The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-05-03
FOUND NOT INSANE
By a Jury of Twelve Citizens.

After keeping the public on tn,
anxious seat for many days, tn,
sheriff finally summoned n jury 70
the purpose of inquiring into Thu
sanity Of Jacob Brown, the murdere
OF Mackin.
The case was called Friday after
noon at 2:30 p. IN by the sheriff
The defendant was present in persol
aud was also represented by his at
torncys, Hon. Edwin ) liver and Col
A. NJ. Hough.
The state was rcpr' scented by Pros
ecuting Attorney +. T. Lnckett an,
Col. w. j. Ipvcly. Miss Edit
Rhodes was appointed official stenog,
rapher for tho occasion. The iiry
was composed of the following wei
known cit.zeus:
a.. NJ. Gibbs, \. S. Ferguson.
Victor Ilbcr, j. +. Goetz, G.. w. A
Gordon, Peter Ellis, Adam Ruut.
gong, Joseph P,ningcr, NJ. Il. Sinks,
VIM. Menteer, Frank Miller and
John Bright.
Brown was escorted into the court
room and Immediately exhibited
strong indications of insanity, which
part of the spectators looked upon
as pretended while the others re
gardud as real. His conduct; how
ever, was so bad that the sheriff was
forced to take him ont of the court
room. lie was taken up stairs and
examined by the doctors. Ills
symptoms were somthing like one
afflicted with st. Nitu3' Dance .
Brown has gained somewhat in
weight since his incarceration in Jail.
Sheriff Irommo was the first wit
ness called. lie said that for the
t"'' ~" hi''VhS bIuNn nul nOJ
acted like he knew anyone. lie had
appeared nervous for several months
and his fits had become more notice
able since the Supreme court had
affirmed his sentence. The fits came
on when any one spoke to hlm.
Every time Dir. Thorpe visited the
Jail Brown had u iii, but although
the tloor of the jail is of iron, Brown
never hurt himself. The sheriff had
examined Browns head casually and
had discovered Il depression an inch
long in the skull,
II anaw-.
Il to q direct question
from Mr.. Silver, Sheriff Fromme
said that Brown had not acted like 9
sane person, but he was in doubt q.
to the actual condition of the pris
oner. Sometimes | think he /.
crazy and sometimes | think he i:
ehamming," said The witness.
DR.. j. l.. Thorpe next took thi
witness stand. He first saw Brown
soon after the murder Of FranE
Mackin in August, 1892, aud say
him a number Of times afterwar,
while he was in the pcuit9ntiory aut
since his incarceration in the Jail. III
was called to the Jail about the lst o
last February to see Brown, VIII,
was supposed to be dying. He foun,
Brown evidently in Il high state 0
nervous excitement and prescribe,
for some medicine to quiet hi
nerves. Tho witness next yisite,
the jill February 10, and upon OK
amiuiug found two ~depresions il
Browns skull in the vicinity of til
left ear, DR., Thorpe would not sa,
that he believed Brown was crazy
He said that at times he acted lik
l he had epilepsy, At times Brow
acted in u manner very hard for
sano man 10 initiate, and at othe
, times the witness was satisfied be wa
j.. shamming, a maj may be Athlete,
with epilepsy, explained DR.. Thorpe
and yet not he insane. Brown pc.
II sessod a good aPpitite, and hi
general health has always bee
o good. Epilepsy and insanity shout
not be COMPOUNDED, DR., Thorpe eA
:, planned. 1t happens %frequentl
that epilepsy leads to i%nsanit,
but not necessarily 50.
DR.. c. A. Thompson sni
he had practiced medicine an
surgery in Cole county fc
> twenty seven years. He never sa'
| Jake Brown to recognize him unit
e the examination held in the CRANE
u jury room, referred to in the fir
!, Of this article. Brown had an NJ
u parent CONFUSION that lasted prob
bly, twenty minutes. His pull
u were weak and his muscular contra
!, ton was both voluntary and invc
;. untary, Tho conditions surroun
If ing Brown might produce conyu
II %sions, DIR. Thompson said, Fro
= the shape of Browns head and i
general physiognomy, DR.. Thomprc
said, that he believed Brown was
unsound man DIR, Thompson sa
p. that from his knowledge of Broy