The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-21
MURDERER REDS TRIAL
Evidence All in and Case
Will Go to the Jury
Tonight.
DAMAGING EXPERT TESTIMONY
Prisoner Held to Be Sham
ming Insanity : Eloquent
Speeches by Counsel.

William Reid. who has been on trial IN
the oyer and Terminer Court since Mon
day morning for the murder Of Andrew
Henry, will probably know his fate TO-
night. The evidence was all in before the
Court adjourned yesterday afternoon, ana
the lawyers began summing up at lo-5o a.
m. today. AT the request of the Defence,
Prosecutor Erwin made a brief opening,
reciting the facts of the. case, and stat
ing that the State proposed to ask for a
verdict of murder of the first degree.
Former Judge Hoffman followed for the
defence, and made an eloquent summing
up.
The State produced some witnesses in
rebuttal yesterday afternoon They were
men who had worked with Reid, and who
had ample opportunity to observe his
characteristics. They all agreed that he
was of a taciturn. and even morose, dis
position, but otherwise appeared to be
sane.
Nicholas Day, a cooper, who lives in
Newark street, Hoboken, testified that ne
had known Reid between eight and ten
years. He first met hin at Grove and
Twelfth streets, Jersey City. The witness
knew the defendant when he was IN the
charcoal businss. and also when he work
ed on the Hamburg dock. He mad heafd
Reid engaged in arguments on the iapor
question. The arguments were about the
respective merits of two labor organlza-
TONS. and Reid upheld one of them. he
talked intellfgently and as a man VINO I'M
derstood what he was talking about, ana
the witness always considered him of
sound mind. The witness heard him talk
ing OF different politicians, n de-
nouncing some of them as no good. he
was always quiet.
On 8cross-examination the witness SAD
that when Reid was talking politics he
spoke Of certain people being down on
him and trying to do him.
John Bowling, of No. 1858 First street,
Hobeken, employed as a longshoreman on
the Hamburg docks, testified that he saw
the defendan almost daily around the
pier. He did his work as the other men
did. The witness played pool and euchre
with him. Aside from an impeachment in
his speech was like hat of any other
man.
Il consider him as sane as myself said
the witness.
Frederick La Chappelle and Frederick
Berger testified hat they had known ana
associated with Reid and considered him
as sane as themselves.
Marie Seamont was recalled n testi-
fed that she had known Reid for some
time and always considered him sane
The remainder of the day was taken up
with the Introduction of expert testimony
on the part of the State. DR.. Griffin y.
Evans. Medical superintendent of the
Morris Plains Asylum, testified that he
had been superintendent for seven years.
Prior to that he was Assistant Sunerin-
tendent of the Maryland Hospital for In
sane for four years. He has made a
study of insanity since 1877. Since he has.
been at Morris Plains he has handled
seven or eight thousand cases of insanity
or an average of about 1900 a year n
the number is increasing every year He
has made a close study of ali the forms
of insanity known to the medical profess
sion.
Have you examined Reid. the defend
ant?' asked Prosecutor Erwin.
81 have"
How often la you seen him?"
Three times, once in June and twice in
this month. I have also made observations
during the trial. DR.. Converse was with
with me on my second visit, and DR.. Ar
litz. DR.. Stack and Dr. Converse were
with me on the third visit"
How did you examine him22
Il first examined his physical condition.
Then ] examined his eyes to note the re-
hexes and also his powers of coordination
with his eyes both open and shut. / ex-
mine him also for nervous trouble and
also as to decisions. Authorizations and il
lusions. Not finding any trouble with his
eyes, | made enquiry into his mental
condition"
What opinion did you form Of mis- mem
tai conditions"
That he was of sound mind ~.
Upon what did you base this opinion?'
Il based it upon the entire absence of
any mental arrangement and of any
symptoms whatever. | diagnosed him as
while examining Reid did you dis
cover any action on his part to indicate
apprehension as to what you were exam
lining him for?n
Il observed a studious effort ON his
part to avoid saying anything that bore
on the crime of which he is accused. /
noticed an effort to avoid any question or
conversation regarding the crime, but he
was not suspicious of any question not
connected with it and answered all of
them promptly and intelligently. He act
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questions on certain lines"
What else did you notice.
| noticed that he did things very
promptly which required exercise Of the
mental faculties, but he refused to enter
into any elaborate conversation. My ex-
animation failed to disclose any decisions
or Illusions, but l noticed a persistent dis
tinct effort to avoid knowing anything
about the crime. This Is not a character
istic of persons who had homicidai
mania"
The Prosecutor called DR.. Evans atten-
ton to the letters, and asked him If he
thought they were written by a sane or
commit himself unless he had an oppor-
unity to read them, He had heard Judge
Hoffman read them, but he would not
form any opinion from hat because the
moduIations of the voice made a differ
ence. He was not allowed to read the
letters.
Judge Hoffman subjected DR.. Evans to
a prolonged psychological examination,
but did not change his opinion.
County Physician Converse, DR.. Arlitz
and DR.. Stack Of Hoboken testified that
Reid was perfectly sane at the time OF
the murder.
County Physician Converse testified that
he had examined Reid and failed to find
any evidence of insanity.
Would you be willing to testify under
oath that this man is sane?' asked Judge
Hoffman.
Il wouldn't testify that any man is
sane" replied DR.. Converse.
Drs. Arlftz and Stack Of Hoboken tes-
tilted that they had assisted at the ex-
animation of Reid and had arrived at
the same conclusion as Dr. v and
DR.. Converse. That closed the testi-
mony.
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