The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-09
Claim Made That He is Insane
and Has Been for Y Years.
Struck on Head by Pump Handle While
a Boy Witnesses Testify to His
Cranky Disposition.

to keep the peace. Mr.. Greenfield re-
piled that he did everything he could
to protect his daughter.
Col. Arms asked: Were you not told
before your daughter married Massell
that what had happened would nap
penn"
Attorney General Tanner objected TO
the question
Judge Wilbur said the question might
be pertinent to show insanity.
Col. Arms said he asked the question
TO affect the credibility of the witness
and to show that Greenfield ana ms
family had been notified by frienus
that Masseh was crazy.
ATTORNEY General Tanner did not
agree with Col Arms and the court
aid NOT think the question could be
asked for the purpose OF anecung the
credibility OF the witness. Col Arihs
took an exception.
Witness said he never heard Massell
called an insane man. The state mere
rested.
THE DEFENCE OPENS.
Col. Arms saId the defence was in
sanity. The prisoner. his counsel salu.
had been insane for a dozen years ana
was called by very many persons 81
,non the Crazy and was so called by
latter's family. . Col. Arms said he
! would show the insanity was due TO
blow on Masselrs skull, when ne was
years old, by pump handle AT MS
fathers house in Russia. The poy
nature had apparently been changed
by the blow and he ever afterward
talked OF killing some one.
"I tell You now" said Col. Arms at
the conclusion Of his opening argu-
| ment" that I will call no medical wit
| ness. The insanity Will be proved by
Law persons who have known him for
many years as a lunatic." Col Arms
added that expert witnesses were ex-
| pensive.
MAssELLS MIND QUEER.
Bennett Dunn who lives on Kane
| street was the first witness called by
! the defence. He said he was a
f, teacher of Hebrew and had resided
! about Is years In this country, coming
here from the city OF Netna, Russia
| Witness knew Simon Massell the pris-
| oner and had known him about q
years. Witness first knew Massell In
| his fathers house in the city OF 'Ilna
| and this was after the prisoners sick
| ness TO which Col. Arms had referred
When witness first knew Massell hi:
| mind was queer for he could not keer
Il steadily on any subject. Witness
said that Massell boarded at his
| Dunn's house. about IL years ago. A
this time Massell used 10 say 81 wan
TO go back home and kill my father
The father Of the rrisoner was a dis
tlller.
Massell had worked in jewelry shop:
! and would without any apparent rea
| son leave his work. Whenever he go
into any argument. according to wit
nees Maesell would always say "Pl
| stab you"
on cross -exam nation witness tolt
the attorney general that the visit!
to Massel's father were on business
end witness could not say whether
| Massell ever went to school Attor
| ney General Tanner then asked w'ha
business witness went TO see Mas
sells father about AMI the answer
| was the lumbe~ business. Attornel
| General Tanner said "I THOUGHT vol
said Nossnu's fathe~ was a d'stller.
! Through Mr. Goldsmith the inter
prete~ Witness said he referred ~ tn,
prisoners fathers father who lived II
another citv hut used 20 visit tn
nrs1r S's father where witness callet
upon him.
Asked in regard 70 the talk of tn
rrisouc- at~rrt stabhing n .4onle v-itnes
sa'd such rerna rl1s we~e ma ,e two n
th-ae tirNSs week. Maes~il boards
with witness about veer but wit
! rcss ep.d eeeirg ~ was onlv talk n
df not order Naqeail out Of his hors
fvr a y-ar but finally got tired beinn
bothe~es with Naesell.
In redirect witoo@s toid Col Arm
thaf tho nr'sorer had habit ~ stttin
and hoidirg his hards 10 his head IN
after 50 dN'r~ would he verv rqy Th
pr-'eoner tro hnd alec y Nabit ~ claim
inp no was sict and saying: "T wiz no
live tong" NassoU comnlaired r
trouble With bic hea~f and also n
r7sre IN his heart Asked ~ he con
side s,d tha prfsoner sound IN mind wit
noes rennel no did not consider hr
sound altorether
IN re-crose examination witness wa
psked when he came to tho cOnCiueio
prisoner was not sound in mind au
| his reniv was "NNh~n ordered hir
awav FROM nv homo Witness did No
krow Of the prisoner having drinkln
habits.
CONSTANTLY CRANKY.
phiiin prl,iroviz ~ Cau1br.i,i -erort
r,,nroharf had knowr the n,.teonor ,
hie narout-' home Tho vitnoee va
| y coi,ei~ ~ 80 n~is0rer and cofrf
what oidor NJ pubinaviz know ~
r,-feonr~ r'nco 30 wae two veare vi,
WHOM r-u~ ~ 0ve voors ~ nrisors
woe r. htfohf iissie chrd. Witness a
! nct co. NFar--'t Ni' nv On iron 10
] hwt safa 10 kuew NasSeil was so n
: | vhon ei-N' vea~e old
The etate~,erf was e'ricke- from ~
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