The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-17

OFFERED BY THE COMMONWEALTH T(
| PROVE THAT ACCUSED is SANE ENOUGH
INsTEUCTIoNs-ARGUM FOR PROSE:
| CUTIoN OPENED BY MIR. PEYToN.
The court was called TO order at /
O'Clock, but the trial OF Bacciga!upo was no
resumed until about y O'Clock. There wa
some trouble about witnesses.
| Prisoner was brought up from Jail hand
cufled. and placed IN the prisoners box un
| I'll proceedings were commenced.
Sergeant Lee called over the list Of wit
ne$scs for defence. His Italian pronuncia
ton was very much admired. It was quit,
equal to Claude Me'nottc's.
FINED FOR CONTEMPT.
| II appeared that Anastasios Tomai (fruit
vendor OF Ninth street above Main) hat
been summoned rs a witness for the defence
He declined 10 come. The Judge issued ar
attachment against him. and he was subse
quently brought, badly frightened, before
Der OF questions, which Mr.. Salamone
as q friend Of the culpri:, proceeded TO in
terprct. Mr.. Salamone stated That Toma
had not un derstood the SUMMONS, owinctc
| his ignnrancc OF our language, &C. Dep
! uty-Scrgeant Tyler spoke up and informed
! the Judge that he had summoned Toma
! and clearly explained what case il was he
was wanted in. and Tomai said he wasn't
going to close mp his place OF business tc
come. The Judge directed that fine OF
so be entered up against Tomal. Mr.
Salalnone protested that Tomai was poor
man. &c. whcrcupon the Judge replied
MIR. Salamone, propose to conduct the
business OF this Court" Tomai was sent
into the prisoners box.
| Defence concluded that they would not
put him upon the stand.
Later, j. II. Signiago was fined $40 for
! not coming when he was summoned. And
! then 1t was found that he knew nothing
about the case and WAS dismissed, after pay.
ing the fire.
FURTHER TESTIMONY FOR DEFENCE.
Mr.. Castigliona testified to extraordinary
conduct OF prisoner in January. Had 4
roll Of money (about $4,000 loose in his
pocket. Prisoner was not drunk, but
flighty.
John Podesta, eight or ten months ago,
was told by prisoner that he had been
dru@gcd. Accused his cousin OF trying TO
injure him. His conversation was wild.
Andrew Baccigalupo, first cousin OF pris-
oncr. said sometimes Angelo would speak
TO him when they met, sometimes he
wouldn't. Angelo some months AGO told
him that inc had been druggcd. Witness
told him that he didn't believe 1t. Angelo
then accused witness of bcin" the rinclcadcr
Of his enemies. and got mad with him.
John ChieSa and &. Alluisl were next en-
amincd and related incidents to show that
prisoner had been, prior to the Stabbing,
very absurd in his conduct. 10 say the least
McSsrS. Signia@o and Carmichael were cX-
amncd rs to points bearing upon eccentric
conduct OF prisoner
Mrs. BaccigaIupo had made remark to
Mr.. Carmichael about prisoner not being
right in the head. Mrs. Bacrigalupo, in
her interview with DR.. Mcclure before
marriage, had asked the Doctor if he was
all right about the head.
REBUTTING TESTIMONY.
DR.. Bealr, surgeon OF the Jail, was put
upon the stand by the Commonwcalth'S At
torncy Prisoner had told him that he was
well, but asked to be allowed to have beer.
Saw some liberated places in his mouth.
His stomach was in good order. Gave him
permission to have beer until he found that
he was abusing the privilege, when lie for
baGc it, and prisoner then requested TO be
allowed TO have pop, which was granted.
Could not see that the prisoners mind was
affected. Discovered no trace OF insanity.
He had been using tobacco immodcrately,
and he found it necessary to regulate his
supply. Thought homicdal monomania
quite rare in this country.
VITAL QUESTION.
DR.. Bcalc did not claim to be an expert
rs to insanity. but showed that he had had
great opportunities to observe, and much
acquaintance, as surgeon to the Jail, with
lunatics.
Commonwealths-Att Wise asked
DIR. Bcale the following question:
Suppo>ing it to be true that the prisoner
was under the impression that some one
had dragged his whiSkey, and had cftcn
communicated that impression TO others ;
Suppo>ing it to be true also that lie was pos
sc>scu Of m idea that his wife was false to
him, do these facts modify your opinion rs
IN eXpert as to his sanity; and If so. to
what extent, particularly rs affecting his
reasoning powers?
Defence objected to the question. Argu-
ment followed.
Recess from $50 to ) p. NJ.
Evening Session.
The Court decided that the question was
an improper one, because the witness stated
that lie had never made insanity special
1
rect the mind Of the witness to the time OF
the offence, or TO anv other time; and was
therefore Objectionable for vagueness.
DACCIGALuPo's DELUSION.
Dr.. |. II. White was next sworn rs 4 wit
ness for the Comm onwcalth. lie had been
more than once consulted by prisoner, and
had examined him in Jail. Attributed the
cruptions to his disease in its secondary
form. Thought the only deviation from the
normal operation Of his mind was in the
delusion that something had tccn put into
his wine or coffee. Thought this delusion
would not affect his general reasoning facul-
ties. He would, under the deiusion, act
lust as if his premises were correct. There
are many false beliefs in the minds Q; peo-
pie.
DR.. White. speaking Of his visit to the
imi. described some eccentric Conduct on
the pant OF prisoner. lie also stated that
prisoners disease would sometimes affect
the brain. Had seen paralysis produced by
it. Prisoner certainly had delusion, but
witness wauid not say that it is an insane
deluSion.
NOTHING THE MATTER WIFE PRISONER.
Mr.. Miller had known prisoner very well
since he came to Richmond. Saw him near
" every day. Never noticed anything
strange. He would look at you us " II he
is crazy, but he is not crazy-there Is no.
thing tue matter with him."
To Mr.. j. s. Wise: | live ON Eighth
street near Mrs. Baccigalupo, and Keep a
clothing store. Never spoke TO pilsoner IN
my life.
THE TRICKED WINE.