The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-04
MRS. SWEIGART A LUNATIc.
THE UNSOUNDNESs OF HER MIND
PROVEN BEYOND A DOUBT.


Her Case Passed on by "A Jury In the
Court of Ordinnry-An order VIII
Probably BE Taken at Once in the
Superior Court TO Have Her Con-
fined in the AsyIum-This VIII End
Any Criminal Prosecution That
Might Otherwise Have Been Had.
Catherine Sweigart. who shot and
killed her husband about a week ago,
was adjudged lunatic by jury in the
court Of ordinary yesterday afternoon,
and steps will be taken TO have her sent
10 MiIIedgeville for confinement in the
state asylum.
An affidavit to the effect that she was of
unsound mind was made by her sister,
Mrs. Georgia Pickett. who is a profess
sional nurse. Mrs. Pickett secured Mr..
Paul E. Seabrook 10 represent herself and
her sister before the court Of ordinary,
and Solicitor General Fraser was noti-
fed before the jury was sworn. that the
charge Of lunacy was TO be considered.
The solicitor general stated that he did
not desire to be represented. and the
hearing went on without representation
on the part of the state.
DR.. L. A Falligant was the first wit
ness sworn. He stated he had been called
20 see Mrs. Sweigart professionally and
it took but few minutes TO convince him
that she was Of unsound mind. She was
under the impression ne said, that she had
a stick in her. and she wanted 81 taken
out. She would halloo out every few min
utes, ne said, without any apparent
cause.
DIT. N. X. Corbin gave testimony similar
in substance TO this. He said Mrs. Sweig-
art was laboring under the halucination,
at the time he visited her, to the effect
that an attempt had been made by her
daughters TO poison her. She told him
thas poison had been given her, and that
her tongue and mouth were as raw as beef.
Her condition, so far as re could hnd from
a thorough examination, he said was per
fectly normal. DR.. +. II. BlOOdworth also
gave professional testimony TO the same
effect, he having come TO the conclusion
that she was a lunatic. and that she should
be sent to the asylum.
Mrs. Pickett, her sister was then called
on to testify. She went back more than
year and related incidents which at that
time led her 70 the conclusion That her
sister was not sound in mind. Later Mrs.
Sweigart imagined that everybody was
against her and that attempts were be-
ing made to poison her.
Mrs. Sweigarts daughter Mrs. w; +.
I.amon. made a statement 70 the erect
that after Mrs. Sweigart thought she
had been given this poison by two OF her
daughters she was sure that she would
die within week. and it was Thursday
which she mentioned as the last day she
would live. She was still alive when the
day came, however, and when asked about
il said she was very sick and knew she
could not live long. Mrs. Lamon told OF
her having made repeated attempts 10
take her own life, and also or the impress
sion she had the night the killing oc-
CURED that her husband had tried 20 poi
son her One or two other witnesses testi-
fed to similar facts in connection with the
Woman's actions, which left no doubt
in the minds Of the jury as TO her eondi-
tion.
Mrs sweigart, who was brought to the
court house by one of the deputy sher-
ifs was then brought into the room. She
was wan and haggard- looking, and her
nervous state seemed shattered. Several
questions were asked her. some OF which
she answered, but with no precision.
while others she did not seen1 to catch at
all Her sister, her daughter and others
present to whom she was nearest looked
upon the scene, and their eyes filled with
tears The jury was not long in making
up its verdict as there seemed no doubt
whatever that the asylum was the only
Solicitor General Fraser said, when
asked about the matter, that he had in
vestigated the case, and thought there
was no doubt as to the woman being in
sane. For this reason he did not care
TO press any criminal action against her,
but would prODaDly take an OfueI at
once for her confinement In the state lun-
attic asylum. An effort will be made to
have her sent there at once.
The circumstances of the killing are not
old enough to be forgotten. Mrs. Swell
CART was formerly known as Kate Barn
well, and 1t is thought by many that her
past life Is largely, If not wholly. respon-
sible for her practically shattered mental
and physical condition. The killing took
place the morning of April 25. She had
the impression the night before that her
-l.a,, hraA faA 40 No her md nh
8 o'clock in the morning she got up from
her bed, secured his pistol and shot him
TO the heart, his death following within
a few minutes. The coroners jury re-
turned a verdict of murder, as ii was not
of course. within its province to pass on
her mental condition. Efforts were made
before the killing to have her sent to the
asylum as a lunatic but the proper means
We're not pursued, and, besides, her hus-
band, Milton Sweigart, always objected
TO having her taken away from him.
This probably ends a case that, had her
condition of mind not been so pronounced
might have been a sensational criminal
prosecution.