The record-union., 1892-10-18

prompted him on the medical terms. and
that gentleman is unusually well-in-
formed on the insanity question. Under
the DOCTORS guidance Mr.. Hart kept up
such rapid fire of questions that the
witness was greatly discounted.
be admitted that madman would be
likely to commit every act that had been
attributed to Palmer; yet, he thought
that Palmer had murder in his heart be-
canse Palmer hesitated before shooting
Phleger i'll Wissemaun's saloon.t He was
informed, though, that only one witness
thought that Palmer hesitated, and that
witness was not sure Of it. The doctor
insisted that he had been
GIVEN THAT IMPRESSION,
And was basing his opinion upon that
alleged fact. The witness did not believe
that Palmer could have written the in
telligent letters that had been exhibited
IN court II he was afflicted with the type
OF insanity attributed to him. When
they were so afflicted they could not
write well. He admitted a moment later
though, that Palmer might have been in
sane and still have written those letters.
They alone did not prove his sanity. The
witness was quite sure that he could
recognize a letter written by an insane
person.
MIR. Hart then produ ced letter and
began TO read il. 1t was written by Fred
George, VINO is now an inmate of the
Stockton Asylum, under the witness
charge, but the witness did not know
TINS. The letter was directed to II. Z.
Irvine, and was quite intelligent.
District Attorney Ryan caught on"
while the letter was being read, and let
the cat out of the bag by warning the
witness.
MIR. Hart became quite angry at this
NJ a1 tot tiaA,
Alr. Ryan with being unfair and being
afraid to have the witness subjected to the
test.
OF course the trick was spoiled. and
Mr. Hart dropped the matter, but he was
considerably riled over the District At
torney's action.
During the cross-examination Attorney
Hart complained bitterly several times
that DR.. Hoishold would not give
straight answer to any of the questions
asked him; that he lodged them and an
swered in a roundabout and meaning
less way. The doctor would invariably
say in reference to the peculiar actions of
Palmer that that they were frequently
the acts OF an insane person, but they
were moi Characteristic of the disease"
He acknowledged that he could not fore
tell what crazy man was going TO do
what notion the disease was likely to put
into his head.
The court reprimanded the witness once
very severely for his eVasiveness, and
told him he would keep him there until
midnight if he did not answer y es'' or
mo" to the questions asked him.
Shortly after O'clock the court took a
recess until $50 p. NJ.
MORE EXPERT TESTIMONY.
in the evening the first witness called
by the prosecution was DIR. +. W. Hatch.
Resident Physician of the Agnew Insane
Asylum. The line OF Questioning was
much the same as that pursued with the
other medical experts.
To the hypothetical question pro-
pounded by the prosecution, DR.. Hatch
replied that upon the facts as stated he
would pronounce the subject to be sane;
but when cross-examined by the defense
he admitted that when the facts were as
alleged in the Hypothetical question pro-
pounded by the defense, he would pro-
nounce the subject to be insane.
DR. Gardner, Resident Physician of the
| Napa Asylum, testified substantially the
same, and under cross-examination bv
Attorney Stone he said that putting both
hypothetical questions together, and as
Stunning all the alleged facts to be true he
would pronounce the subject to be insane.
lie further testified that man acting
as Palmer is alleged to have acted in re-
gard to his supposed coal mine must be
insane. II sitting as a Commissioner OF
Lunacy, and facts such as stated i'll the
hypothetical questions were proven, he
would commit the subject straight to an
insane asylum.
District Attorney Ryan asked DR..
! Gardner if he had noticed any indications
of insanity in Palmer since he had seen
the prisoner in court, and the witness re-
piled that he had not.
Asked If the peculiar actions of almost
any person for u term of years were en-
tirely segregated from their other acts,
grouped together, and considered by
themselves, ii they would not indicate in
sanity, DR.. Gardner replied that he could
suppose condition of things OF that kind
thas would commit any man or woman
in the courtroom to an insane asylum.
AT this someone in the crowded room
clapped his hands loudly. and Judge Gar
Der demanded that he come forward. If
he knew who had been guilty of such
breach Of propriety and court dignity he
would commit him to a dungeon instead
of an asylum.
A recess was then taken till 9 o'clock
this morning, and it is expected the evil
dence will al! be in before noon.