Evening star., 1894-04-11
SANE OR INSANE
Medical Experts Testify as to Jack
the Slasher.
COUNSEL ARGUING THE MATTER TODAY
The Mental Condition of the Grim
inal Under Examination.
A RE NJ A RK ABLE ASE

The trial of George Taylor, alias George
! Jones, alias Jack the Slasher," was not
concluded yesterday, and this morning the
! trial was resumed before Judge Cole in
Criminal Court, No . in the presence of
another large throng, the Slasher" proving
an even greater drawing card than the Pol
lard-Breckinridge case. The prisoner ap-
peared as he had yesterday, head bent for
ward on his chest, his eyes staring down at
his feet, his features convulsed in deep
frown. and his eyes winking almost con-
tinuously, while his lips moved now and
then, as if muttering to himself.
When the testimony of DIR. Francis was
concluded yesterday afternoon the defense
rested their case, and the government pro-
ceeded to call several witnesses in rebuttal
The first one was Dr. Firman J. Shadd of
Freelman's Hospital, who said that he had
examined the prisoner and, while he be
lieve1 he was suffering from fear, he new
ertheless believed he was feigning. Fright,
explained DR.. Shadd, increased the pulse
and chilled the eXtremities and skin. Dr.
}. Wesley Bovee stated that he had exam
ined the prisoner twice at the jail and also
at the court house, had heard the tesu-
mony, and believed that the man was not
insane. DIR. Bovee said that the defendant
was not below the intelligence of the ordi-
nary colored person, ana also stated that
imbecility, slight or great, was characters
tic Of 60 per cent of the negro race. In con-
versing with the prisoner the man had said
that he would rather go to an insane asy-
lum than to the penitentiary.
DR.. James X. Wilder testified that he had
examined the prisoner. finding his pulse to
be 1l5, and, while he considered HIM of low
intellect, an imbecile, he believed that he
realized the difference between right and
wrong. DIR. Wilder stated that not more
= of he ta
races were imbeciles.
Detectives r. E. Weldon and Edward
Horne testified to their conversation
with the prisoner, and stated that while he
at times conversed with more or less re-
luctance. he did not talk coherently and in
teilisently and exhibited a rather remark
able memory.
The first witness called this morning by
the prosecution in rebuttal was DR.. Albert
c. Patterson, who testified that he had eX
aminei the prisoner yesterday and today.
Yesterday his pulse was l05 and this morn
ing 50. The man exhibited a condition of
imbecility, but of higher degree. He be-
ieved that the man was assuming his pres
ent state of stupidity and indifference,
, condition not natural to him. He believed
that the fellow knew the difference between
right and wrong.
Answering an inquiry of Judge Cole DR..
Patterson said that the fact that the man
slashed clothing and furniture indicated
insane tendency, especially when there
seemed to be no reason for doing such dam
age.
Charles Robinson. an intelligent elderly
colored man. testified that he was an uncle
of the prisoner and that the man was born
during the war He said that his nephew
worked with several persons here several
years ago and performed his work well.
Last summer the prisoner used TO come
about twice a week, and when asked where
he lived replied. "Flananner avenue"
The witness said that he did not know the
condition of crazy man, but that he al
,lrx
thought him crazy. although he often was
cranky in his talks an don's" George
had worked here for a DIR. Hatch. and the
doctor said he was very good servant.
The witness said that he never knew of any
of the mans people being crazy.
To Judge Cole the witness said that the
prisoner always talked in an ordinary tone,
and generally intelligently. He also ate
we'll Witness saw George the night of his
arrest at the station. when the prisoner
talked as usual and proceeded TO tell him
many improbable stories, which. witness
told him. he did not believe. He claimed
that he had met a man just before being
arrested who asked him to go with him
after giving him drink of something out
of a bottle.
As his last witness the district attorney
called Mr.. r. W. Dutton. a Star reporter.
who stated that he had seen the prisoner On
three different occasions at police headq lar
ters between the time of his arrest and his
commitment to Jail, and had conversed
with the and had also heard others
converse with him. The witness explained
that while the prisoner was undoubtedly
greatly frightened and at first disinclined to
say anything, he at length did converse
with witness and others intelligentiy. Wit
ness said that most remarkable fact
noticed by him was the ability of the pris-
oner to accurately inform the officers as to
the different houses from which he took
the almost innumerable things.
The witness was allowed to state. against
the objection of the defendants counsel.
that while the prisoner had impressed him
as man of low intelligence he did not be-
lieve him insane.
Mr.. Milton NJ Holland was recalled by the
defense, when he stated that he believed
the prisoner mentally wrong.
Likened to Guiteau.
That closed the testimony on both sides,
and the district attorneys assistant, Mr.
Jeffords, proceeded to argue the case before
the jury. after Judge Cole had intim4ted
that he would, as far as practicable, charge
the jury in the line pursued by Judge Cox
in the Guiteau case.
The Arguments.
Mr.. Jeffords argument was brief one,
the speaker telling the jury that the one
important question for them to solve was.
did the prisoner at the time he committed
the offense possess the ability to distin-
guish between right and wrong. The mans
present condition was not to be considered
except in enabling the jury 10 determine
whether the mans offense was the act of
a wholly irresponsible being.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Jeffords argu-
ment, 1870. a recess was taken until
o'clock, when Mr.. T. c. Taylor addressed
the jury on behalf of the defendant. Mr..
Taylor explained that he and his associate,
Mr.. Campbell Darlington, had been as
signed to the prisoners defense by Judge
Cole, and while each had Cnly defended
the man at the express request of the court
that he should have the benefit of expert
enced counsel, they had done everything
I'm the brief time at their dispOsa to protect
both the prisoner and the community
Briefly recalling the testimony of the med
ical experts, Mr.. Taylor contended that ii
seemed to him that but one conclusion could
be reached-that the prisoner was suffering
from such mental arrangement as pre-
cluded any reasonable belief that the man
was responsible for his acts.
Mr.. Taylor was followed by Mr.. Caring
ton, who stated that he was defending a
/ man who had terrorized the whole District
for months, and for whom he watched night
after night with double-barreled shotgun.
The man, he said was an enigma, which he
confessed he was unable to solve He was
being the most remarkable in the GRIM
inal history of this or any other commu-
nifty. of low intelligence, ignorant and un-
couth; yet cunning to the extreme, and with
a mania or impulse for wanton destruction
that WAS inconsistent with any other theory