeniia as a primary diselse. 10
denen,ia the patient is 10 q semi coma
tose state. AS We cannot discover incip
lent demen,a we must take it fully |
formed. The witness here described a
case Of the disease This condition
does not seem TO have teen present 10 the
case Of the accused from 1868 up to the
time Of the Killing. Now mania 10 the
only plea left. /. is hardly necessary
10 describe oil the d tferent forms, bu,
will consider all in one. There is e1ha-
alton, incoherency, delusion, etc. Now
vas be maniscal? The evidence shows
be aughs school sccep'ably be farned
be received severe disappoiDtmen, aud
vas depressed and melancholy. bu. We
u bit expect ,hi, We see be took trip
vest and returned to Carondele,; wrote
, coherent and sensible letter, jus, as any
'he else might; be determined upon .
:er,ain purpose, and this grew upon him,
le 'h went - Ashley, found wo~k,
'ecre,ed knife, and after working him
self up to The act, killed his sfiaoced
rom these and subsequent acts while in
all | an compelled to believe this mau
sane at the time Of the killing.
Ques. will ask you to state to the
ury whether these various conditions, the
manner aud conduc. from the beginning
o the end can be explained on any
,tber hypothesis than insanity?
Ans. ! think so, entirely.
Ques. 10 bis couduc, consistent with
that Of an insane man?
Ans. No, cir; l would no. expect o
nsaue man to teach school, farm and
sy his plans so completely as he did,
Ques. Assuming the ancestry insane,
vas the insane element necessarily trans
nitted to the defendant?
Ans. l should say not, Of necessity,
hough, recognize the trausmissibility ,
IF insanity.