National Republican., 1881-12-06
THE SCENES AND INCIDENTS

Hall for the purpose ofsatisyng morbid curiosity
The assassin seems TO understand the motive which
actuates the crowd. and does all in his power to
turn the proceedings into a farce for their
benefit. Yesterday the opening of the court was
dclnyedt ten minutes past eleven o'clock, ,us Judge
Cox was busily engaged in the Circuit Court ex-
amining into the qualifications OF grand and
petit jurors for the ensuing term. When the as.
sassin appeared It was observed that he was some
what improved in appearance, having had his
hair and beard trimmed.
HE WAS IN RESTLESS STATE
from the time he was brought into the courtroom
till taken away In the afternoon, and the specta-
tors were kept In ovlal humor by his eccentrici
ties and remarks during the examination of
witnesses. It was expected that the opening Of
Congress would dctract from the interest some
what but the crowded condition Of the room
proved the contrary to be the fact. For once
IN long time tho male sex prcdominated,
and there was heavy fringe Of colored spec
tators along the walls near the platform. Ex-
Speaker Randall was early in attendance, having
been served with q subpoena, but upon stating to
Mr.. Scovillc that he would not probably have
much time to spare before Wednesday he was ex-
cuscd from appearing again.
1t was expected that President Arthur would
be put on the stand. but in conference Sunday
with Messrs. Scovilc and Reed II was decided that
to attend before to-day and ut four o'clock yester
day afternoon he had another interview with the
counsel for the defense as to the points he would
be asked to testify upon.
DIR. James q. KiernRn
was called as the first of the expert witnesses.
As soon as he was sworn the prisoner broke
out; Before any expert testimony begins
he said, ~ desire to make short speech. The
very point which want the experts to pass upon
Is eis have stated II repeatedly and will do II
do an Illegal act from power beyond him which
he cannot recnll-when his moral agency Is
dominated-I want these experts TO say whether
that Is sanity or insanity"
The Court-They will be heard on that subject
Witness testified that he has been praciicng
physician for eight years. He Is now managing
editor of the Chicago Medical Reren, and lectures
on mental diseases ut the Chicago Medical College
He has made study OF mental discusses since 1874.
Assuming II to be II fact that there was strong
hereditary tant of insanity In the blood of the
prisoner ut the bar; also that Mt about the age OF
thirty-iiye years his own mind was so much de-
ranged that he was t subject to be sent to an in
sane asylum also that, at different times amer
that date during the next succeeding five years,
he manifested such decided symptoms of In
persons conyersing with him and observing his
conduct believed him insane; also that In or about
the month of June, 1881, at about the expiration
of said term of five years, he became dominated by
the idea to remove by death the President of the
United States; also that he acted on what he be-
lieved to be such inspiration and ON what he be-
the preparation for and in the accomplishment OF
such purpose also that he committed the act OF
shooting the President under what he believed
to be divine command, which he was not
at liberty to disobey, aud which belief made
out n conviction which controlled his conscience
and overpowcrcd his will to that act, so that he
could not resist tho mental pressure upon him
also, that Immediately after the shooting he APP
peared calm, and as IL relieved by the perform
sGSe of great GG "SS that There no S,hs,
that he was executing the divine WILL for the good
of his country. Assuming all these propositions u
oncr was sane or insane at the time OF his shoot.
ing President Garfield p Psesuming these propo.
sldons to be true, should say that the prisoner
was insane"
"Have you any doubt about t?" "No SIR"
CROSS ENAhISATIoS by MR.. DAvIDGB
Witness is thirty years of age He does not be.
1ieve In future state of rewards and punishments
University of New York city. Had never beer
superintendent of an insane asylum but had been
connected with the department for the insane on
Wards Island. lie had been assistant physician
there at one time, and, practically assistant physi
clan for the greater part of the time. Was apothe'
cary to the asylum from 1875 to 1873. Was dis.
missed for refusing TO sign paper IN a case OF
violence, and for discussing medical subjects. DR.
