Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-12
THE GREAT MURDER TRIAL
TESTIMONY OF DIR SPITZKA.
POSITIVE GUITEAU IS INSANE.
EXCITEMENT THIS AFTERNOON.

| garding the condition of the sick Juror Wormley
| and some fears expressed lest the trial would b.
interrupted. The arrival OF the jury few minute
before II O'Clock, with Wormley among them, Sc
at rest this talk. Wormley had bandage arount
his head, covering his right eye. The trouble Will
the eye, the attendants say, due an old cut
ceived there and not to erysipelas DR.. Spitzka, o
New York, who arrived Saturday, took his place
with the experts for the first time this morning
Ex-POstmaster General Maynard was also presen
and sat with Judge Cox.
| OPENING PROCEEDINGS
The court was called to order very promptly a
II O'Clock. Mr. Scoville, rising, called attention II
| the presence OF DR.. SpitZka. MI. Scovtle said III
| desired to ask the witness Shaw, who was on tn,
stand Friday, few questions.
Mr.. Corkhill said Mr.. Shaw had been discharged
| and gone home.
ton since Friday upon which he wanted to cues
ton Mr.. Shaw, and he would have to summon hin
as witness for the defence.
A New York Expert Testifies that Gui'
! teau is Insane.
DR.. Edward Charles Spitzka, a gentleman, 81
years OF agewith an English hair, was then sworn
| and testified that he was physician OF New York
| that he had made a specially Of the branches o.
nervous and mental diseases for nearly six years
having studied 1t in Vienna and In this country. He
nad Deen called as an expert in insane cases TWEEN
ty-f1Ve or twenty-SX times; he examined the pris
oner yesterday in jail; had never before seen him
| OF that examinations"
II will not unless the court compels me-" said
the witness.
"You Will have to answer" said the court.
The result OF my examination" said the
witness, twas that found the man insane"
Did YOU" asked Mr. scoville, "have any doubt
Not the slightest"
The witness replies created some sensation In
court.
"He had. he continued, "examfned the prison
er's eyes with the ophthamoscope and the pulse
Win an instrument known as the sphymOgraph.
Ihe result oil these examinations was that both
the eye ana pulse were found healthy. There was
nothing In those particulars to change his opinion
CnaC tile man was insane; as neither OF those cir
cumstances is necessary to establish the question of
sanity. 1t would be difficult to him to explain to q
Jury not composed OF experts. he said, the fea-
mans insanity was tendency to the formation of
delus1ve opinions and morbid projects; there is
marked element Of imbecility OF Judgment, and
from his face he Judged he was moral imbecile,
or rather moral mOnstrOsfty. He had the insane
manner as well marked as he had ever seen it in an
asylum. 1t was consistent with some forms Of in
SANITY that man should have an accurate men,
Ory and quick perception
Ms; Mi; seoyl!ie then propoqnded hypothetical
OF the one which he submitted to the other ex-
pertS, with some new questions enlarg:ng upon
prisoner.
When the hypothetical question had been SUBJ
mitted to him the witness Sahl:. II decline to an
Swer any hypothetical question In d case where l
The cOncluSOnS.n
Mr.. scoyIlle then included DR.; spitzka's conclu-
81 should say said the witness '.that the person
whom examined had been more or less In NOR
bid mental state ali hts life. and that he was prob
ably insane at the time which you mentioned I'D
OF july"
DR.. SPITZKA CROss>RxAAINED.
DR.. Spitzka was cross-eXanlined by Mr.. Davidge,
who asked: ''What do you mean by insanity"
"That is question which never attempt to
co1 skH4n~
proximate answer" he added. aud then ratified of
long definition, which completely overwhelmed
the counsel.
The witness being asked as to the responsibility
or responsibility OF the prisoner the court ruled
the question as one OF law and not for medical
opinion.
The witness was asked II he had ever applied for
position in an insane asylum. and replied that he
had written letters looking towards securing posi-
that-at Danville. Pa He had applied for posi-
ton at Blackwelrs island at the request OF the
superintendent. DR.. Mcdonald.
some questions were asked to show that the wit
ness had been professor OF comparative anatomy
in veterinary college: Mr.. Davidge having pur-
sued his questions on this point 70 some length the
witness mentioned over distinguished men who
had been engaged in the same branch. 81 have no
THE question has been asked before from 5dsges-
uons IONS coming g from certain Quarter"
had practiced veterinary surgery, the witness
said, with some asperity: 81 never have treated
any animal but the ass, and that animal had two
legs"
Mr. Dav1dge having asked more questions on the
same subject, the witness made IA reference to
"aSSeS who ask stupid questions"
Being asked II he was not an expert and did not
hold himself out to testify in insanity cases the
witness said: II am willing to testify TO questions
m IN INSANITY Where ] receive respectable fee. In
me to Jersey City. II had desired to sell my ser
vice would now have been sitting behind you"
treferring TO Mr.. Davilge), "becaIse had an op-
portunity OF going as an expert for the prosecu-
tion."
GUITEAU's FIRST REMARK.
''Thats the way you get all your witnesses,
said Guiteau, looking towards Mr.. Davidge.
'.Who gave you the opportunity to testify for the
prosecution?r asked Mr.. Davidge
''Judge Porter" said the witness
"Where was this offer made?n
''The application was made on a Monday after
noon, at my Office" The witness explaining fur
ther. said Judge Porter made visit to him and
asked him If he could be OF any service to the
prosecution, and he lthe witness) told him that he
already had formed convictions In the case. Mr.
Porter told him that otherwise he would have en-
ployed him as an expert for the prosecution The
witness told Judge Porter that he had been ap-
preached on behalf OF the Defence but did not
care TO take part on either side of the case. The
witness had at that time seen the mans picture,
and read his document, and his HEREDITARY his
tory and the almost unanimous opinion of the
la1ty who had seen the man. Upon that he had
Porter. He referred to the letter addressed to Gen.
Sherman the letter in which he spoke OF the Paris
cOnSulsmp, the one In connection with a certain
lady he was 10 marry, and other letters.
Tne witness was examined at great length to
bring out the details OF his examination Of the
prisoner at the jail; he went there with Mr. SEQ
Vile; followed in behind other visitors and was
pre- sented to the prisoner as Prof. Brown, phre-
nolOgist. Being asked If he did not think the
prisoner had been trained to act part when he
called, the witness said he knew nothing about it,
Il saw this gentleman in nay CELL" INTERRUPTED
tne prisoner; but did not knew who he was. I
Being asked II he Thoughts Guiteau knew the
dlnerence between right and wrong, the witness
SalQ Inat =" II he were asked Il the prisoner who
had Deen lawyer, knew the legal consequences
OF an act, ne would say YeaS but that was not
the witness standard OF right and wrong"
II haven't been lawyer foc,flve or six years
judge" said the prisoner, stao that doesn't help
Among the things the prisoner told the witness
at the Jal was that when he got out OF jail he
would keep out OF the war for three or four
months, and then come back and lecture. He had
come to the conclusion tha& the killing Of the
President had been the resulted morbid project
based upon delusfve opinions
"Are not all murders, asked II. Davidge. ''the
result OF morbid projects?"
"On the contrary" said thAwttness, think
such case is great exception I am not one OF
those who think crime and in9Antty are identical"
Most murders, the witness said, are not committed
on account Of morbid projects put from sane mo-
uveS."
GuITRAU DENIES DRPRAyHY IN HIS CASE.
The witness admitted that depravity was an