New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-14
SANE OR INSANE '
TESTIMONY IN THE RHINELANDER CASE
SOME RATHER LIVELY EPISODES IN THE hhAHND

TESTIMONY IN THE RHINELANDEh CASE
.o>,r RATHER LIVELY EPISODES IN THE HEARING
-RHINELANpER AN INTERESTED LISTENER.
The inquiry into the sanity of William c. Rhine
lander was resumed shortly after noon yesterdayi
In fhe Judges chambers of the Court OF General
Sessions number of prominent medlcal men
were present. including DI, AZ .L f. v MSg
donald medical sHpernendeMnt1 od me 9oM mahGS
Dr. John G. Harmon, who testified as an expert
in the case of Henry Prouse Cooper; DR.. Thomas
Ium at Auburn; and James b. Silkman OF the
Society for Promoting the welfare of the Insane,
whose case excited m9os interest some time ago ID
connection with the Utica Asylum
Rhinelandcr was among the earliest arrivals ara
walked in, apparently pnconcerned, with tne
peculiar stride of tall, loose-jointed man;
read the rcports Of his case win Win
interest holding the paper few inches from ms
face. Throughout the session he was composed ana
attentive and manifested decided interest Ill me
testimony of of the witnesses from the iomR {
Lawyer John Douglass was Tccalled 10 testify
that Rhineanders symptoms had become more
marked of late They wers so maTRed 1Ya no
lion ia them. they had become his regular habit;
A lively tilt between Rhinelander's Counsel and
one of the commission afforded an appetizer before
The solid testimony was produced Frederick X.
Clark Judge CurtlS's associate took exception 10 a
statement in of the papers concerning hhlhe-
isnder's bearing under DR.. Douglasss scrutiny.
MrtPattersou--That does not matter, Mr. CLARK We
s1nt propose to decide mis- case 10y the @
Mr.. Clark-I know that Judges are down on news
papers .. ,.,.u,,,. ,,, ,,,,, eo.,,rr oves,--was
that proper remark for you To make, MI ClarRf
Mr.. Clark-Proceed with The examination.
The first witness for the day was II; Cruger Oak
lev. Rhnelander's maternal uncle. lie testified to
meeting Rhnelander just after the shootingi and
asked. "Willle, what have you doneI" khlne-
lander said, i've shot the scoundrel who has
been trying for years TO separate my wife from me-
She has been coming here, and she has no business
to come Ive forbidden her to do So The witness
tried To pacify him by saying that Mr.. Drake was
his best friend aud would not do such thing as
he charged. Rhinelander was greatly excited and
Justified StnH% in p his sOV act. and had been so adj
vised by lawyer lie said ,i ga IL TO
protect my honor aud the honor of the Rhlnelander
name He added that he had dettectiye down at
the door aud said: You'll know him by the UNI
brella under his ann" Rhinelander asked for
drink of water and said he smelled brandy In H. At
the 'lOmbs he told the witness that man was un.
Justly holding some horses of his on claim. and
asked If he hadn't right to shoot him.. The wit,
ness said he thought not, and Rhineandcr replied
that he always understood he could take
his property where , ne found han IT. iho LIS ms
ness had seen him before. He had carried pistol
for years. -, An, ,,,.. - ,ro.o ,hr.
stefan of fifteen years practice, and Tor hNo years
was connected with the city Prison. lie had seen
Ehnelandcr several times at tho iomhs. his YES.
timony was similar 10 that OF l)t Hardy ON the
preceding day, aud he was severely cfuss-etamined
by Judge Curtis who asked "ly what Influence
ARE examiners IN luuacy appointed 10y tho Commits
,oncrs Of Charities aud Coriecuo9-p,olitical or
mcdicRW This was objected 10 by Mr. Flowers
Judge Curtis commented on the close resemblance
"eYnn =" forms of c1prcssion.'' Under his quoa,
toniug the witness said that II Rhnclandof had
general pafcsis then lie had IL now and It's oXist-
enco could Ice HACcrtaincd 10y medical men, lie
kept no memoranda OF Occurrences In the lombs,
five OF six interviews with Rhlnelanderj
found weak ana Irregular action OF
hi. heart and Co,. s sSS Of p|GSs T9sP
of your recollection that conversation changes IN
expression and fornf" This caused a little dis
pule between Mr., Patterson and Judge Curtis, tho
former
Oner had been previously gwen
Judge Curtis-Hc DID not testify on THAI point
,uise Curtis-we won, STOP to discuss the matter
r. Patterson-That's Just what viii stop % disCuss
~ !, the witness was trstyins you we're listening TO
someone el,e.
Judge Curtis dropped the matter and went on
with his process of dcmOhShlng the witness.
nudge CasIave you observed hin for the last ihree
daysi
Q-Haye you observed any particular resreesness
You have observed that he sat quietly in his chair
A-Y,s, ~ir think he hai good r.a5Qn TO- o,,,..,.o
lalei or 10 "a groupi lLsughterI
The witness said that Rhiuelander told him that
there were eases whore the law did not protect
mans honor, aud when he shot again there WOud
Mr. c!sr.~IIow many rcrao,s that YOU have certified
wee insane were &ItrWud dlscAaIged by shcnhs
ir. Jackson-veryf aw, s.r only half dozen.
Keeper Young Of the Tomhs, testified that Rhine
lander had said DR.. Fitch was AN impairment
puppy because he tried 10 interrupt him when he
talking with ms wife, ana had also salO that
Mir Oakley haa tried to separate him and his wife
and that lac would fix him for 1t when he got
out"
Judge Curtis protested az INST the admission of
Or. Hardy's testimony to the records, and asked OF
MI. Patterson
Your Honor woul like e. know II therc Is any stat
II or any law ear u, among civilized people, tldt
permits interview, professional IN It's character be
tw-cn physician and patient first to 0e ovcrno ard AID
lboi etih tOl
Nj Patterson We cannot exclude the testimony.
ia &c Cuts-Ne take an except n.
John T. Oe.terreicher, another keeper at the
habits in the prison. lie had taken HIM to
Earle's lIOicl FROM the court to see his wife,
Mr. Bowers asked that the commission adjourn 70
meet at Mr. brakes house. Judge Curtis objected
emphatIcally to making circus of the commits
sion hy taking it around from place TO place
brakes testimony was not material he said and as
he was naturally the complainant against Rhlrc-
lander I'm criminal law, he could not be made an eX-
pert on hlS condition. He added:
ann here only meet the issues the court marked ont
fcr us tou 20 into Others shall clare object 70
leayug tAis place. aud 0bcct 10 the testimony Of MI
Diake n have declined 20 scXalnlLc any witnesses
except qu sons of the present sanity OF our Client
Mr. Bower said he proposed TO show by brakes
evidence tha' Rhinelanders statements were deiu-
SONS aud Mr.. Patterson said that in that case the
commission would take IT. As Judge Curtis fiatly
refused to 60 to Mr.. brakes house Mr.. Patterson
decided to meet at noon 10 day In tho usual place.
THE WALL STREET BANK.