Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-28
GUITEAU.
Tho Assassin Boasts of his Christ
mas Dinner.
He says that his Insanity is Of the
Abraham" Glass.
Superintendent Of an Insane Hos
pital on the Stand.


Iuiteau reached his seat he looked |
-round, and smiling, said: q had |
ice Christmas dinner, and hope
very body else did. / had lots of
ruit, flowers, and lady visitors, and
. good time generally"
DR.. A E. Mcdonald, superintend
ent of Wards Insane Hospital, took
The stand. Witness had during his
practice 5000 cases of insanity un-
ler his charge. Had given special
to the study Of insanity.
He stated the difference between
& delusions and /" insane delusions,"
the former being subject of correc-
ton by judgement and senses,
the latter not being correcti-
bic, and for that reason de-
nominated insane deluslon.
He believed, Judging from his OBJ
servations and experience, that the
claim of inspiration, frequently as
serted by insane persons, proceeds
from some hallucinatlon of feeling Of
the senses. The witness was asked
If persons acting under the claim OF
inspiration would indicate it III any
other way than by their assertions,
and replied &" their actions and be-
havior would Indicate it as we'll as
their assertions. In answer to the
question If such a person would feel
auy apprehension OF bodily injury or
take any precautions against danger,
he said: Inspiration always over
rides all fear of bodily injury and
renders the person who believes he Is
acting under inspiration, wholly OBJ
ltvlyus to sucn considerations.
They seldom plan with deiberatiOn,
but on the contrary, their acts are
Sudden in both conception and exc
cujion as rule, and they seldom at
tempt to execute as rule, and sell
dom attempt to avoid the consequen
ces In any way.
Guitvau suggested that there were
two kinds Of insanity, the crank in
sanity and Abraham insanity, and
that he belonged to the latter class.
The witness described what is com
monty called temporary insanity, and
sad ne did not belleye III such Insan-
ity, and in ali his experience Lad
nsver seen an instance vi it.
DR.. Macdonald did not believe in
hereditary insanity as an occasional
defect. 1t might be transmitted, bat
not the disease itself, as a rule.
! The descendant OF insane persons do
not become insane. Ii they did,
every body in the world would by
this time be insane. The tendency
was more towards the health than
the importance of the disease
Neither did he believe in moral in
sanity. The phrase is recent and
! has been SINCE its invention.
another name for wickedness or
craft. 1t was first used during the
French Revolution to excuse
81 lighters OF that period.
The counsel for prosecution in
| putting the question, referred to DR.
| Spltzka as horse doctor, and to
another witness as an "aguostic. y
S5Oville called attention to these re
fl lotions upon the witnesses for the
offence, and Judge Cox sustained
the obi lection, and the offensive terms
were withdrawn.
DR.. Macdonald said that in his n
terView with Gulteau, the latter h ID
spoken of his act as conception
of his own" His phrase0logy
through out the in erview, was q va
ration upon conceived the idea.
he did not then speak of inspirat on,
and said he h d conceived the ide
about six weeks before carrying i
into execution. He had alteady
sad 1t was the act of God
Guiteau in reply to Macdonald :
question, why he had not left the ex
ecution of the idea to God as well a:
It's conception, replied that God lef
lnatters OF detail to His chosen in
struments. Guiteau had discussed
t le question Of insanity with Mac.
Donald, and to him had said he ha
been looking up the question of in
sanity, and while he was not medical
ly insane he was legally insane, an
expected acquittal On that ground
and could be sent to an asy
ium; that after being there
short time he would appl,
for commission of inquiry
which of course would 6pd that h
was not insane, and his discharg
. would follow.
, Macdonald saw nothing in Cru
teaus face or the shape of his hea
to indicate insanity.
+ The District attorney put the dl
4 rect question to Macdonald wbethe
e from his personal examination an
careful consideration of the prisone
; during the trial, he considered hir
9 sane or insane?
i Macdonald replied: Il believ
a him to be sane man.
!, 10 1urther questions MACEDONIA
/, said he believed Guiteau had bee
playing a part in the courtroom. Z
had carefully watched him whe
: making his assertion that he ha
i. been prompted by diety, and hs
o observed that his gesticulation, i
:, tervention and facial expressie
II while using this expression were a
: ways the sans except once Cru
; ; teau during an interview in Jail, a,
: parently forgetting his part, ha
Q completed the assertion in an ordi
: ary conversation-always, but su,
S denly recalling himself he stoppt
and commenced the declaration oy
J again with the familiar effects.
AS to Guiteau's habit of interrur
ing the court, DR.. Mcdonald did n