Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-01
INSANITY B1TrERs.
Donahue's Mysterious Mania for Cutting
is Finally Explained.

Donahue's Mysterious Mania for Cutting
is Finally Explained.
Patent medicine received Knockout
blow yesterday.
William Donahue, who recently slashea
u. Mealer about the head and hands
with knife last week, near Elk Grove,
was examined before Superior Judge Arm
strong as to his mental condition. Doha-
hue was questioned at length by City
Physician Nichols and appeared to be very
rational. He said that prlor TO the cutting
be had been feeling unwell, and, leaving
the ranch where he and Mealer were EN-
ployed, went 10 Elk Grove and purchased
a bottle of bitters. The next dsy he felt
worse, and cid not know what he was
doing. By some meaps-he could not ex-
plain how-he got into trouble with
Mealer and the latter tried 10 tie him to q
fence with ropes. Donahue then whipped
out knife and cut the ropes. When
Mealer approached him again with the
ropes he cut him.
Mealer then took the witness stand and
gave his version of the affair. He said
that Donahue and himself had always been
the best of friends, and he had never known
him to act strangely before. On the day
before the cutting Donahue said he felt
sick aud purchased large bottle of patent
medicine at Elk Grove. He drank some Ct
it that night," said the witness, and the
next day finished up the bottle. He com
meneed to act crazy then, and when Mrs.
Dart the lady of the house, made some tea
for him, he swore it was poison, and ran
out of the house bowling and trying TO call
all the neighoors. We tried to get him in
but he would not move, so We tied him to
the fence, so that he would not Farm any
one while l went for somebody 10 help me
get him back IN the house. He pulled out
his knife, and cutting himself loose, started
after Mrs. Dart. When | ran 10 her as
sistance he turned around and cut me-"
Had he been drinking?" asked DR..
Gardner.
"only that bottle of bitters,n replied the
witness.
"Ahle chorused Drs. Nichols and Gard
ner, nodding to each other significantly.
Hiram johnson, Donahue's attorney,
then directed few questions 10 the wit
ness, all of which. 70 the establishment Of
| the Court, were calculated to elicit state
ments that Donahue was perfectly sane
why, Mr.. johnson, interrupted Judge
Armstrong, do you claim that your client
| is not inssne?n
why, certainly, your Honor replied
the attorney; Il never thought he was in
sane, except en1porarily so on that day"
We'll replied the Judge, Il think I'm
inclined to sgree with you that he's not in.
sane now, and think the doctors will say
so, too
The doctors nodded their assent.
| District Attorney Bruner said he was sat
isfied that Donahue was only crazy or crazy
| drunk al the time of the cutting.
One of the physicians agreed that this
might have been the case, owing 10 the
patent medicine he had imbibed.
Judge Armstrong accordingly remanded
| Donahue, and the latter promised never
| again to indulge himself in medicine;
other than those prescribed by duly author
| lied and diploma-holding physicians.
| District Attorney Bruner sent written in
structions to the Justice of the Peace a
Elk Grove to dismiss the charge against
Donahue. as il was the unanimous opinion
of all the witnesses that the defendant wa:
temporarily insane at the time of the cut
| ting.