New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-06
rrlL REpoRT oF PROCEEDINGS.


fhe fonrt week OF tie Guiteau trial showed no dlnuh
zion OF public interest Notwithstanding the counter
attraction assembling of Congress today the court
room was packed fully usual for half an hour be-
fore the proceedings began Judge Cox having been Gu
Gagged in the organization of grand and petty Juros
I'm fine Circuit Court ROOM did into the court
until lI:IOa. IN. The prisoner WAS Immediately ater
ward led and took his seat beside his counsel
After his hands were uunanaced he shook hands with
Lis brother and sister, and then DIR. James g. Herman
WAS called rs the first OF the expert witnesses As
soon as Or Kiernan sworn the prisoner said:
Before any expert testimony begins desire to make
short sue,h The very point which want the experts
10 pass II pom is thsI have stated 1t repeatedly ana VIII
do 1t again When a claims that hets compelled TO
do an Illegal act from power beyond him. which he
cannot recall where his moral agency is dominated
want these experts say whether that is insanity or
sanity"
The Court-Thoy VIII be heard that subject
DIR, Herman testified that he has been practising
,hvsic for eight years; he is now managing editor Of
ghe dhtcago Medical Repero, and lectures mental
diseases III the Chicago Medictl College lie had made
a study OF mental diseases since 1874
O-Assming ii to he fact that there was strong ne
,edary faint OF insanity the blood of the prisoner at
The bar: also that at the Of hiryve his
own mind was much deransed that he was ut sub
leot 10 he sent insane asylum also that at dier
ent times that date during the next succeeding
five wears he manifested such decided symptoms Of in
ronvereng with him. and observing his conduct. be
Ileved him 10 insane also that in about the month
of June 1881 about the expiration OF said term
of five years. he beoame deuented by the idea that
he was inspired by God to by DEATH the Pres
1en of the United States also that no acted what he
believed such Inspiration, and ON what he believed
80 be in accordance with the Divine will ia the prepare
ton for and I'm the plishment OF such purpose
uso that committed the act Of shooting the Presi-
dent under what he believed 10 be Divine command
which not at liberty to disohey and which beef
made ont "a conviction which controlled his conscience
and his will that act so that he could
mt resist the mental pressure upon him also. that I'm
tnedatcly after the shooting he appeared
calm and as If relieved by the performance
OF great duty; Also that there other adequate
motive for the act than the conviction that he was
executing the Divine will for the good Of his country
assuming all OF these propositions to be true, state
whether your opinion the prisoner was sane or insane
At the time OF shooting President Garfield A-Assuin
ing these propositions TO be true should say that the
prisoner was insane
DR. KIIRNAN RELIEVES THE PRISONER is INSANE.
Q-Haye yon any doubt about itf A.-No, sir.
Crosse1amued by Mr.. Davdge.-witness is
thirty years of age; he does not believe
Inert; is graduate of the Medical Department
OF the University Of NewYork City; has never been SUI
perintedeut insane asylUm but has been connect
Ell with department for the insane Oh Wards Island
he had assistant physician there at time aud
practically physician for the greater part OF the
time vas apothecary to the asylum from 1875 to 1873
a Il
violence aud for discussing a medical subject; Dr.
Macdonald then superintendent OF the Asylum /;
was clerk in drug store; never entered INTO an
rrar cement TO testify az an expert Tor contingent fee
did make such proer IN the Leslie viii case heard
o-Assuming the evidence submitted to the Jury to be
true do yon mean to state that evidence makes out
Question objected to by Mr. Scovie. In the discussion
insanity OF the prisoners father was alluded to- The
prisoner took part In It by saying Il was the opinion
was badly cracked on religion.
The witness stated t9at on the testimony Of Thomas
North he would regard L. w. Guiteau person in
rather dubious mental condition; he had not enough
facts 20 form an exact opinion upon
relatives having been sumnarized. the witness was
strong hereditary faint OF insanity in the blood Of the
prisoner His answer Taking all that into
sideraton, should certainly say the OF
o-Are Won a disciple Of the school OF moral Insanity
Ayes; believe IN moral insanity
Q-You believe that the mind Of may not DO
Diseased and yet his moral nature may be diseased A.
When the moral nature Is diseased the mind is dis
Q~And although you could discover no mental lesion
whatever, si you think that Inan would be irrcspOn
s5bie for crime the ground OF moral insanity A.
In answer to question referring to the testimony of
Or Rceinst pc nad once the prisoner 70
should think that the prisoner had then been sent 20
lunatic asylum be would not have been discharged Wit
noss was not influenced in his opinion 10y the
His opinion based first upon the strong hereditary
me impairment OF prisoners gment and his moral
excitement and third upon the prisoners strong
vction that he had mission from God to fulfil In the
reInoyal OF the President
Q.-And on these elements alone yen would give the
opinion that the prisoner is insanei Al should
Tue witness had come into court with patients aborfng
under decisions OF having missions from the Deity
He gave one instance OF an insane man in
Chicago, who had Divine revelation that his
wife was unfaithful 70 him, and should be removed
and yet that instead of killing his wife, set to work
30 remove her by divorce This was an Illustration OF
proposition that insane often act as sane men
He also told OF the OF patient Wards Island
named Williams who used to claim that he was inspired
y God do certain things Witness did not think that
hman believing himself commissioned by God would
bear himself very differently from q man; he
would be governed in general way by his own specific
chaacteristes it would not depend upon the h1y OF
the belief.
my brain, aud leaves 10 work 1t in my way
shat Is the way get my inspiration God docs not
pioy fools do His work lie gets the best brains He
can find.
Q,-suppose man told you that he had grand In
opiration-say to slay rul6r-and suppose you
Watched his conduct and behavior aud turned out
be that OF vulgar criminal all the way through, what
would you think Of his statement that he hsd Divine
commission gs