The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-21
Oakland'S Defaulting Police
Court Clerk on Trial for
Insanity.
THOUGHT HE KNEW THE CAR
DR.. Crowley TestifIes That Liquor
Has Made Him Perfectly
Irresponsible.


ing clerk of the Oakland Police Court, con-
tinued all day yesterday, and it was found
necessary to extend it into the evening.
The entire morning session was taken up
with selecting the following Jury: G.
Tayne, G. Porter, ]. O. Bell, K. E. Hansen,
c. B. Harmon, l. B. Wheeler, 1. c. Bridge,
A. a. March, j. J. Manning, w. Boyer, II.
c. Johnson and George A. Cakes.
During the noon recess DR.. Robinson, an
expert on insanity and professor in the
medical department of the University of
California, with DR.. Crowley, Lambert's
family physician, examined Lambert in
the County Jail as to his sanity. Their de-
cision was not given until they were placed
on the witness stand later in the evening.
j. I. Brennan, young man residing at
1853 Sixth street, was the first witness. He
told about taking Lambert out to ride one
day when Lambert became excited and
wanted to hurry back to meet the Gear.
He said that several people were after him
to do him up.
"Whom was he going to meet?" asked
Mr.. Shook.
HE said he was going to meet the Gar
and other people,"
Whom did he mean by the Carr"
"Some great man."
''The Gar of Russian
EYES, SIR
"Who did he think was trying to do him
up?"
Mr. Schaffer."
'The Chief of Police?"
Yes, SIR"
What did he say?'
"He said Schaffer was trying to do him
up. | told him | did not want to hear
about that as Schaffer was a friend of
mine"
Officer Cole testified to Lambert usually
having wild look. He said that the de-
PENDANT asked him one time to turn
batch of prisoners loose. Witness thought
that the defendant looked as though he
had been on spree.
Deputy Sheriff White when placed on
the stand said that he thought Lambert
was out of his head when he arrested him
last Monday afternoon in San Francisco
He said that he had not acted the same
since then.
DR.. ]. W. Robertson, an expert on in
sanity, probably the most important wit
ness IN the case, was next sworn, and gave
the result of his examination of Lambert
during the noon hour. He said: 1.-THE
defendant is suffering from chronic alco-
holism. He is mentally deficient, but he
is not insane. l understand that he has
taken from ten to forty drinks day for
the last twenty years. That, of course. is
affected his liver and kidneys, and brain
as well. He is not bright. He is dull. He
Will never be strong physically or men
tally. If he keeps on he will be insane.
The defendant is able to reason, think and
talk and is not insane. He has suffered
from delirium tremens, which is nothing
but temporary insanity"
The court asked: rs he sane or insane
at the present timer" The reply was that
he was legally sane.
The witness continued by saying that if
Lambert stopped drinking he would
probably come back to a fair condition,
but he would never have his same vigor or
brightness. DR.. Robertson said that it
was difficult to tell when Lambert was
drunk on account of his being able to bear
so much liquor.
DIR. Crowley, Lambert's family physician.
was next on the stand. He gave counter
evidence to that of the insanity expert.
~ believe that the defendant is insane"
said the doctor. II do not think that his
mind will ever recover its former activity"
DIR. Crowley further stated that Lamb bert
did not drink alcoholic liquor of any kind
whatever for period of six months, when
he was under treatment for Bright's dis
ease.
Upon cross-examination the doc tor ad-
mltted that the state of the defendants
mind was due to chronic alcoholism, caus-
ing the membranes on the brain to thicken
and the heart to be overworked.
Judge Allen testified as to the defen-
dant's great grief upon the loss of his wife.
Constable Cronin said when sworn: 81
went into Lambert's office one day on
some business concerning some complaints,
when Lam bert said, II have stood for that
fellow and got the worst of it. wish the
Car of Russia would cut his head off,
When l asked him whom he was talking
about he replied, Chief of Police Shaefer.
At the time though he was insane"
Miles Doody, John Seaman, J. A. Nc
Carthy and Eugene VOORHEES, testified as
to Lambert's queer action at times.
The defendants mother, Mrs. Donaldson.
SAID that her son had acted very strangely
of late. He became offended at all advice
given by her concerning his trouble. She
said that just the other night he came
home and threw picture that belonged
to bis wife out of the window, saying that
he did not think it a fit picture to hang on
his wall. At the time her son was not in
toxicated. When Mrs. Lambert's testi-
mony was concluded the court adjourned.
nHu nHTDn TTNn1Nnr1D