The Indianapolis journal., 1892-12-26
DRAMATIC SCENE In COURT
A Prisoner Hypnotized and Made to Re-
hearse the Story of His Crime.
E. ]. Livernasb. of California. who had Dual
Existence. Made Witness Against Himself
through the Process ef Mesmerism.

San Francisco Letter in New York Recorder.
A disagreement of jury early last week
brought to an end one of the most remark
able cases ever tried in California court.
Edward J. Livernasb. during his trial for
attempted murder. was placed on the Wit
ness-stand, thrown into q by pnotic trance.
and in that condition made 10 live over
again the acts and to feel once more the
emotions be felt when he committed the
crime. This is the first time such evidence
has been admitted in this country. Liver
nash has led strange. double life. In one
phase of his life he wrote for the press
with rare ability, pressed business with
vigor and was o kind husband. His alter
ego masqueraded In the streets OF San
Francisco as a colored girl, threatened
himself with suicide. offered to an old man
who had done him no wrong q flask or
poisoned wine, and then. without purp ose
or hope of profit. shot with two revolvere
at the same old man, intending 70 Kill him
In his chair.
He was a perfect typo of the somnam-
bulist," said DIR. Gardner. superintendent
of the Napa Asy INN, land was not responsi-
BILE for his acts w hen in the somnam bulistlc
condition"
Certainly he has a remarkable MIND AT
the age OF eight he wrote editorials. wnicn
were the wonder of the country side. and at
sixteen he conducted. according to Con
gressman t. j. Geary, the best newspaper
in sonoma county, the Heraldsburg Enter
prise. With all his newspaper work, ne
studied law and passed his examination
before the Supreme Court at nineteen-
an examination which startled the judges
on the bench. He seemed another
child among the wise men. In the En-
terprise he, had column in which he
wrote over the nom de plume OF Ihe
Cynic."
Nearly two years ago he married the
daughter OF JudgeA. P. Overton. one OF the
richest and most influential citizens In the
county.
THE WEIRD MAN DESCRIBED.
He is eerie, weird and Glum, this Liver
nash. On O slight body. with spindling
arms taperlng fingers and shifty knees, is
set great long head. bulbous at the back
and fronted with face of . sharp. Semitic
type. On his prominent nose he wears
slightly smoked speotacles, which cast un-
canuy shadows upon his eyes. Still. with
it all. an MISUNDERSTANDING mana man
of thought rather than of action. of plan
ming rather than of purpose. just the man
to walk abroad o. nights though, to mum
BILE upon dark corners aud gaze with lack
lustre eyes into the moon.
1t was about o'clock IN the morning OF
Oct 90. 1891, that Llvernash attempted TO
slsy old Darius Ethridge. ut Cloverdale.
He was in the asy lum for the insane until
his trial for the crime before Judge Craw-
ford. at Santa Rosa. Darius EthridRe. his
intended 6ictim. is queer old bachelor,
who has manndering fancy that people
of Cl0verdale want to poison him.
'Pve known Livernash twenty years."
said the old man, In his testimony, land
we have been friends all that time One
evening he came to visit me. bringing with
him q tumbler and whisky flask contain
ing something that looked like wine.
That's some very fine wine that was sent
to me recently. didn't drink ii.
This "hnc wine." according to the chem.
ist who analyzed it. contained so much of
the deadly prussic acid thatstwo teaspoon
fuls of it would have killed Ethridge in less
than half an hour. Ethridge went on:
Between and O'Clock in the morning
Livfrnash came again. He began talks
named Parker. He was to pay 81 500 for il.
and Livernash wrote out receipt for $3.50
the 10 per cent. to bind the bargain. Liver
nash pulled out $50 in greenbacks ana laid
receipt be had drafted and started to take
the money.
Don't touch that no said. sharply.
'There'll be somebody here in minute to
see that this is no gouge game
Then he left the room again, and when
he came back looked up and saw that he
was holding two self-cocking revclvers to
my head.
MAKE out your will he shouted. WIN
os1s to your rsasves ' or ri xiii yon pre ten
shots in these revolyers. Write! write!
write! - quick.
Il started to write, hesitated. and half
turned to him, saying: Ed. you wouldn't
shoot me, would your
with that he began firing. One shot
passed through the heshy part of my chin,
under the jaw-bone: one knocked out two
of my teeth; third hit my shoulder; one
just grazed the bridge of my nose. and
fourth shot away my glasses. blackening
one of my eyes. l jumped up and reached
for his throat. He retreated, still firing.
In all seven shots were fired before h~ ran
away. LlverDash seemed rational and
acted naturally enough up TO the time he
began shooting"
HE'S THE KING OF SIAM.
While Ethridge was telling his story
Livcrnash gazed st him steadily, and his
long. pallid fingers clasped and unclasped
themselves with sinuous nervousness. Then
q constable theirs gave the details of the
arrest of Livernash after the shooting. He
found him leaning against the foot of the
bed in his room at the United States Hotel
81 am the King of SIAM" he said. He
asked him if he had heard of the shootiDg z
OF Olu man EtuTiuRe NO uc IeUHcu
"but I've shot old Judge Joachimsen. of
San Francisco. forty-threo times because of
what be did To Inc in his court when had
the trouble about wearing women's
clothes"
After he was given over to Constable
Weaver he again shouted: Il am the KING
of Siam, but couldn't seem to recognize
my authority here" When spoken TO
about the shooting, he said: They tried
! TO make me believe that it was Ethridge.
but T knew it wasn't So shot old
| Joachlmsen forty-three times. l had u
revolver In each hand and another In my
mouth" Then he prepared this message
TO Congressman Geary: Have shot
Judge .Joachimsen f0rty-three times. Am
| in trouble; unable to think. Come up."
| After other testimony, LiverDash was
put on the stand. DIR. Gardner held q
| small round mirror about the size of q
| watch just above the natural line of his
| vision. In few moments his eyes half
closed and stared vacantly- His face
changed color slightly. These were the
only signs that be- had passed from o nor
! NAL to nm abnormal condition.
| DR.. Wachendorf. summoned by the prose-
| outiop. went close up to him to observe his
| actions keenly. sharp blow was aimed
| directly at his eyes He did not seem TO
heed il. DR.. Gardner stuck pins through
| the flesh OF his hands. his cheek and his
| ear. lie did not vince. Certainly. il he
| human control of himself. Nevertheless
| Dr. Wachendorf was not satisfied.
1T is stimulation" he said. as he came
| back to the district attorney.
Then questions were put TO the hypno-
| rived man relasiye 10 his acflons aud mo-