The Portland daily press., 1896-12-29
Insanity Expert 50 Testifies Re-
garding WheeIman Brown.
INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS IN
THE FULLER MURDER CASE.

That it Was Possible to Leave Ships
Whsel-Experts Testify Regarding
Browns Sanity.
Boston, December 2s-Thomas Bran
was again on the witness stand when the
United States Circuit court was opened
this morning.
One of the first questions which Mr..
Hoar nsked the defendant was whether
Charley Brown ever said that he saw
Bran kill the captain. The defendants
replied: Eyes" and said 1t was when
nobody else was around The rest of the
men were scattered about the deok. At
that time man had been sent for 3
stool Charley Brown in saying that,
spoke in an ordinary tone of voice. That
was Just after Bram had been put in
irons. Witness and sailor lashed Brown
to the mast.
Several navigators testified to tho effect
that it would be possible for helmsman
to leave the wheel from 10 to 20 minutes
without the vessel deviaUing from her
course.
cdr. VIM. F. Whitney of the Harvard
M eOlCHl SCuCOl GeSblueu I'd 0AdmlulBB Vuo
clothing of Mate Bran, found no blood
upon it.
DR.. Theodore ". Fisher, an expert on
insanity, was asked hypothetical
question, rsoitinR the story of Charles
Brown in regard to his having tried to
kill man and his subsequent peculiar
actions on the Herbet Fuller. The in.
quiry was, would that indicate insanity
on the part of a person SO acting
Objected to by the government. The
court ordered the question again formu-
Jared.
n DR.. Thomas Waterman physician of
Boston and Professor of Harvard Univer-
sity was called by the defence. He is a
specialist of nervous diseases and has ex-
amined eight Thousand insane people in
the last sixteen years.
The court thought he was qualified to
testify on Mr French'S hypothetical
question. After a few minutes recess,
the defence presented their hypothetical
question which the last two experts were
allowed to answer. According to the
description in the question which applies
to Charles Brown DIR. Fisher said he
thought the person was suffering from
hysteria accompanied by hallucinations
He explained that the person had suffered
with insanity and his actions on board
the Fuller were suspicious. The Rotter-
dam affair indicated an acute attack of
insanity. The talking to himself WAS al
most sure Indication of insanity. This
was accomplished by hallucination or
illusion.
DR.. Fisher said such a person was
dangerous, as he was often prompted to
do all sorts of horrible deeds without a
moments warning. 1he prosecution was
physically unable TO conduct the oross-
examination and asked the courts in
diligence to adjourn, which it did.
Afterwards Mr.. Cotisr examined
Eugene Messenger of East Boston. He is
a ship builder and took the measure
ments Of the Herbert Fuller last August.
The witness stated in reference to the
deck load about the windows of the after
house. that the deck load was even with
the top of the after house and all the
windows were hidden except the second
mates. The lumber WAS within about
three and one-quarter to four inches of
tho house. He noticed blood spots att the
lashing plank, and be traced these spots
from the forward oompanionway TO this
lashing string. He said with both hands
on the wheel he could NOS look into the
chart room but with one hand on and
by leaning forward he could see to some
extent in that room.
MIR. Hoar then took the witness. 81 o
stated that he saw 10 blood in the cabin.
The only blood ne saw was from the COM
panionway OH the pine boards. Up TO the
lashing plank the outs he noticed were
fresh ones. This beams were of soft pine
He said the cabin had all been cleaned
ND and he went down there to make
measurements and not minations of
blood or outs in the cabin. Court ad-
Journed until ten O'Clock Tuesday.