The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-01-14


Tuesday, when Court convened, DR.. A. E. Nc
Donald, medical superintendent of the New York
City Hospital for the Insane the first witness
called. He had been in charge of the hospital
since 1874. After giving lengthy list of the
medical positions he held, he said that there were
1 237 patients in the hospital now and over 5000
patients had come under his treatment. He had
written articles the subject of insanity in med
ical journals. He had been in attendance Oh the
trial, with the exception Of two and a-half days,
since it commenced. Insanity meant disease Of
the brain.
Delusion was mistaken belief. 1t might be
sane Or insane. When man has the means and
power to correct delusion and does So it shows
that he is sane and the delusion was that of a
sane man. Hallucinations and illusions are mis-
takes Of the senses. They differ from each other
in the fact that enc has something to start from
and the other nothing.
Persons claiming ms niration, in the witness
experience, believed themselves above harm and
possessed no ordinary ,ar: they were confident
of being free from da ger and strong in the
belief that no injury wO1 d come to them. Wit
ness did not consider til relation of inspiration
as partaking of insanity they assume the in
spiration in word and show it in act.
"What is an irresistible impulse?'
An irresistible impulse is form of insanity,
partaking of epilepsy
"Are irresistible impulses sudden in their ex-
ecution?'
"They are"
what causes the claim of inspiration ~
Sound and sight"
"There was a claim early in the trial that the
family of Guiteau were drenched by insanity.
What in your judgment is hereditary insanity"
Il do not believe in hereditary insanity. /
do not believe the disease is transmissible.
The tendency in all cases in a constitutional de-
feet is to improve. If insanity was hereditary
we would all be insane The fact that there are
insane cousins has no effect on the point taken.
In the case of Ada Maynard, her having an in
sane cousin would have no effect upon her. The
mesmeric effect may have caused her insanity"
replied the doctor.
IF a man should say he would live forever,
what would you think of him?"
well, ifhe should proceed to prepare for death,
by taking an insurance policy, ETC., should think
his words and actions did not accord"
Guiteau- There are two kinds of insanity
crank insanity and Abraham's insanity. belong
to Abraham's insanity"
What do you think of moral insanity?n
asked Mr.. Corkhill.
During the French revolution moral insanity
came up. The French excused themselves for
their slaughter on this plea. There is no such
disease as moral insanity. There have been many
books written on the subject, and the majority
believe as have stated?"
Guiteau-"Tell us about Abraham's insanity
Doctor"
"Monomania" continued the Doctor not motto
ing the question, governs the little acts and one
may labor under mOnomania and be all right in
other particulars"
The question of the capacity as a witness of
Dr. Herman, of Chicago, arose, the prosecution
aiming to impeach him by witness on the stand.
The interrogatory by Mr. Corkhill was overruled
by the Court, and DR.. Mcdonald proceeded
Il (witness) came November II, by request of
the District Attorney, to examine the prisoner
| visited the prisoner in the jail. | stated the
object of my visit to him.
Tell all about your examination" said Mr.
Scoyille
Examined him mentally and physically; ask
ed him what his feelings were before and since
the act; he gave me also the history of HIMSELF
he told me that he conceived the idea about six
weeks before he carried it into execution; he did
not say he was inspired to it; said it was Iepul-
sive at first and he waited two weeks for the Lord
to interfere then he set about to execute it; he
told about following the President, his purchase
of the pistol and his pistol practice; he told me-
also, about his preparations for fleeing from the
depot and his personal safety; asked him why
he did not leave the execution to the Lord and
not do so himself he said the Lord had not made
al the preparations-that it was not all the
work of the Lord he said he would be acquitted
as insane-that he had been looking UP the law
on the case of insanity; l asked him if he ex-
pected to remain in an insane asylum always;
he said no; that he had been looking up the law
on that point also; that he would again be exam
ined at the asylum pronounced not insane and
would be released; examined his eyes, head etc,
and found no indications of insanity.
"YOu have been here during the trial. What
is your conclusion; is he sane or insane?" asked
Mr.. Corkhill.
Il believe him to be sane man."
Has he been playing part during the trial"
II believe he has. His conduct in tie jail was
very like that in the court. When he brings in
the sentence that it was the act of the Deity,
there is rising of the voice. and other demon
STATIONS that indicate he is playing part. AS
to the conduct in the court believe he has acted
as a sane man. He has done many things to
show keen interest in the progress of the trial,
changed in his actions by newspaper comments"
Guiteau-"Iou are making great ado about
nothing Doctor. 1 don't claim to be insane now.
Get your money, then 60 home"
DR.. Mcdonald continued: have noticed that
his Interruptions were given to the witnesses for
the prosecution"
Guiteau-"Evil associations corrupt good
manners. / have made just as many objections
to my own witnesses. Say something of Abra-
ham, and then your evidence will have some per-
Thence. So far it's all rubbish"
Col. Corkhill propouRded the usual lengthy
interrogatory, in which the main movements
and actions of Guiteau were rehearsed, closing
with the question: Assuming these facts to be
true, do you think the prisoner insane On the I'd
of July, when he shot the Presdent?"
To the hypothetical question the Doctor an