Morning journal and courier., 1888-01-19
THE NEW HAVEN BREAkwATER.
The Chief of Engineers Authorized to
 Relocate the Western Wall.

The Chief of Engineers Authorized tO
 Relocate the Western Wall.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-The House com
 mittee on rivers and harbors to-day heard
 Captain Charles H. Townshsnd of New Ha-
 ven, at one time commander of 8 steamship,
 in explanation of a petition signed
 by many persons regarding an ap-
 propriation of five hundred thousand dollars as recommended by the en- gineer officer in charge of the district for the improvement of the New Haven harbor and the extension of the breakwater. This estimate has been reduced by the War de- partment to $1O0,0O0 Without passing definitely upon the question of making the appropriation the committee agreed to authorize the chief of engineers to relocate the western wall of the breakwater If he deems it advisable. In the course of the dis cussion it came out incidentally that the river and harbor appropriation bill will not be completed by the committee before the latter part of March next
 THE FERRY MURDER TRIAL.
 Efforts to Show That the Murderer
 Was Insane and Irresponsible.
 NORWICH, Ct., Jan. 18.-The Perry murder trial was resumed at 9:30 o'clock this morn ing. Judge Fem ruled against the admis- sion of the certificates of Drs. Wright and Breoks of New York to the insanity of Perry on the ground that they were not made from medical examination, but from evidence sub mitted and that there was n5thing to show they were documents for his commitment to the Middletown, N. Y., asylum or properly sworn to as true copies alleged to be on file in New York. Half dozen witnesses from New York testified to Perry's cratic ways and declarations that he was victim of conspiracy on the part of theGriswolds and his mother, Mrs. Dightnan, to rob him of his share of his fathers estate, of his violence and threats to murder, and of his commit ment to an asylum for the insane in 1875. Several dispositions and a number of letters and memoranda were submitted in evidence to show that he is lunatic and that his writings are incoherent and wild. At o'clock the court took recess till o'clock
 The afternoon was occupied in hearing witnesses upon the insanity of Perry. Sev- eral from New York and New London testi- fed to Perry's moods. his moroseness. his imagining that he had been cheated out of his share of his fathers estate and that pso- pie were dogging his steps in the interest of his mother and sisters family who had con- spired to ruin him financially and to spoil his character and credit. Mrs. Mary Mo Kee Dightman, his mother, aged seventy, took the stand and told sad story. She said her sons William and Henry were in the asylum for the insane at Brattleboro, Vt, and had been for ten years, and that Fred had been insane and dangerous for many years. When sixteen. Fred was sent four years to boarding school because they could not live with him at home; that ,oS1 orh oE r; C, ther's estate and with it spent three years in Europe; that he had been paid all that belonged to him, but kept on demand ing more money, assaulting her and threat ening her life; that he pointed her out to caller as fthe woman who calls herself my mother and has put two sons in the insane asylum to get their property" that he the furniture in the house with an axe; that he sharpened a knife and showing 1t to her motioned to his throat and said: 'sThis is for you; you are not long for this world;" that he had thrown covered table dishes, dropped plank on her foot and told her that his greatest de- light would be to chop her into mincemeat; :; that he imagined people were prowling about the halls and parlors of the house and that he told his troubles all over to his dogs in 8 most unnatural way. She affirmed that she had to flee from him to save her life, that she did all she could to have him taken care of And if the authorities at New London had done their duty this tragedy would not have occurred.
 Dr. Garry of Brooklyn, N. Y., specialist upon insanity, testified that he examined Fred Perry at the Tombs In New York in 1875, that he found him insane and danger ous and approved of his committsl to the N. Y., asylum; that he told the family he was dangerous man and would kill someone if not taken care of and he was not surprised when he heard of the tragedy.