The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-05
ISDANIEL W. .FIELDINSANE?
THEN VINO SMALL DECIDE WHEN
THE DOCTORS DIsA0REEs
An Expert In . Quandarv-Ths Testimony
that n sherin's Jury Hcard-A Wealthy
Paralytic's Bunerines Incurred Into.

fhreiyuce buuerines inquired Into.
A commission Of inquiry TO determine
upon the mental condition OF Daniel W. Field
was appointed by the Supreme Court on Dec.
10. 1875, on the petition OF Daniel c. FIELD, the
son OF the supposed lunatic; and yesterday tes-
timony was taken before the commissioners
and Sheiin's jury. The elder Field appeared
with his wife, a daughter, and a daughter-in-
law, and was represented by John Gilmore
Boyd, q medlco-legal practitioner. MIR. Field Is
well known 10 . large number OF New Yorkers
as q gentleman OF fortune. His spare frame,
and quiet face surmounted by a head OF hoary
hair, and fringed with chin whiskers and nous
tache as white as snow, are familiar to thou
sands who have passed him on the prone nade
time and again for many years. For a long time
ho has been a paralytIc, and his a1iicton is
plainly evidenced by his trembling and uncer-
tain gait.
DR.. }. +. Briggs testified that he had attended
MIR. Field, Sr., one month, beginning on AUG. 10,
1876. The patient was In a very weak condition,
mentally and physically. lie complained of a
pain In his head, and could not answer aues-
tons intelliglby. He had been attacked with
paralysis In the left side. Did not recognize
anyoody; even his wife was a stranger to him.
| Evidences Of insanity were shown In his never
| satisfied desire for something to which he could
give no name. For two weeks he spoke OF every
body, male and female, as she" On one occa-
sion he saw man smoking In the street. Point,
| Sometimes he addressed bis nurse a. "he."
| Wnen brought 10 a condition In which he could
make hs wishes known he called for that
stun" which, after while, was found to be
morphine and whiskey,t TO the use OF which he
| had been addicted Witness had seen him on
two occasions whom he seemed 70 be under the
| influence OF morphine. His conversation was
totally disconnected ana be was incapsble OF
trans citing business. although he seemed TO I'M
derstand the tenor Of business letters. witness
considered him IN AN unsound state OF mind
and thought that the cause was morphinc.
DR.. Boy. Have you had any difficulty OF any
| Witness-I am plaintiff In a suit against bin
| for $S6, my charge for professional services.
| A Commissioner you cOnfOrmed to the
| law OF 1874 requiring you to get n certificate
from the supreme Court to enable you to testify
| In a lunacy case
| Witness-l have not.
Mrs. Wary Boughton testified that che became
| Mr.. Fields nurse on Aug. L., 1875 and remained
with him two weeks. Her charge was out Of his
| mind at nrs;. but when she left HIN he was able
| TO understand what was said to him. she had
seen him MI up and sign acheck whlc he was
sick. she saw him last on Monday ana then
| he was all isht.'
The witness created much amusement at the
| expense OF DR.. BtiZgs when on the cross-eIam-
| ination she replied to question II was
| while he was taking the medicine that he was In
debilltAtsd condition; but ne kept on im-
His alteration. she said, was more like evi-
| dences of absence OF mind, The nrst intimdton
| that she had OF hs returning 20 consciousness
wa. his calling her by name She had nursed u
great many sane persons who IN sickness acted
Just = Nr. Field did.
Daniel c. Field aged "a. the son OF Daniel W.
Field, gave list Of the members Of his fathers
family, with their ages. lie said that at hs
| grandfathsts death his father and his Uncle
| Leslie oame into possession OF $4,000, each re-
| ceivIng one-half. or hts fathers share there
was only $4,000 or $4,000 left, and no one knew
where the rest bad.sonc. He could not tell how
much real estate was left. What there Is Is In
| Providence. X. !.
| Dr. WIN. A. Hammond took the stand. lie
examined Daniel w. Field on SUNDAY. and found
that he mad had an attack Of hemiplegy, result
Ing from ceret raj hemorrhsgo. The examination
was thorough. and occupied an hour. Mr.. Field
memory and judgment were as good as those oi
any man. He reais and speak. correctly
said DIR. Hammond, =" and knows all about bis
property. lie Is partially paralyzei, and will
never fully recover the use Of his limbs. His
mind Is In the same condition as that OF Gen
| Hooker. but he IA far from being lnsane. On the
| other hand, he has az uch mental ability as II
| IL necessary for any man to posseas.
| DIR. Carnochnn testified that he examined Mr.
| Field on Monday, and WAS with him an hour
His trouble was an attack Of acute paralysis, re-
sulting from an efuson Of blood aud pressure
upon the motor tract. 81 tested his memory
and his judgment, and found them unimpaired
lie Is no more insane than 1 am"
The examination IS TO be resumed next week