Macdonald was then superintendent of the asylum
Was never clerk IN drugstore, Never entered int
ungent fee Did not make such profier In the
Leslie will case Heard all the evidence in thi,
case.
Assuming the evidence submitted to the Jury
10 be true do you mean to state that that evidence
makes out strong case of heriditary insanltyY,
Question objected 10 by Mr.. Scoville. In the
discussion of the question the testimony in regard
10 the sanity or insanity of the prisoners flthel
was alluded to- The prisoner took part in IL by
saying that IL was the opinion of all the good citi
zens Of Freeport that his father was badly cracked
on religion.
Thomas North he would regard Luther W. Gui.
teau as n person Of rather dubious mental con
dition, He had not enough fact to form an exac
opinion upon.
THE testimony in reference to some of the pris
oner's relatives having been summarized, the wit
ness was asked whether, in his Judgment, tina
evidence made ont strong hereditary taint o
Insanity in the blood of the prisoner. His answe
was: Taking all that into consideration shoult
certainly write the case as one Of hereditary in
Are you disciple Of the school Of moral in
You believe that the mind Of man may no
be diseased and YET his moral nature may be dis
mind Is diseased"
"And although you could discover no menta
lesion whatever, still you think that man ma!
be irresponsible for crime on the ground of mora
Witness was inquired of In connection with tn,
testimony of DR.. Rice, that he had once recon
mended the prisoner 10 be sent to an insane asy
lum and the witness stated that he should thinl
that IL the prisoner had then been sent to lunati
asylum he would not have been discharged wit
ness was not Influenced in his opinion by the com
mon idea that the prisoner was Insane. His opiu
tendency; second, upon the testimony of DIR. Ricl
as TO the impairment of the prisoners judg
ment aud his moral excitement; and, third, upoI
the prisoners strong conviction that he had mis-
sion from God to fulfill in the removal of III,
"And on these elements alone you would give
the opinion that the prisoner was insaneT' :"
Witness had come in contact with patients Ia
boring under delusions OF having mission frou
the Deity, He gave one instance Olan insane maj
IN Chicago, who had divine revelation that hi
wife was unfnithful 10 him, and should be 70
moyedi and yet that man, instead Of killing hi
wife, set TO work to remove her by divorce. Thi
was in illustration Of the proposition that insane
men often act as sane men do. He instanced an
other case of a patient on Wards Island, nameC
Williams, who used TO claim that he was inspired
by God to do certain things. Witness did no
think that man believing himself commissioned
by God would bear himself vey differently from
sane man, lie would be governed In a genera
way by his own specific characteristics. II woult
not depend up ths 9xiiyy Of pi,Il, The belief
into my brain, aud leaves me to work Il out in m,
own way. That is the way get my Inspiration
God does not employ fools TO do His work. III
gets the best brain he can find.
suppose man told you that he had grant
inspiration (say to say q ruler) and suppose yol
watched his conduct and behavior, and Il turned
out 10 be that of vulgar criminal all tire wa!
through, what would YOU think OF his Statement
that he had divine commlsdonY'
The Prsoncr-Ihere is no vulgar criminal II
this case. Please leave the vulgar out.
Mr Scoville objected to the question, becaus
the witness opinion OF what was vulgar Nigh
di fer from the coun,ols,
The Prisoner-Nothng vulgar about this case
II is all high toned.
Mr.. Davidge 10 the witness)-Assume that a maj
says ~ you am commissioned by God 70 slay
ruler and You follow the conduct and behayio
and operations of tnat man for six weeks and fin'
them to be those of an ordinary, sane man, wha
weight would you give TO his deelarauonH
The Witncss-li am to assume the condition o
things which you sule, have 10 answer that
would not give any weight % his declaration.
"And you would give much or little weight TO
according to the ratio between his conduct am
behavior and operations and his declarauOnP p :"
would not undertake 10 say hat because insan
men do not o..en reason logically on false pre-
misses"
" Is anything more common than for the insan
10 reason logically on false premisesY' "They ma
appear u do so but you cannot say how muo
logic eutefs into their reasoning,
Is II not an uncrrlng sign OF insanity Tor ~