Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-02
THE WYMAN CASE.
He is Found Guilty by tht
Jury.
THE STORY OF HIS INSANITY.
Medical Evidence Which Did Not
Have Much Effect-TO be Sem
fenced Tuesday.

was resumed yesterday morning before
Judge Ross and jury in the United
States Court. When the case was called
at IL O'Clock, j. M. Brooks, the defend
ants attorney, informed the Court that
three physicians had been subpenaed at
his request, and as they were all in at
tendance, he would ask that the defend
ant be allowed to retire with them to
another room for examination as to his
sanity. Judge Ross granted the motion
and the quartatte retired; but, as they
did not return at noon, after an absence
Of three. quarters Of an hour, the Court
ordered recess until 1 o'clock.
DIR. W. M. Boyd testified to having ex-
amined Wyman in the presence of Drs.
Harrison, johnson and Frecius in the
ante'room of the Marshal's office. He
had found him to be we'll mentally, but
physically suffering from organic heart
trouble which ives of some duration.
The heart supplied the brain with blood,
as it did every other part Of the body.
Never saw or heard Of a case
where heart trouble produced insanity.
He did not, however, profess to be
an expert On insane cases. The
defendants attorney propounded a
hypothetical question as to whether
the writing Of such letter
as the one sent to Miss Arnold would be
the act of a sane person or one who had
been committed to Napa in 1882; but
United States District Attorney Hutton's
objection on the ground that the witness
Uya nt cnoku:raI kx,kl lo
Court; and no further questions were
asked.
DR.. ]. III. johnson stated that although
| in sctiye practice for the past eight years
he had only given his attention to the
question of insanity while studying
medicine, his actual experience being
very limited. He had examined the
defendant and found him sane. He was,
however, suffering from organic heart
disease. The same hypothetical question
as in the other physician's case was
asked and eu it's meeting with the same
fate, the witness was withdrawn.
The defendant then took the stand,
and in reply TO his attorneys questions
said: "My name is Alfred s. Burroughs,
and was born in Poughksepsie, N. Y.
| am thirty. four years of age. Though
| know that l was committed to Napa
Asylum, L do not know the actual date
of my committal, as l was unconscious
OF it at the time.
Cross-examination 81 know Jen-
Dings and saw him when he arrested me
l may have stated to him that did not
write the letter, but that AS. Burroughs,
who was a taller and younger man than
l, and who lived in San Francisco did 80.
Ii did say SO it must have been after
my arrest. l was discharged from Napa
Asylum in May, 1882"
AS his attorney stated that he had not
yet concluded his examination, United
States District Attorney Hutton refused
to 60 on with the cross-examination and
Wyman was withdrawn temporarily, aud
DR.. johnson was recalled and testified
that person afflicted with melancholia
was liable to have recurrence of the
malady at any time. At this point At
torney Brooks read the commitment of
the Superior Court of San Francisco,
which was filed in evidence.
DR.. G. E. Frecius was the next wit
ness examined. He stated that he was
native of Germany, SO years of age,
and had been in this country twenty
two years. He had graduated at Berlin
University, Medical College of Ohio,
College of Medicine and Bellevue Hos
pitsl, New York, aud had made the
study of the insane speciality. He had
attended the defendant at his own re-
quest, and found him in feeble condi-
ton mentally and physically, the result
of organic heart disease of long standing.
The defendant had told him portions OF
his former history. Wyman told him that
ten years ago he was attacked by pull
monary trouble, and thinking that he
had consumption he came out to the Pa
cifc Coast and consulted some of the
best physicians in San Francisco. They
only verified his fears, however, and the
matter preyed upon his mind. Shortly
afterwards Wymsn said he was subject
to dizziness and hallucinations of all
sorts. During these fits of abstracCedness
he would wander off alone, and on his
return home was unable to give an ac-
count of himself. On one occasion he
| wandered along the streets until he lost
consciousness and did not recover until
he found himself in Napa Asylum. Al
though discharged after three months he
WAS still subject TO headaches, but got
so much better that he returned home
proved, the old attacks returned worse
than ever after his marriage, and at last
he determined to put an end to his ex.
istence. He obtained twenty grains OF
cyanide of potassium, and, wandering
into some fields, took it, and after falling
down lost consciousness. On recovering
he managed to crawl to stream Of
water, but his tongue was 80 swollen he
could not drink. Finally a Chinaman
came along and got him some milk. For
week afterwards he wandered about
without food, and when next he recog-
nizsd bis surroundings he was among
friends in a farm house, where his wife
came down for him and took him home.
In reply to a question put by the Court,
the witness said that in his opinion a
man who could make such detailed
statement might still be insane. All
persons were insane more or lees. Con-
tinuing, he said that if the defendant had
written the letter sent to Miss Arnold, he
must have been moved by some uncon-
trollable impulse.
The defendant, w. W. Wyman, alias
A. s. Burroughs, then took the stand
again, and after reitersting his former
statement said: SCI graduated at Cornell
University. When left New York for
California | was too feeble to do any
thing, My parents are both dead. My
first venture was in the real estate busi-
ness in Shasta county, where l stayed for
nearly year. Then went to San Fran
cisco for a few months, and then to Sac
ramento,, where was married to Miss
e r. -