The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-28


Barney insane-Coroner McCollister
Says He Did Not Issue His Warrant for
Fear He Would be Turned Ioose-Con-
siders Him a Dangerous Insane Man.
1nforma ton having been filed with
the probate judge that Barney Gibbons
was insane the following jurors were
summoned yesterday to hear and de-
termine the case: d. V. Doniey, +. A
Nicely, ]. J. Williams, w. II. Jones, !.
Keck and DR.. W. w. Minick John
Adams appeared for Langon and Coun
ty Attorney Davis for the state. Glib
bons being held for the murder of his
wife on Jan. Il, last.
Barney Gibbons was brought into
court and County Attorney Davis ask
ed that Drs. Hoffman, Rentz and Van
Neuys be allowed TO hold private con-
sultation with Gibbons, which was
granted. They took Gibbons into Mr.
Myatt's private office and he told them
the story Of the shooting and how his
wife visited him d midnight in his cell
in the rotary Of the county Jail, and how
when he realized that it was adream he
was always awakened by the clock
striking one. His story in regard to this
was published in the Eagle some time
ago.
Or. NanNeuys seemed not to be fully
satisfied with the examination and he
came back after court adjourned in the
evening and asked for another inter-
view with Gibbons
There was a good deal of interest in
the case and nearly all of the day will
more than likely be consumed in taking
testimony as subpOenas were last night
~ Attorney Davis seems to feel that
Gibbons is responsible for the murder
of his wife and he is trying hard TO
hold him for murder
The first witness introduced was Mr..
Charlie Smythe. He testified, in sub
stance, as follows:
Il have known Barney Gibbons for
nearly fifteen years and have had deal
lngs with him. On the 7th day of Oct.
1894, 1 sold him a road wagon; my
brother sold him a corn shelter in the
morning and settled with him for it TAX
ing his note. He came back the same
day and bought he wagon of me and
told me TO put the price of the corn
shelter to it and he gave me a note for
the whole amount.
Il noticed the two notes at night and
my brother explained that Barney had
given the note for the shelter. We de-
stTOyed the note for the smaller amount
and he paid the other He was always
hard to trade with but that day he
seemed nervous and we thought at the
time that he was not right. He paid the
note along in the fall and l did not see
him after that until after the shooting
OF his wife. From the way he acted
when he bought the shelter and the
road wagon and in the light of suisse
quent events ] believe he was insane"
Mr.. Smythe was cross-eXamined by
County Attorney Davis.
You say you made up your mind
from subsequent events that he was
insane when he bought the wagon?"
Yes sir. taking his action that day
and what happened after"
Did you think him insane the day
you sold him the wagon"
No sir. ! did not think a the time
l sold him the wagon that he was in
Sane. but in the light of subsequent
e-ents taken in connection with what
happened at the time | sold him the
wagon ] now believe that he was in
sane al the time l sold him the wagon"
Coroner McCollister was the next wit
ness who testified, substantially as fol-
lows:
Il have known Barney Gibbons for
eighteen or twenty years. He has had
trouble with his wife for the last two
years. He dotted on his wife and she
was a very affectionate woman and
good TO nm. lie and have been friends
for a long time and when he began To
have trouble with his wife he used To
come TO me to settle his difficulty and
talked about everybody. He was
afraid that outsiders had won the al
tections of his wife
He became very jealous and accused
me of being intimate with his wife
when ! had not more than merely
spoken 10 her for year. | have con-
SiIAraG him yao -.
hut I never heard him make any
threats. / did not issue any warrant |
for him after the inquest over his dead F!
wife because I was afraid he would be |