Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-16
THE oouRr RECORD.
Superior Court-CriminaI SIde-Jud
 Gran0nr.

| Superior COurt-CriIninaI Side-Judge Granger.
 In this court yesterday the trial of William
 Johnson for the murder of his wife in Wal
 lingford last September was continued.
 Dr. James MeGaughey, the medical exam iner of Wallingford, the first witness. By this witness an effort made to show
 that Johnson, prior and after the crime, gave
 signs of insanity that were noticeable to all
 who knew him. This line of defense was
 followed up by Introducing the next wit
 ness Dr. D. A. Cleveland, of Middletown. It
 was intended to show by him that the color
 ed race were more susceptible to outbursts
 of anger in certain instances than any other
 class, and that while laboring under these
 outbursts they were not accountable for their action. This evidence was objected to by
 Attorney Doolittle and the court ruled it out
 as opening too broad field, and the evidence
 then was confined to the probable case of the
 condition of the organs as found in the mur-
 dered woman.
 During the time the expert was testifying
 Johnson sat with both arms leaning on the
 attorneys table, eagerly watching the wit
 ness and drinking in every syllable he ut l
 was on the prisoners black face.
 Then the defense proposed to show what 1 kind of man Jackson was. In the morning
 Arthur Smith, of Middletown, testified that
 Arthur Jackson worked for him and had a
 very bad character for truth and veracity.
 Elijah Loveland, of Middletown, keeper of a livery stable, was called on to say that he
 did not knew anything about the reputation of Jackson so far as truth and veracity were
 concerned. J. c. Chapman, chief of police
 of Middletown, testified that perhaps Jack son wasn't man to be believed under oath 1 When the defense attempted to show that l the murdered woman was not of good char acter the lawyers had wrangle as to the ad- ] mission of the testimony, and the result was | that the court refused to admit the evidence l A recess of few minutes was then taken, l and during the interval Dr. Cleveland made an examination of the prisoner to test his | mental condition.
 After the recess Newton Pease of Middle 1 town, testified as to what he knew of Mrs. I Johnson's virtue, did also Joseph Kin l caid and Richard K. Sullivan. John L. | Ferris, of Wallingford, testified that previous | to the murder he had seen Johnson take l things to his wife, and that he had seen him crying because, as he said, his wife was l not doing what she ought.
 In the afternoon Miss Isabella Cables, sis 1 ter of the murdered woman, was put upon the stand to testify to what she knew of oohnson's wife in Middletown and what oc- cured at the time Johnson visited her and received the cut over the eye.
 Several other witnesses were called by the defense, but none of them were present Attorney Doolittle began introducing evi- dence in rebuttal. He called Chief of Police Ford, of Meriden, to prove that the asser- tions that Johnson was peaceable man were false and that the witness on one occasion had papers for Johnson's arrest for rape. The party complaining was Mrs. Amos Ca pies, living on Veteran street, Meriden. The warrant and information was for assault and attempt, etc.
 The State here rested, and James Battis was called for the defense. He said that he went to the house of William Smith. Arthur Jackson and Mrs. Johnson were up stairs and, as party of friends approached, Smith told them to getup and not be caught in company.
 From the testimony of Phineas T. Ives, a retired business man of Wallingford, Johnson had complained to the selectmen of his wife's absence from home. Witness had frequently seen Johnson cry because his wife was off with other men. These complaints of his wife commenced six or seven years ago.
 The evidence was closed shortly before o'clock, and State Attorney Doolittle com menced the first argument on behalf of the State by quoting from the Scripture: ''Who- so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be she'd" He said that when the defense claimed to have put in evidence facts tending to show insanity, the law was such that the burden of proof remained with the defense. The argu- ment covered the point of deliberate intent to kill. No particular time was needed to form the guilty intent. In an in stant the intent could be formed and the blow might follow the very next instant. In this case Johnson travelled four or five miles with the guilty intent, taking an axe along. He entered the house burglariously. He caught his wife as she ran down the stairs, l and killed her with the blow of the axe, do l ing exactly as he intended.
 MT. Doolittle's opening argument was very | brief and confined principally to a statement | of the facts with quotations from the books 1 on the question of murder
 Henry F. Hall made the opening argument | for the defense. He referred to the evidence | of the defense as showing that Johnson was subject to fits of despondency and that he | was not responsible for the crime of murder | as his mind was affected by the criminal acts of his wife Had he known the consequences of the killing he would have kept it to him self and not told anyone. He so over come by the acts of Smith and the acts of | his wife that he was not responsible for what he did. He appealed to the jury to | put themselves in Johnson's place and then see what they would do under similar cir cumstances. The evidence and the law de- mand that you should acquit this man under the circumstances. If he was a man of wealth and influence in society you would not hesitate to acquit him under the circum- stances. In closing he left the case with all the responsibilities that followed with it in the hands of the jury
 At 4:05 s. D. Hall commenced the closing l for the defense. He said to the court that he would require about two hours for his argument. His opening was confined principally to quoting from the authorities :egarding the meaning of wilful, deliberate and premeditated murder After speaking lbout forty minutes the court was ad journed lntil this morning at 10 o'clock.
 The case will no doubt be given to the jury sometime during the forenoon of to-day. Court Civil Side Judge
 Andrews. ' This court came in yesterday morning at I 0 o'clock. The case on trial was one by which Martin :. Blackman, of Ansonia, seeks to recover i he title to about S9, 600 worth of real estate f Thich in 1882 he conveyed to William Mo- | arthy, his nephew, and Mary Ann McCar- ny, the latter's wife, on a remonstrance n gainst the acceptance of the report of the f. ommittee which heard the case. The com l littee found that MT. McCarthy's title to l n 1e property was valid. Against the affirm f, ticn of this finding by the court Blackmans f. 'unsel protest. Blackmans property trou- q les grew out of his marriage when he was F early seventy Sears old to Lizzie M. Foy, of S lis city. Soon after their marriage she sued T divorce and alimony. and to settle mat 1 a1