The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-29
Guifeau-s Sanity.

Guifeau's Sanity.
DRs. N'DONALD, OF NEW YORK; RANDOLPH
BARKsDALE, OF RICHMOND, AND CALENDER,
OF NASHVILLE, BELIEVE THE PRISONER
SANE AND ONLY ACTING A PART.
WASHINGTON, December 2s.-In the Gut
team case DR.. Mcdonald again took the
stand this morning, and was cross-eX-
amined by Mr.. ScOville. The questions
were directed mainly TO the subject of tenn
porary insanity, and witness was asked il
/ in his practice he had not met instances OF
temporary insanity. He replied: Yes,
SIR; know Of a man who was insane for
twenty-fOur hours"
Mr.. Scoville eagerly: "And then he
got we'll"
"No, sir; he died" daughter at Mr..
Scoville's eXpcnse.l
The witness was asked what he meant
yesterday by saying, 81 think he (the pris-
oneI) has been playing a part in court"
and replied: 81 believe he has been feign-
ing what he believed to be insanity-not
really insanity. believe he has been at
tempting to give the impression on the
Court that he is insane, and with that idea
he has been acting part"
DIR. Randolph Barksdale, superintendent
OF the Central Lunatic Asylum, near Rich
mond, Va, visited the prisoner at the jail
on the 30th Of November, when DrS. Lo-
ring and Hamilton examined him. lie had
also closely observed him in court, and
from his personal examination and Obser-
walton was of the opinion that he was sane.
The witness also testified that he believed
Guiteau had been .feigning in court. The
witness believed in taking as true facts set
forth in the two hypothetical questions OF
the prosecution that the prisoner was sane
on The I'd Of July when he shot the Presi-
dent.
Upon REORGANIZATION the witness stated
that he did not believe in moral insanity,
and thought it quite probable that insane
people might plan and conceal their plans.
Question: Have you not stated to Mr..
HAYDEN i'm tins courtroom since this trial
began that you believed Guiteau to be III
Sanei"
Answer: "No, sir; never made such 4
statement TO any person here or anywhere"
! Afterwards. by consent % counsel on both
sides, the question and answer were strick-
en- from the official report.
DR.. John H. Calender, Of Nashville,
Tenn, superintendent OF the Tennessee
| State Asylum for the Insane, had given
special attention to the study OF insanity
| for the past twelve years. lie had seen
about two thousand cases during his con-
neciion with the Tennessee asylum. The
witness visited the prisoner in Jail and cX-
amined his head and face. lie found bis
| head somewhat asymmetrical, but the lack
OF symmetry was not more than is ire
quently found in sane people. The wit
ness had also loosely observed the prisoner
/ i'm court, and believed him TO be perfectly
sane.
DIR. Calender did not believe in moral
insanity nor hereditary insanity, save only
in the idea OF greater susceptibility to de-
yeopment OF insanity in children OF insane
parents. In his judgment no such form OF
/ insanity as "mOral insanity" existed, and
his idea OF the significance of the term
"m0ral insanity" is person OF average
/ intellect who gives free vent TO evil pas
sionS and commits heinOus crimes. a hy-
pOthetical case was stated, describing
Guiteau's apparently sane conduct for
weeks previous To his crime, and the
witness was asked if he thought person
laborng under an insane delusion that lac
was inspired would conceal his purpose
as theprisoner had done. lie replied that
such person really insane would, even IL
he did not talk about it, disclose his pur-
pose by his changed manner and CONVEX
satiOn.
Guiteau prefaced the reading OF the
hvpothctical ease by the statement that the
whole question was full OF falsehoods, and
added that he made this statement before
hand to avoid interruption as the reading
went on.
After recess the prosecuting counsel re-
newed his motion that Guteau be placed
in the prisoners dock, and after some dis
cussion he was so placed. During the dis
cussion. Guiteau, trembling with anger
or apprehension, shouted that the District
Attorney wished TO have him shot in eN-
Dosing him i'm the dock and Withdrawing
the force Of special policemen who have 50
long formed his bOdy-guard about the
court.
Mr.. Scoyille, with much feeling, protest
ed against such action, which, he said,
could not be but understood as an invita-
tion to all who heard OF it TO shoot the
prisoner il so inclined.
Judge Cox gave his opinion that no GER
tain measure to secure the prisoners silence
could have been taken that would not have
abridged his constitutional rights, and il
had been deemed, and the Judge thought
rightly, that the prisoners behavior and
utteranccs would prove the means OF de-
termining his mental condition.
Guiteau, in his most insinuating manner,
promised to keep quiet ii allowed foreman
near his counsel.
judge Cox refused, when Guiteau shout
ed, "Then | move, your Honor, that the
courtroom be cleared"
After Guiteau was placed in the dock The
plaster cast of his head was shown Dr.. CAL
lender.
When il was exhibited Guiteau exclaimed
that il looked like IIumpty-Dumpty. Wit
ness thought his head showed no striking
peculiarities Of shape, but he attached lii
Tie importance TO that matter. lie had
known plenty of people OF sound mind
with ill-shaped heads, and bad plenty OF
lunatics in his charge with symmetrical
heads. Witness did not believe Guiteau
had been feigning insanity in the court
room, but that lie had exaggerated his
natural characteristics of egotism and yani-
ty, insolence and audacity.
Guiteau continued 10 interrupt Occa-
sionally. and when the adjournment was
announced he called out, "Oh, III get IN
my work over here; don't you worry
about that"
Texas Casualties.