Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-10
Jack the SIasher.


Jack the Slasher.
When the case was reached the jurors
were ques toned as to whether they had
formed or expressed an opinion as to the
prisoners guilt, and also whether they were
prejudiced against the defense of insanity
which, the prisoners counsel stated, would
be the defense. Two jurors said that they
had formed and expressed an opinion, but
that they could give him an impartial hear
ing.
Counsel for the defendant objected to the
two Jurors, but Judge Cole decided that they
were competent to which an exception was
noted
The jury was then sworn and Mr. JEFF
fords opened the for the government
and Mr.. Darlington for the defendant.
Mr.. Hollands Fight.
The first witness called was Mr.. Milton
NJ. Holland, who stated that about $40 a.
m. on the Sth of last month he was awak-
ened by his wife calling out that there was
a man in the house.
He jumped out of bed and discovered a
colored man crouching down at the foot of
the bed They grappled, when the burglar
threw him off and ran down the stairs and
jumped out of a window, which the in
truder had opered by cutting the Stats in
the blinds and then prylng the window up
Mr.. Holland said that soon as possible
he got hold of his pistol fired II to attract
the police, and then dressed himself and
and then he started off in the direction of
the reservoir near the Soldiers Home On
the way he found some of his business
cards strewn about, and following them up
he discovered some of his clothing further
on. He reported the affair to the police de-
partment, and after the arrest of the de-
PENDANT he conversed with him at the sta
ton house, and later the prisoner volun-
teered to show where he had thrown the
things taken by him from the house Of the
witness. His offer was accepted, and in
company with the officer the prisoner did
direct them to the reservoir and places
near by, and showed where he had thrown
the things and they were found just where
he had said he had thrown them. Mr.. Hol-
land stated that the prisoner wore at the
alton house witness shirt, which the man
took from the house.
4 Peculiar Man.
Mr.. Holland said that when he saw the
prisoner at the police station he was
crouching down in his cell. and at first re-
fused to talk, saying that they wanted to
kill him. He told the man that they would
rot hurt him, and at length, after some
trouble, got him to talk.
Mr.. Darlington objected to the confession,
contending that it had been obtained
through promise of protecting him.
Judge Cole, however, decided that 1t had
not been improperly obtained, and allowed
it to go before the jury.
ON cross-eXaminatiOn, Mr.. Holland said
that the prisoner. while at first stupid and
ircoherent. frightened up and talked in
diligently.
To Judge Cole Mr. Holland stated that he
did not like to express an opinion as to
the prisoners sanity or insanity, although
he thought him very peculiar man.
He Didn't Know.
When the trial was resumed after recess.
Mr. Darlington called the prisoner to the
stand. The fellow staggered around to the
witness N ST
of manner, was sworn. taking The oath in
a seemingly dazed. unconscious manner.
Mr. Darlington asked him his name where
he was born, where he lived, who his rela-
tives were, If he had ever seen the slashed
clothing, if he remembered entering Mr.
Hollands house. and several other QUes-
tiCns. but to every one, in an almost in
audible tone. he replied: Il don't know"
He was questioned no further and sham
bled back to his chair. when he resumed
his position and air of seeming stupidity.
Expert Testimony.
The defendants cCUr sci then called Dr.
w. w. Cooling as a witness Dr. God
ding stated that he vas in charge of St
Elizabeth's Insane Asylum, and had stud
led n entail diseases since 1859. He said
that he had slightly examined the pris-
oner. had heard all the testimony in the
case and said that he believed that the
man was assuming, ard that his Wanton
destruction of property was a mania of de-
struction. The man was weak in mind,
acting by impulse and was apparently con-
trolled by an impulse to destroy. He might
be a kleptomaniac with intense desire
to destroy. He an imperfectly men
tally developed being, a seeming imbecile.
To District Attorney Birney he stated
that criminals were generally imperfectly
developed beings. but in the case of the
priscr er he detected something more than
mere criminal instincts If the man had
opened bank accounts, keeping that matter
secret, it would show that he knew the
value of money. and knew that he was do
ing wrong in breaking into the houses.
The slashing done by him might have been
the giving way to the impulse to destroy.
The man, he believed. was feigning forget
fulness and stupidity, although he believed
that his intellect had at some time been ar
rested The fact that the prisoner had
slashed other peoples clothing and furniture
indicated either insanity the worst kind
of deVilishneSS. If the man had entered
some places and had stolen without doing
nesso belief in his destructive mania. He
believed that the prisoner knew right from
wrong.
The Arrest.
Mounted Policeman w. W. Easily, one of
the officers who arrested the prisoner was
the next witness, aid testified that he and
his partner, Officer Law, were told on the
early morning of March 18th that there was
a man acting suspiciously about the house
of Mrs. Hunt near Georgetown. Tying I'D
their horses. he and Officer Law went up to
the house and discovered the prisoner shoe
less, on the porch opening the window. They
crept up on him pretty near before the pris-
oner saw them. Then he hid himself, ran
out to where he had left his shoes, picked
them up, when witness grabbed him. The