The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-23
SO DIR. O. e. RIGGS DIAGNOSES THE
MANIA OF JOHN
ADLER.
TRIAL OF MILLER'S SLAYER
PROGRESSES VERY RAPIDLY
AFTER THE DRAWING OF THE
JURY ENDS.
PROSECUTIONS CASE CLOSE
Defense Summons Medical Men to
Testify I'm His Behalf-WiIl
Finish Today.

The trial Of John Adler for the killing
of Bernard Miles was resumed yester-
day morning before Judge Lewis in the
criminal court. The jurors having been
secured on Monday, it did not require
more than twenty minutes to fill the
box. The jury when completed COM
prised the following citizens:
William Cults, James E. Leonard,
Homer H. Hoyt, E. ]. Metcalf, George
L. Bonney, A. A. Cratsenberg, ]. E.
Jones, F. j. Brings, A. D. Brown, c.
P. Body, E. w. Haley, Frank E.
Frcst.
County Attorney Anderson then pro-
ceeded to open the states case. John
Adler, the prisoner at the bar, occupied
a seat quite close to the jury box, and
at the right of his counsel, T. E. Nc
Dermott and j. E. Nethaway. He APP
peared to be totally unconcerned and
could scarcely be called a spectator of
the proceedings, as he looked straight
ahead and paid no attention to either
judge, jury, counsel or witnesses.
After his opening address, Mr.. An
derson called the following witnesses,
who testified as to the shooting Of
Miles and the nature of the bullet
wounds as shown by the autopsy: Her
man Schultz and E. T. Herbert, the
boys who witnessed the shooting; DR..
E. H. Whitcomb, Who was coroner at
the time, and Doctors J. G. Mcnamara
and ]. Finnell, who assisted at the
autopsy. At the conclusion of their
testimony the state rested
ha
address for the defense. In a few
words Judge Nethaway outlined the
nature of the defense which, he in
formed the jury, would be that Adler
was insane when he fired the stots
that killed Miles.
Christopher Frylinger, who keeps
the saloon at Harrington and Univer-
sity avenues. IN the vicinity of the
shooting, was the first witness called
by the defense. Mr.. Frylinger testified
that on the night of the shooting, June
q, an hour or more before it occurred,
Adler came into his saloon and drank
four glasses of beer. He seemed ner-
VouS and had a wild look in his eye.
Witness had always thought Adler was
off"
Oscar Schieber, the next witness, had
drank a glass Of beer with the prisoner,
the same night, and had noticed that
he was nervous and diSinclined to talk
G. A Hoffman had conversed with
Adler about three weeks before the
shooting, and observed his nervousness.
Adler had told the witness upon that
occasion, that he. was being prosecuted
by his neighhors and that he wanted
to move away from the locality.
John M. Pathen, who knew Adler
we'll, testified that he frequently passed
Adler's shoe shop, but that Adler didn't
h1T10
often told the witness that his neigh
bCrs bothered him.
Rev. John Solinger, who was also well
acquainted with Adler, testified that
for several months before the shooting
occurred, he had noticed a peculiar
restless manner about Adler, who COM
planned that his stomach hurt him. He
also persisted in declaring that the
neighbors were trying to break up his
business.
The defense next called Mrs. Eliza
beth Adler, the prisoners wife. Mrs
Adler's testimony was similar to that
of the preceding witness. She also
added that her husband couldn't sleep
nights.
The defense then proceeded to ad-
duce expert testimony as to the prison
er's mental condition. Dr. c. A. Smith
was the first physician called.
DR.. Smith testified that he had oc-
caSiOn to examine Adler in April 1896,
two months before the killing of
Miles, and that he considered Adler
subject to a delusion. DR.. Smith said
that he told Adler that if he kept on
thinking and acting as he did, he would
end in the insane asylum. The witness
thought that while Adler was extreme
ly nervous, yet he knew what he was
doing, but he considered him far from
level-headed The expression Of his
eyes showed that he was suffering from
mental disease.
Dr. Henry Hahn made an examination
of Adler in the Jail in September, 1884,
and found him suffering from chronic
insanity known as paranOia, which is
a form of delusiOnary insanity gradual
in its development. Adler thought he
was being prosecuted, and that people
were trying to poison him. The wit
ness was positive that Adler must have
been suffering from the disease prior
to the date of the murder. Witness
was satisfied that Adler was insane
when he committed the act, assuming
the evidence as to his conduct prior
thereto, to be true. DR.. Hahn added
that the nature of the disease is such
that as it develops. is almost sure to
lead to homicidal propensities.
DR.. C. E. Riggs and DR.. Knox Bacon,
both of whom examined Adler in De-
cember last, corroborated DR.. Hahns
testimony in a general way, as to the
probability of his insanity when he
committed the act.
Court then adjourned until $50 a. m.
today. 1t is understood that the de-
Tense will call ten or dozen more wit
nesses. In order that the criminal
cases may be expedited, the ACCESSIBILITY
of holding night sessions of the criminal
brow ah &c hnin