Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-06


but arrives just too late.
The fact that it is possible for almost any
person, with the aid of two physicians, to be
incarcerated in an insane asylum In Penn
.sIlvania caused the court room in Common
Hleas No ., in which Judge White pre-
sided, yesterday, TO be crowded to suf1oca-
tion with lawyers, doctors, other professional
people and also with all classes and eondi-
tions of society, for all felt that it was one
of a class of cases in which every mans
house is not only not his castle, but not even
his hovel. William j. Minnick had been
railroaded to Dixmont almost before he knew
where he was going.
The opening of the case was dramatic, and
it did not grow less so as it progressed. Brad
dock was largely represented. Rev. T. n.
Bowie was on hand. He was friend OF the
man in durance. James b. Youngson. brother
of Mrs. Minnick, Mrs. Minnick, her daughter.
Rev. J. T. Riley and DR.. Hutchinson, Superin-
tendent Of Dixmont Insane Asylum, were also
on hand promptly and we're the cynosure of
all eyes, until Minnick and his counsel. Mr..
Yost, were deserted. when they diverted the
attention. William NJ. Price, Esq, appeared
with Mr.. Yost. and Clarence Burleigh, Esq,
represented the alleged crazy man. while George
Ehiras III. took care of Dixmont, making re-
turn TO the writ.
NO SIDE ISSUES ALLOWED.
Mr. Burleigh began statement of the case
and said he proposed to show the deviations by
William ]. Minnick from the path of duty for
10years past, but Judge White cut him short
by confiaing him to the subject matter of the
physicians certificate to the effect that the
prisoner was victim of hereditary insanity
and that the predisposition thereto had been
apparent for ten years. His Honor said if they
proposed to sho" that the petitioner was
monomaniac, that specification should have
been made.
Mrs. Mlnnick was first called, and said
she and the petitioner had been married in
Illinois, lived four months there, went to Iowa.
lived two years there, came to PtttsburG, and
have since resided in this county % years, II of
which have been spent In Braddock. She said
Minnick has sister who is insane; his grand
mother died insane: he has also a sister and
cousin who are insane. The daughter. Eliza is
19years OF age, and Mrs. Minnlck had noticed
melancholy, jealousy and fault-fnding before
Eliza's birth. He had accused her of infidelity,
DR.. Beebe and man named George Worth,
for whom she washed, being the objects of his
jealousy. He had Also she said, written letters
on the matter. He was in the boot and shoe
business and had circulating library. and wit
ness assisted him in the store at his request,
but he specified that she should only wait on
ladies'
Mrs Minnick also stated that Minnick had
charged her since they came to Pittsburg with
undue intimacy with DR.. Mekelvey, of Sixth
avenue, and charged that he was the father of
Alberta. He wrote to the Doctor four weeks
ago, asking him to keep witness out of his Of
nee, telling HIM THAI he didn't blame him, but
the witness. He had also accused her and Dr.
Dean, of Braddock, with being too intimate.
Continuing, witness said her husband had
charged improper intimacy between herself
and Rev. ]. I. Riley, who preached in Brad
dock from 1881 to 1854. He had forbidden their
eldest daughter, Maggie, from receiving CON-
pany. as he said she should not do so in her
fathers house; had accused Maggie OF being a
go-between between witness and her alleged
lovers and said he would kill her and the whole
family were he not Christian, He had also
threatened to kill Rev. Riley. Witness said
she had been supporting the family lately and
that her husband had been selling books
OBJECTED TO THE PREACHER.
Mr.. Yost submitted Mrs. Minnick to long |
and searching cross-examination, the burden of |
her answers being that she had written to DR.. |
Beebe asking him to send her her husbands |
letters. She said her letters to him were merely
of the friendship pattern. She said Rev. j. T. |
Riley was frequent visitor at her house. and |
her husband had objected to his visits. She had |
met Mr. Riley in this city and McKeespOrt also, |
but denied that the visits were frequent. She |
had heard talk about these visits. but had paid |
no attention to it She denied that she and her |
daughter had misled Mr.. Minnick regarding |
her visit to Meadville and to Hagerstown-
Miss Maggie Minnick testified that her father |
had accused her of being a go-between; had /
threatened daily to kill her mother, and inter-
1or6Q with witness every morning when She j
was getting breakfast, telling her what to
cook, how to cook, and making himself dis
agreeable generally. She had seen him strike |
her mother with his fist. For six months past
it had been a weekly occurrence. The QUAR-
rels were occasioned by the return of letters
her father had written. Johnny would ask
what he meant by writing them. The discus
sion was over the return of DIR. Deans letter.
She had told her father that he was pretty
type of manhood and in reply he hurled her
against the cellar door.
Dr. s. Dean of Braddock, and McEelyey. of
this city, were examined, and specifically denied
Mr.. Minnick's charges. DR.. Dean said that
i've or SIX years ago he had come to consider
Minnick insane. DR.. McKelvey said he con-
sidered Minnick insane on the one subject
DR.. Sandels testified that last month he was
asked by telephone to call at Mr.. Minnick's
residence. He knew not who sent the message
He went, and learned that DR.. McCord had also
been sent for, and waited for him. They looked
over letters he had written went down stairs
and engaged Minnick in conversation for 20
minutes without telling him their object BE
was nervous and could not sit still long at
time,
HAS NO DIPLOMA.
DR.. Sandels formed the opinion that MiInick
was amonomaniac-insane one subject, and
periodically. Dr.. Sandels said he had attended
Jefferson Medical College, but did not graduate
nor get diploma.
Between Judge White and Mr.. Yost. DIR.
Sandels had very perplexing time of it.
DR.. ]. p. McCord testified that he went to |
Braddock at the request of ]. B. Youngson, |
brother of Mrs Minnfck He had been shown
8 letter from Minnicks father to Maggie, his
granddaughter, advising that MnniCk be put
into an asylum in this State, as the writer had
enough insane people on his hands already
The Rist of DR.. McCord's testimony was that
from the letters, what he had heard and Min |
nicks actions. he concluded he was insane-a
monomaniac on the subject of unfaithfulness
In answer to Judge White, DR.. McCord SAID
the certificate was written on a blank form,
which the Judge understood to be a certificate |
of general insanity. His Honor expressed
himself at length on the dangers of physicians
depending on what they heard, and not on
actual knowledge.
After the noon recess DR., Hutchinson. of
Dixmont Asylum, testified that he considered
Minnick insane because he had been com
mitted on the certificate of two physicians;
because there was insanity in his family and
because he had become excited when witness
drew him into an argument on the allegations
of intimacy of Mrs. Minnick with various
people. The letter written threatening to kill
DR.. Beebe had strengthened the opinion,
Minnick had also said he had gotten hatchet
TO kill his wife, but his courage failed him. DR.,
Hutchinson thought Minnick generally insane
and not monomaniacally SO.
THINKS HE is INSANE.
Dr. James G. Graham, resident surgeon at
Dixmont said he thought Minnick was insane,
the victim of delusions.
After DR. Graham had concluded Judge
W hite said he had read the reply to the letter
written to Mr.. Minnick by Dr. Beebe, and
thought Minnick entirely justifable in writing
as he did.
Judge Whites remarks were followed by
demonstration that was almost a hip-hip- |
hurrah, and His Honor ordered that any one
making another demonstration should be
fined, or In words sIgnifying as much.
William ]. M1nnIck himself put on the
stand and started to tell his story but the
Judge refused to have him sworn. He told the
story of his commitment connectedly Here
iterated the charges of infdelity against his
T,,lrr