New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-22
KORTRIGHT-S MENTAL STA lie.
DIR. FLINT. WHO THINKS ALlCES FAiiihh
IS INSANE. CROSS EXAMINED.

The hearing I'm the habeas corpus lrocee""h'
instituted by Mrs. r. Thercse kor'rsh' io' 80"
recovery of the custody OF her sephhush'''' o."
seven years old. who abe alleges mas oe'n ",e
fuuv given bv Gouverneur Kortright, her huspah"
and the child's father. into the CUSTODY q. '
ph,nns Alice's aunt was continued yesterday :"
the Supreme Court before Justice DAILY l"ous"
out the entire session DIR. Austin fhh'' '"e a.
st was on The stand. lie said In answer ~ ~.
first question put to him that when MI No'
signed the deed of guardianship, by whieh 'o
nominal consideration he gave his daughter nv
the custody and keeping OF her aunt ne was "
unsound mind and could not fully comp'e"'""
the import OF the action he was taking.
DIR. Flint was first asked on what he paSeu u''
opinion. lie answered that II was almost r"',,s
based on the testimony he had heard OH Dol" S'
during the present trial TO-,
noresis which had developed into dementia' wh'ch
incurable. -, ego
Would IT be safe" Mr.. Lindsay asked 10
allow a person suffering from paresis to 90 aoo"'
unwatched?' ,,1o,
mo. because such person may develop suicidal
or homicidal tendencies and may be hl'eiy " Il"
aict injuries on others" replied the witness
DR. Flint said he considered all Mr. kor'risn'
acts eliminating in his taking away Ills u''s"
from her stepmother. as haliucihauohs' 'ne 49,
OF paresis but men suffering from paresis W.,
AT times apparently in possession OF their facu'-
ties -,
John NJ Bowers for Mr.. Korright. then besaH
his cross-examlnaton of the witness How 40
we come TO have the pleasure of your company
here" he asked. -,
Il was employed TO come here by The once Oh
~,cou Anable & Lindsay said DIR. Flint
..,,hat yero Won employed TO come here for?
81 WAS employed 10 listen 10 the testimony ana
10 observe Mr. kortright
Dr Film, answered these questions slowly ana
with some hesitation and Mr.. Bowers asked why,
II always answer questions Slowly anu "
erately" replied the witness
might not Mr. kortrghts answering Slowly
have been because he desired to answer deliberate
" the questions put TO him." at once asked MI
Rowers Mr. Lindsay objected. and the question.
remained unanswered. Mr.. Bowers inquired
if the witness had read work by III a'ei"
nm insanity and DR.. Flint said he had DR.. stern
was a man OF good standlns III HIS p'o
was a friend OF his -,
THAT. | suppose accounts for your good opin-
ion Of HIM" remarked Mr.. Bowers
prossed for a definition OF the difference between
an idiot and n demented person. Dr. Fhnt sa'd al,
idio. never had any mind TO lose while demented
,orsor had lost whatever mind he had. MI.
Kortrigbt. he said was not an idiot lie was
suffering from paresis and was In state OF oe
rentia This opinion OF his condition had nee"
based In part his handwriting
And out Of ali you selected one signature TO one
nar,,cular. instrument throwing out OF considera-
II examined one which characteristic OF
naresis" replied the witness. This. II appeared
was the signature 10 the deed of guardianship.
under which Miss Phipps claims the custody oil
Alice. 49,
Mr. Bowers produced letter written by Mr.
fortnight on July ), ana asked the "i'"oSS 'P'
ion IT, ~
The handwriting is good" remarked DR. rhnt-
Just as good as If written by any sane man?
IF you choose to put it that way. yes
Mr.. Bowers produced a letter written by kort-
right on June ;. and read it. In it he asked his
wife not to continue to live away from him. ana
requested her to cease qusrrelling with those with
whom she should be at peace. ending: Let us
live in peace for the future. Do give up this un-
yke ne and come to your sense OF b ySny Tqy
DO YOU consider that letter the letter of sem
sible MANI asked Mr. Bowers.
He added that it was as good letter as any one
Mr. Bowers then cross-examined the witness
f demensd S person Would live after placed
under restraint. Dr. Stern holds that such Ugh
months Dr. Flint said ne agreed with DR.. Stern
But fortnight was restrained for more than
Il DO not think so. lie has only been in SANTA
'' What N is the difference between sanitarium
and an asylum for the ins s, ord tho other e
private institution. Persons who are not insane
may be confined in a sanitarlum.
1T is your idea that he should nave Deen III d
lunatc asylum
1T would have been the best thing for Mr.. kort-
right and all concerned II he had been put In
lunatic asylum some time ago., was the witnesses
49,
The witness was then questioned as TO his tes-
tmony Wednesday, and said he did not fully
recollect IT.
Does this loss of memory your part show IN
any way that you are suffering from paresis?
Dr. Flint shook his head amid some laughter,
but did not answer. Having read the deed con-
stituting Miss Phipps guardian OF Mr.. kortrights
child Mr. Bowers then asked the witness 10 give
his opinion 10 the contents and object or the
document Or. Flint gave a long answer, after
which Mr. Bowers read the answer given by Mr..
and more concise Dr. Flint admitted that this was
So and asked II the ability OF one man to put
In one sentence what took another six sentences
was proof Of "A superior capacity on the part
of the concise Individual. lie said that III was so
undoubtedly .
Then Kortrght is better than YOU" said Mr.
Bowers.
Later DR. Flint objected any statement which
right a dement,, and said he considered that MI.
KortriPht was suffering from paresis and was in
the early stages Of dementia He was asked II he
had intended TO convey to the Court and public
and would be the victim OF death from that
| disease and replied that ne had no desire TO con-
vey anything Of the kind. He had given his opin-
| ion on what he
this That Mr.. Kortright has not so much mind as
some other body, and that some people have more
mind and some less" .
THAT is evident" said DR. Flint. Mr.. Kort<
right has enough TO Indicate that he has not been
entirely deprived OF his mental faculties
Then the court took an adjournment until Mon
day evening.