The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-22
TIE MURDER OF CARRUTIT.
THE DEFENCE STILL URGTNG TH1T
lands VAS INSANE.



Cost the Vinclnnd Editor his Lite.
BRIDGEroN, Jan. 2i-Thc presence in the
court room, this morning. Of several persons
known to have been summoned by the State,
indicated that the protracted defence Of Chas.
X. Lands was drawing to a close, and that the
prosecution was preparing to examine witnesses
In rebuttal.
Capt. John A. Ring testified to having hoard
Mrs. Landis say she would cut Landis's throat
from ear to car. witness told Lands what hts
wife had said. and Lands exclaimed, "My Godl
what shall do2" lands seemed to be In CON
slant fear OF assassination, and hired tho witness
to guard his house lie onco mentioned Com
mod ro Moade. his wifo's father, In connection
with persons from whom he feared violence.
Cross-examned Tile witness said he had
heard " a vigil noe committee IN Vincland.
Capt. William " GIN had travelled with Lam
dis to Washington in 1871. At Wilmington wit
ness wished TO have lunch, but Landis refused,
saying there's no day or hour OF his life that he
did not fear assassination, and those way sta
tlons were very dangerous places to stop at In
Washington they went to wilard's Hotel, but
very soon Lands stepped out Of his room In his
shirt sleeves greatly aeitated and seeming to be
IN terror said he would not stay at VIII rd's,
that II was not the place for him 10 lodge and
ne insisted that the witness go with him to tho
Arlington.
Under cross-exsminatlon witness admitted
his principal business IN Washington was to oh
tain Lands's Influence with Secretary Robeson
Tor the advancement Of project which he had
Roheson to push his boat for him II Lands had
assisted him. but Lands became RESTLESS and
excited, and could not be Induced to remain In
Washington beyond the next day. They conse-
| quently vert home without seeing the Secre-
| tnIy The rooms that Lands desired TO quit In
| Nillards, the witness ncknowl wledged, were not
very comfortable, and Landls's judgment was
| not At fault when he persisted In doing so.
MIR. NJ. Wilson was a scholarly, studious look
| inc man, with white hair and beard. aud testi-
lied with respect TO Landiss behavior after
| shooting Carruth. lie said the tragedy was ow-
| ing to an article that appe tred in the Vineland
Independent that day. lie took the slip from his
| pocket and said, Ny wife charges me with be-
in4 the cause OF that. hut God knows was not
| there IL no truth In It,"
The article was produced and read bv Col.
| Potter IL was in effect that n CONSPICUOUS
| Nineiander had purchase a revolver, aud with
| many eudeafing epithets presented IL to his
wife. requesting her To practice pistol shooting.
| He went away for n fcw dayr. ana on returning
| found the walls rcsculbliug "A b I'd c.se Of small
! pox, and the furniture looking - though 1t had
been engaged IN wrestle With burlington
| county hailstorm. The Ninelander went out
| anu Cnntlcutiuilb told every man hc met ia It
| his wife was insane. and he would be obliged
60 send nei to an asylum for lunatics.
lne article was coarse, brutal and stupid but
| the almost impetceptiOls gimineting II truth
! in It, hat nearly a wear ago stirred Lands TO
| desperation aBi CVst Cairuth has lfo, Jared
| painfully ON Lendis's nerves, and he r"ncealed
| hts face bebiud his hands while his counsel read
from the sip clipped iiVm ite TiHslsac !'f,
| pendent
Thomas +. Cors, the deputy sheriff who ar
| rest d L.ndis inter the shooting Of Carruth.
testified az 20 the prisoners Mid an excited
| condition. III" ADDED that Lgndis instructed
! him TO watch trains closely, AS ho app ehended
| persons were goinz to Ninel- nd to XII him
Under cross-eX1mln ition. witness sale many
! dangerous ana susficious men went To VInel md,
and 1t was not at al sir nge that a man situated
| as Lands Vas should feel some dstrlst Of
them.
Mr. Marcus Loomls had several vesrs experi-
! ence Ia an ASYLUM fOf the insane and 10 recalled
| an occasion when lunatic held poker eight
feet long over his head aud would bave dashed
! IL {. J. ID a had ID hat
eyes had the saiur glare aS the witne = had seen
m Landis's immediately after the shooting Of
lie cruss-examnation showed that although
| the witness mad known Lands intimately for
| sanity about him before. and also that the wit
| ness experience with the insane = acquired
"s a. mason in ,acnusetls asylum
gtter the shooting, and BY manipulating with
| biz unRers upon tue crVwnoi the prisoners head
As he sat in Mr. Houses oil e, be tUrew him IN
to mesmeric sleep from which he awoke to
| say upon the subject being spoken Of that he
| knew nothing OF the shooting of Carruth. The
| witness was spiritual o. and mesmetist. and
| practsed medicine IN an unprOfessionHl way.
James l.. Wilson, VINO was Sheriff of Gambler
| land county when Lands was arrested. testined
| that alter the trisoucr nad been few houis in
| Al be called hin Ghe witnrss), aud In avery
| wild and excited manner begged him to pro-
cure rope and hang him at once.
| John Felgin WAS turnkey In the Brdgeton
| jail when Lands was taken there. A few morn
ings afterward the witness found all the clothes
Pulcd ou lanulss bed, ana the prisoner told
him TO take everything out Of his cell IA they
were full OF rats and snakes. lie frequently
complained that rats ran over him In the night
although there had not been a rat or a mouse In
the jail within three years, and snakes were Gu
| trely out Of the question. lie Used to say he
saw pigeons too, whereas the witness knew
! there were no such birds ia the neigh borhood.
| Dr.. Washington j. DuHee was recalled to tes-
| " thAt when at Cape Nav he took the ursoner
to see "A Young gentleman whose foot had been
amput ted. Lands took no Interest at oil In
the case, scarcely noticed the patient, md his
actiOns and looks were 80 wild that the uhysicinn
| was convinced there was some brain trouble
| ana mat the prisoner would die a lunHtic.
| MI. John l.. Durk was rec He'd. and he testified
| 10 having ~ cOnpHnied Mr.. : iwyer and Dr In
| graham TO Landis's house to request MIN not to
attend IA meeting at which CIfrutn was TO be, as
| violence might result. Laudis said no hopod
there would be no violence, but he was deter
mined u 90, and IN the event Of melee he lLIn-
| di1) would tc the hrst victim.
Dr. Isaac RAY had twenty Ave years expert
| ence as Superintendent OF AsVlutns for the In
sane. He testified tnat insanity very frequently
| y SEED over a second gener tOn anu appeared
! in tho third. Transmitted lunacy rarely took
| the me form In the descendant as IN the an
| ce tor In every description ~ insdnity, except
| tnat of raving mania, the sufferer was able -
transact his ordinary business To great or lesser
| degree. II hn insane man II injured. lao Is IA
likely to retallate - a sane Ell he was struCk
| he would strike back again.
GOLD IN ms DREIMS.