National Republican., 1876-12-28
ISSUING FORGED NOTES.
THE TRIAL OF WIN. TYLER CONTINUED.

THE TRIAL OF WIN. TYLER CONTINUED.
Some OF the Grounds for Insanity-He Could
Not Tell the Truth If he Tried-was Morally
Unsound-Paying Per Cent. more than the
Market Price for District 3-65 Bonds-His
Bank Deposits Averaging 81, 800 Daily-The
Banker Wants Fact to Substantiste His
Stories.
The trial OF William Tyler, Of Georgetown,
charged with forging the name of his father, DR..
Grafton Tyler, on September 1s,lsI5 upon a note
for 5000, was resumed in the Criminal Court yes
terday morning before Justice Macarthur.
The previous blameless life of the accused, high
station of his family in the community Of George
town,together with his own prominence in society
and his sudden disgraceful downfall, causes an
increased interest to be taken in the trial, and
the courtroom was well filled during the day by
an audience composed of the better class Of citi-
Sens, few Of whose faces are ever seen in that
Messrs. Merrick and Mattingly, counsel for the
defense, and District Attorney Wells with his
Government, arrived between 10 O'clock and 1880.
and about that time the trial was resumed.
chief, and
THE FORGERY WAS AcKNowLEDGED
by the defense, but in ex.enuation they endeav-
ored 10 prove that the accused was not in his
right mind when these deeds were committed;
that from early attacks of rheumatism, followed
by attacks of neuralgia, his mind had become
impaired, and at times he was an irresponsible
party, entering into negotiations without real
hing their Importance, or the serious conse-
guences that would ensue from such transactions.
DR.. Grafton Tyler, the father Of the defendant,
whowas on the stand when the court adjourned
and being examined, was recalled and testi-
feGs that he could not tell when he first heard Of
the forgeries but thought IL was not long, in No
vember, after the announcement of his sons fail
ure in business. There was at least six or seven
but he could not tell.what they amounted to- On
the 18th Of September, 1875, from knowledge OF
spS his ocanainfance Hitb he nSTssa1 condition'
OF his son, he believed that
AT THAT TIME HE WAS INSANE
and the subsequent Developments his business
ment brought upon the father by his wrong doing,
satisfied the witness Of the truth Of that belief.
moral sense Of wrong was gone and that he did
not feel himself guilty Of committing wrong
deed in perpetrating these forgeries, for witness
tion. This iudg nent is not formed alone on what
has transpired since September, 1875, but it was
founded upon reviewing the whole life OF the son;
the general tenor of his way and occupation.
DR.. KleinschmIdt, praCEicing physician, in his
testimony stated that he had known the defendant
several years. and believed him morally unsouud,
and that he could not tell the truth If he tried
He did not seem to comprehend that it was wrong
Dr. Mackall testified that he had attended the
accused professionally for nervous disorders From
his Own knowledge and the testimony that he had
listened TO he believed the defendent was subject
to cerebral detective organisation which had
induced unsoundness Of mind, defective moral
sense and want of selErestraint and therefore he
believed him to be irresponsible TO the extent OF
that defective organization.
MAN MAY BE MORALLY UNsoUND
and intellectually bright. A strain may be put
upon man unusually bright, and he might break |
down and become morally unsound.
Robert Hunter testified 20 the peculiar trans
actions Of the accused when witness proposed SELL
ing him house
Il, ]. Mclaughlin gave evidence of the de-
tendant buying District 3-e5 bonds and paying
two per cent more than the market rates for /
them, which he regarded as . strange procedure.
Mr.. S. ID. Newcomb spoke of transactions with Il
the accused in renting house in May, 1874, and /
his insisting that all the payments had been /
made, when witness knew that they had not. |
Another transaction was the purchasing of Dis
trict bonds worth 20 cents on the dollar and CIV
Mr.. keenan, testified to Tyler having in May, i
1878, contracted with witness to remodel some Il
them three-story houses. Witness thought that /
Tyler was acting foolishly, and told him so, and
Tyler replied that he (Witnessl was doing the /
work, and he (Tylerl was paying for It.
r.. Ward, druggist, tsstined that Tyler en-
gagged with witness in 1870 and was good clerk,
Gut did not learn The SCIENCES subsequently found
ieat hs Was VAIuthfpL
EVIDENCE OF AN ExPKRT.
Dr. C. H. Nichols superintendent of the Hospi- |
tai for the Insane, was asked what was his opln-
ion on the facts given in testimony as to the |
defendants sanity, and said that he was insane |
in the summer and winter Of 1s75 Dr. Nichols. /
at some length, gave his reasons for this conclu-
The defense with this last witness closed their
testimony.
The Government in rebuttaI called W. H.
Dugal, who related business transactions with
the accused in May, 1915
H. E. Ofiey, banker, said that in the early part |
of 1875 he saw the dsfendant several times day.
He had an active bank account, and in the busi- |
est season the deposits would average sl;5oo
On good collateral. He was an active business |
man, seeming TO have q good many heavy trans |
as far as the bank was concerned. He was doing |
too much business for young man OF his capac- /
ity, and always liked his statements verified by |
the facts.
HE LIED Ae NO SENSIBLE MAN WOULD DO.
FW. Jones' esq. stated that he had known |
the defendant for five or six years. Drew deeds
for defendant and examined titles for him. He |
conducted himself in these transactions with ordi-
]. B. Tanner Advanced to the defendant s. COD |
on collateral real estate and notes purpOrting to
actions with him during the winter. All the |
notes were paid except three four, that felld
at the time Of the failure. All the papers were
iDdorsed by Grafton Tyler. Nothing peculiar was
noticed in the manner in which he transacted
business.
James L. Davis Had only two transactions
with Tyler, and failed to discover anything pecu-
liar in the first, but in the second he offered wit
ness SlC0 for the use of 500 for sixty days. Re-
fused to accept the offer in that way, and after
wards loaned the money on notes indorsed by his |
father at two and a half per cent. Remarked at |
that time that Tyler was either going up or max
ing foolish risks.
Or. s. G. Busey: Had loaned him $4,000 on Sc
curity, an1 never saw anything peculiar in bis
transactions.
John B. Collins: Loaned him $3.50, and saw |
nothing peculiar in his manner Of doing bust |
Iess
The Government with this testimony closed
their case.
District Attorney " ellis made the opening argu- |
ment for the prosecution, and spoke for nearlyOae
hour. At the conclusion Of his address the court |
adjourned until 10 a. IN. to-day.