Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-12-30

brain was detected.
Examination continued with fre
quent objections on the part of the
prosecution, requiring the ruling of the
court. As witness was about TO retire
Guiteau said: "Allow me to ask t. you
hold the opinion that a man cannot be
insane in a specific act without having
a deceased brain"
Scoville assented to the qustion and
witness replied that insanity meant
disease of the brain.
Guiteau asked another question, but
Judge Porter suggested to witness that
he hold no colloquy with the criminal
Guiteau (angrily)-I am no criminal
any more than you are. 1 am my own
| counsel, and | have as much right to
speak as you have; wait till am con-
victed before you call me a criminal,
stand, great deal better outside than
you do. Plenty of people will say that
| am bigger man than old Porter.
DR.. John Strong of Cleveland, visited
the Jail and investigated the mental
and bodily condition of the prisoner;
as he was about to state the results of
his examination, Guiteau looked up
and said: " Doctor let me cut this short
by saying that l am in a good physical
condition, and as sane as you are.
| There is good deal of useless rubbish
being dragged into this case; let US cut
it short"
Mr.. Shew, superintendent of the
Connecticut hospital for the insane,
said he had made two examinations of
the prisoner at the jail. for the pur-
pose of discovering his mental and
physical condition, and had noticed
tue conduct of the prisoner in the court
room since November Goth, and had
formed the opinion that the prisoner
Is sane.
After recess Reed conducted the
cross-eXamination of witness. Guiteau
interrupted once and with some excite
ment said. "These experts may all be
very honorable men, but | don't care
snap for their testimony. / wonld not
give cent bushel for it, whether for
me or against me-"
DR.. Crpheus Evarts, superintendent
of a private insane asylum at College
Hall, Ohio, was called and said "There
is no uniformity of the head, as regards
the size or form in either sane or in
sane persons. The expression Of the
face, while some indication, in no sense
is an indication determining the sanity
or insanity Of person"
Witness had examined the prison
er's head and conversed with him and
had watched his conduct during the
trial, and had formed the opinion that
the prisoner on the I'd of July was
sane.
Mrs. Scoville took the stand.
Mr.. Scoville stated he desired to ask
her few questions now, as, owing to
sickness in her family, it was necessary
for her to return home at once.
She identified the letter written by
her father i'll 1875, in which he said,
Charles is crazy and should be in the
asylum"
The court then adjourned until Tues
day the Goth.
THIRTY-sECoND DAY.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.-The court
room was densely packed.
Upon reaching his seat, Guiteau
looked around smilingly and said; 81
had nice Christmas dinner and hope
everybody else did. had lots OF fruit,
flowers and lady visitors, and good
time generally"
DIR. A. L. M'DoNALD,
superintendent of Wards Island in
sane hospital, testified that during his
practice he has had six thousard cases
of insanity-had given SPECIAL atten-
tion to the study of insanity. The wit
ness stated the difference between de-
| lusions and insane delusions-the one
being the subject of correction by
judgment and senses; the lstter not
being correctable, and for that reason
denominated an insane delusion. He
also explained illusions and hallucina-
tions, giving illustrations from his own
experience. He believed, from expert
ence, that the claims of inspiration
frequently assumed by insane persons,
| proceeded from a source of hallucina-
ton or insane delusion, affecting the
senses.
Witness was then asked if PERSONS
actions, under inspiration, would indi-
cate it in any other way than by their
assertions; and replied that their ac-
tions and behavior would indicate it, as
well as their assertions. To illustrate
person claiming to be Jesus Christ,
and acting under that inspiration, him
self, like the Saviour, gave away proper
! ty, slept out of doors because the
Saviour chad not where to i&y His
head"
Witness was asked if such persons
would feel any apprehensions oibodily
injury, or would take any precautions
to guard against danger. He said that
an inspiration always overrides all fear
of bodily pain or injury, unless the per-
son believes he is acting under an in
spiration. wholly oblivious to such con-
siderations.
Witness was asked if such persons
wer usually attended with declara-
ton, and replied. On the contrary
their acts are sudden, both in concep-
ton and execution, as they seldom at
tempt to avoid consequences in any
way.
There are two kinds of insanity,
doctor" suggested the prismer-tthe
crank insanity and the Abram insanity
The latter is the school / belong to.
Tell us what you think of Abraham
doctor"
/ 4Ac NllISoS lD6U d6SCUD6u NIldL l.
commonly called temporary insanity
where a man commits anact which i
the only evidence Of his insanity, and
where the person IS to allappearancef
perfectly sane in all other respects, both
before and after the act.
Guiteau-That's just ny case ex
actly.
Witness-I do not believe in such in
sanity, and IN all my experience have
; never seen an instance of it.
Witness visited the prisoner in tht
cell at the jail, remaining two hours
and making the usual mental examina
ton in such cases. He talked owe
with the prisoner all tie main Incl
dents Of his life up to and including
the shooting of the PRESIDENT. Tn,
prisoner always spoke Of the act a
"my conception" and soon after ss.
conceived the removal Of the presi
dent"
Witness asked Why, if the act wa
the Almighty's, and he was simply tn,
agent, he was so particular as to prac
tice his aim, and why he lid not trus
z the details to the Almighty, and tn
prisoner, he said, flushed little ant