The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-23
NO EXPERTS IN SAVANNAH.
DIR. CHARLTON on SAVANNAH PLY
SICIANS AND LUNACY CASES.

I
| Solicitor General Fraser Asked the
! CommissiOners for an Expert 10
Examine Into schwarE's Mental
CondftfOn-At DIR. CharltOn's Sug-
gestfon One VIII BE Secured From
MiIIed geviIIe. in Case Judge Fall
Iignnt Allows the State to Put In
Expert Testimony Schwarz's
COnditiOn-The Application for an
Examining Board to Be Made TO
Judge FaIIigant To-day.
The application before Judge Faliigant
for a commission of physicians to examine
into the mental condition of William
| Schwarz now in Jail on a charge of muir
der he having entered a special plea OF
insanity. will be made by Solicitor General
Fraser in the superior court this morn
ing
Solicitor General Fraser went before the
county commissioners yesterday at the
special meeting and made the following
application for means with which to Sc
cure expert testimony:
To the Commissioners Of Chatham
County: Dear sirs: VIM. Schwarz, who is
in Jail under indictment for murder has
filed a plea Of insanity. and the issue on
this plea will be tried on Friday, July 26. 1t
is necessary for the state upon this trial
to have expert testimony and 1 desire to
have physicians summoned as witnesses to
be present at the trial and to give expert
testimony as to the sanity or insanity of
Schwarz. To do this their fees for giving
such testimony will have 10 be paid and
now respectfully request that 1 be author
tied by you to employ physician or ply
scians to be present at said trial to give
expert testimony in this case. Without this
the state will be without witnesses to meet
the testimony Of the defendants witnesses.
Very respectfully. w. w. Fraser,
Solicitor General
Mr.. Fraser explained that Schwarz hav-
ing entered a special plea Of insanity. the
state was at the mercy of the defendant
and was without testimony unless physi-
clans could be secured to give expert tes-
timony. Such testimony, he said, could
not be obtained unless the fee was guaran-
teed. The state, he said, wanted as many
physicians as the commissioners saw tit to
allow.
There is no such thing as an expert on
the question of sanity Cd insanity in Sa-
vannah." Commissioner Charlton said
THE only thing TO do is to bring one down
here from Milledgeville."
This is a new question" Mr.. Fraser eX-
planned, land l don't know what action
the judge viii take with regard to the
application. But in case it is allowed we
| should have some means of securing the
/ testimony needed. The defense has its
/ witnesses, namely, Drs. Norton, Chisholm,
/ Groth and Bloodworth.'
] moi
testimony" DR.. Charlton said, land he
] could not be declared insane on any testi-
mony they could give. The only way TO do
/ is to get an expert down here from Mil
/ ledgeville. This is one Of those questions
/ in which there is loophole for fraud and
| deception. 1t may establish a precedent
/ which the courts would be apt to go by
| hereafter, and / think the county should
/ pay the expenses of a man to come down
! here from Milledgeville 1 move that be
done
Eve are not certain Chairman Dale
said whether any expert testimony will
/ be allowed"
/ Mr.. Fraser said that an expert would
/ be needed anyhow. He wanted a man on
! hand to hear the testimony given so that
/ he might know how to proceed. On DR..
| Charlton's motion the following order pro-
| Viding for an expert from MllledSeVllle
| was passed:
| That the solicitor general be authorized
! to employ an expert from Milledgeville to
| testify in the case of VIM. Schwarz the
! expense not TO exceed 800 for the fee and
! travelling expenses.
Solicitor General Fraser wrote to Supt.
! T. O. Powell of the state asylum for the
insane last night with regard to getting
a specialist here to examine Schwarz s
! mental condition in case the court allows
! him to use such testimony. That question
| will likely be decided this morning.