New-York tribune., 1881-12-28
A HIGHLY IMPORTANT WITNESS FOR THE
PROSECUTION.
IBY TELEGRAPH To rHE TRIBUNE.

with a single expert witness, but his testi-
mony proved to be so valuable and contained
some matters and important that the tine
was not begrndged, and was disposed to COM
plain because the prosecution, yaryir' from their
recent custom examined him at le The wit
ness was Dr. A. Z. Macdonald. med i superintend-
ent of the New-York City Insane Asylum on Wards
Island where he has over 1900 patients under his
charge, and has had during his seven years in
cumbency over 6,0O0 different patients.
DR.. Macdonald is q man apparently in ths
maturity of youth, of massive build, with large
head squarely set in pair of broad shoulder
lie talked rapidly and clearly, and in the inteDi-
gence of his answers and the frmness with WHICH
he held his positions proved to be one Of the best
witnesses yet uponthe stand. The mostv'luabis
portions of his testimony were those bearing in-
directly upon the class Of insane delnsons Win
which Guteau claims to have been afflicted and
upon Guiteau 3 own statements TO Or. Macdonald
The witness could not remember a single oRe
among his 6, 900 patients who had claimed insT-
ration from within, as Guiteau claims it. Thara
had always been an illusion or halluciDation
through some one of the senses One patient saw a.
letter lying on his desk which was Withdrawn ~
soon as he had read 1t another saw light moving
across the waters of lake, By the shore OF which
he was standing and heard the voice of God speak
ing TO him, and so on.
Insane persons believing themselves inspired
usually proclaim it, and their actions betray tbesF
insane condition as clearly as their words. deiu-
sion of this kind usually makes the insane peTsou
superior TO any fear of personal danger. What arc
called Irresistible impulses" characteristic Of
manlacal insanity and especially of those forms or
il associated with epilepsy. These Irresistible inn
pulses are usually suddenly conceived and dQuickIy
executed The insane usually make few prepiFG-
tions for an assautand show little motive in select
IN the victim, who is likely to be either one CT
the family the first person who comes In the way
There is as a rule, All equal lack Of deberatiou
In their choice of weapon. There is usually No
personal fear. The insane man approaches his VIC
tim boldly, probably from the front, and in soas
dramatic manner and would not be likely to be de-
tered by the thought of the suffering the act would
bring upon third persons. Everyone will see the
bearing of all these statements upon the inconaS-
tency OF Guiteaus long preparation, reticence and
secrecy and the preservation of his usual demeanor
with the theory that he was dominated by an III
sane delusiOD.
The most important part of DR.. Macdonalds testi-
mony however related to his interview with Guitesn
before this trial began. This contained some points
disclosed before. The most sensational Of thess
W. II Guiteau said he did not expect TO spend bis
life in q lunatic asylum after being acquitted
on the ground of insanity. He had been looking zp
the law on that subject, and found that he would
have the right TO demand examination by COM
mission. Then he would be pronounced sane and
be freed. This statement, revealing unsuspectsd
depths of depravity and cunning in the assasslns
plot made a visible stir in the courtroom Guteau
said nothing at the time, but after the recess,
during which time he had evidently been
thinking over the subject or had been
talked with upon 1t, he addressed the Court the
moment he had taken his seat and denied DR.. Mac
donalds sta ement He evidently felt that 1T WAS
a very damaging one. 1t did more 10 tighten the
rope about his neck than any other which has been
made for many days The question that Will nat
urally arise i'll many minds why, If GHiteau lad
entertained such idea, be should disclose it to
man whom he knew to be Government expert Is
perhaps best answered by the explanation befora
made IN these dispatches OF other lncIdents-he Is
Dr. Macdonald was positively of the opinion that
Guit,au was playing part. tie always mahe ms
alluson tO divine inspiration in the same tone OF
Vnire and with the same gestures. Once when lying
down feeling little weak after bath, he began 10
repeat his claim of Inspiration IN the same CONVEX
satonal he had been using, then stopped, RAISED
lmsclf and resorting TO the stereoyped tone and
gesture. began at the beginning and went through
II all DR. MacdOnads account OF the Inspiration
acclaimed by Gmteau was somewhat novel. Gultean
smoke oil the id ea his " conception, and said he
waited several weeks 4" for the Almighty 10 inter-
fere before forming the deliberate purpos,
He heSitated and showed embarrassment when
asked why he practised with his revolver, ana why
| he took measures to obtain troops. la each case
the reply was substantially that the Almighty
didn't make all the arrangements" W tn regard 20
the practising he made remark which soundedJlke
ano her revelation of his many-slded VANITY, as Wen
as being fresh proof of the amazing eiaoorltehess
| with winch the murder of President GarheId WAS
| plauued. his that he wa tel 10 accuston
himself to the sound, because he roIosed 10 10 anu
say certain I'D ngs after the shooting, and qldnt
want 10 be rendered nervous by the noise Of the re-
| yOIYer. =.
his belief that Guiteau had been playing part IN
| coart Many OF them have been already referred
| to Among them were his pietence OF reading news
| paD.rs and books, while he was evidently keenly
listening to all the testimony; his lnterup IONS al
| WAYS made with regard to tie occasion and the
eyi,ience instead of upon an impulse ana Wlthout
cause As would be- the with an insane person;
the cordial greeting To witnesses as they appeared
a narpnty wi some notion II cOucillat.ng them,
| and ,h. abuse of them their testimony pegan 70
tell against hun the variations IN his conduct In
court, apparently follow ING the comments OF news
pap r., as illustrated III to 0aSo VI nA' "iA' ''N"
| ETC., etc. -, -, =, ,,-.-.- Nj
! Gui eau u errnpted MIN In way that seemed eA-
| arlly tl Illustrate what the witness was slylng..
| face sDr Macdonald referred to Gulteaus reading q
| favor lie sentence and no more from DIR. splz&as
letter as "A proof OF his knowing what he was about
| t;ult.tu called out. Dldn't nave chance" Now
| fhe tact WAS tlat the sentence read was the
| yer, ast IN DIR. SpitzAa's letter and the one SEN
! t,u,ce which might do him good II irreguiarly
| hroWu to the jury II was an entirely sane selec-
| non and when Gulteau says he ldn't nave 1ohanee
10 rraI mOre leaving the Impression tlal he WOnid
nav gone on,he KNOWS thdt lnere was llVIAs "iVoh
| that ence =,
| Dr Macdonalds cross-examination brought Out
| nnthIur except to emphasize his previous state
| ments. lie showed himself quick at repartee, out
| t,waya preserved a dignlfcd deIneanor. lie wal
/ a a., me >. when the Court adjourned.