The herald., 1896-06-24
HE IS A MENTAL Wreck
General A. B. Campbell Is
Adjudged Insane
TWAS religion AND SP|R|TUAlISh
The Subjects Over Which lie
Lost Ills Mind
AN INTELLECT SHATTERED
Apparently Rational on All Matters but
the Two Mentioned
Argument on the Times Libel Suit Before
Judge York
Suit for Damage Against tho City, Growing
Out Of Q Gravel Pit-A Verdict In the
Pasadena Damage Suit-0en.
The Subjects Over Which tie
Lost Ills Mind
AN INTELLECT SHATTERED
Apparently Rational on All Matters but
the Two Mentioned
Argument on the Times Libel Suit Before
Judge York
Suit for Damages Against the City, Growing
Out Of Q Gravel Pit-A Verdict In the
Pasadena Damage Suit-0en.
eral Court Notes

| era1 Court Notes
The examination into the mental con-
| dition of Gen. A. B. Campbell, the Re-
publican orator and politician, who be-
came violently insane Monday night, and
| was locked up in the county Jail. was
had in department one of the superior
court, yesterday, at the noon hour. Judge
Van Dyke of department four sat with
| Judge Smith, and the commission con-
sisted of Drs. Brainerd, Cochran and
| Ainsworth. There was quite large
crowd in the court room.
| General Campbell had been quite vio-
lent during the morning and his shouts
could be heard throughout the court
house. When told that he was to be
taken into court, he subsidized, and began
his preparations. Before being taken
| from the padded cell, he asked the depu
| ties to strap his hands, saying that he
| could remove the bonds if he wished
| by the exercise of the occult power he
| possessed. He was escorted into the
| court room by Under Sheriff Clements,
| while a number of deputies were in at
| tendance in case there should be an
| outbreak.
The general was in his shirt sleeves
when he came into the court room. He
was apparently perfectly rational, and
| pleasantly greeted those in the crowd
with whom he was acquainted. He said
that he wished to conduct his own case,
and asked for a few minutes private con-
| versation with Judge Smith. This re-
| quest was granted, and he was taken
into the judges chambers, where he re-
manned with his honor and Mr.. Clements
| for about five minutes when all returned
| to the court room and the examination
proceeded.
| Gen. Campbell answered all the ques-
| lions asked him, saying that he was
| born in Ohio, but had moved to Kansas
| and came from that state to California.
He said that he had never been a hab
| itual drinker. He had gone on periodical
sprees, four or five times year, almost
| all his life. Aside from these periodicals
he very seldom drank, but when he did
| drink he made a business of it. He said
| that his father was afflicted with mel
ancholy mania, and that this, coupled
| with erysipelaS, caused his death at the
age of So years.
DR.. G. A. futile, who has been occupy
ing an office with General Campbell for
| some months past was the first witness.
| He said that he first noticed that every
| thing was not right with General Camp
| bell as far back as the 10th of February
| last. The general had always been
| believer in occult forces but at this time
he began to get more pronounced and
| emphatic in his views. He thought that
| he was under the control of the spirit of
his dead wife, as well as others, and i'm
| agined that he was in communication
| with them. OF late this mania had been
| growing on him, and he had been grow
| ing steadily worse He imagined that he
| had hypnotic power, and was expert
menting to make men do as ne wished
/ them. DIR. futile then described how he
| found the general at the house of Mr..
Young, at Alhambra, Monday. At that
time he was very violent, and was
| shouting and talking at the top of his
voice. He quoted him down, and
brought him into the city. When found
the general only had on his shirt and
trousers, having thrown away his coat
| and vest on his long walk from the city
| Sunday night. People in the vicinity had
| told him that they had heard the general
shouting during the night. The witness
then detailed the incidents preceding
| the arrest of the general Monday night,
| substantially as given in The Herald yes
| terday morning.
Gen. Campbell insisted on ross-exam
| lining the witness, and the within was
| gratif1ed. The general took exception
| to the statement that he was wild or
violent, and said that he was only using
his power through his voice, and that he
| had never attempted to injure any one
| He insisted that the doctor and himself
! entertained the same belief in regard
| TO occult or spiritual forces, and that the
only difference between them was that
he was much more developed. The gem
eral insisted that he was perfectly sane
| and argued that a belief in occult forces
was not an evidence of insanity.
| Coroner Campbell, who is an intimate
| friend of the generals was the next
| witness. DR.. Campbell told how he first
! noticed, the fading mentality of his
| friend. On Sunday he had gone to his
room, when the general had insisted
| that he had shown him the face of his
| dead wife, and also showed him his own
| face after death He did this by stand
| ing in front of the looking glass and
working his facial muscles. Dr. Camp
bell also told of the generals belief in
| occult forces, and how he believed he
was under the control and guidance Of
| the spirit of his dead wife. He also de-
| tailed what he knew of the generals
| actions from the time he became vio-
| lent Sunday until he was taken in charge
by the police Monday night, and after
| wards Of his treatment of him at the
county Jail.
Gen. Campbell insisted on cross-ex-
amining the witness at length He in
| sisted that he had shown the doctor
the face of his dead wife, in the glass.
and also that he had turned his own face
into the face of corpse, on which the
marks Of putrefaction were plainly Wis
! ible. He was positive of this and In
sisted that DR.. Campbell had agreed
| with him.
Gen. Campbell then made his state
ment He gave in a perfectly rational
manner the details of his trip to Alham-
bra, and said that he went out to the
country to exercise his power through
his voice. He meant no harm and was
only trying to exercise his power for
the benefit OF mankind. Gen. Camp
bell said that he was under the spirit
control of his dead wife, and the late
Theo. ]. De Ruy, an attorney, who for
merly lived in this city.
The general insisted on giving an ex-
hibition of his great power. and the ex
animation was rapidly assuming q far
cical character. when it was brought tr
an abrupt close in a rather sensational
! manner. The general after trying ts