The times., 1899-03-09
EUGENE PETERS
ALLEGED INSANITY
The Day Spent in Taking Tes-
timony Of Witnesses.
His Conduct While South Indicates
Mental Derangement.
Fell in With 81 Number of Profess
sionaI Gamblers while Mt Hot
Springs, Ark.


enquiry into the sanity OF Eugene Peters.
well known as a member of the Norris
Peters Company begun yesterday before
marshal's jury, developed very e<-
traordinary state of affairs. In fact, the
recital OF the circumstances as told by the
several witnesses called by the prosecu-
ton sounded more like a romance than
the story of incidents from every day life.
The story began with the trip of a
wealthy man from the East TO the West,
where he very soon fell into the hands OF
lot of gamblers. who were iieecing him
OF his money. Then woman enters upon
the scene; the wealthy Fastener falls in
love with her; his friends use every ef-
fort to prevent their marriage, but with
out success, the marriage being perform
ed by justice of the peace. Immediately
bride went South, stopping at New Or
leans, and there his wild career was
brought to an end by his friends and re'a
tives, who succeeded in persuading him
to return to Washington, his home. He
was here but very short while, however,
before one of his relatives had recourse
to the law in an endeavor to effectuasiy
put stop to his recklessness.
So much has been said in the local pa
pers recently of the many escapades o.
Peters while in the West and South and of
the petition of his aunt Z. Annie Han
num- for u writ de lunatico cnquirendo
that il was not surprising that when the
proceedings were begun yesterday there
d large number of spectators present.
The selection of the jury who would en-
quire into the mental condition of
Eugene Peters was left with AS
sistant United States Marshal for the Dis
trict William B. Robinson, and his opinion
of the Importance of the result can be
best estimated by his choice of jurors, all
of whom are prominent residents of the
District. They are Messrs. Robert |.
Fleming, w. S. Thompson, Clarence +.
Norment, George W. Moss, Norman Gait,
William B. Gurley, George W. f. Swart-
zell, John A. Baker. W. A. II. Church,
William S Knox Archibald Greenlees, W.
A. Moses, and John E. Herrell.
Mrs. Peters Interested.
Mr.. Peters and his wife, a handsome lit
tie brunette about twentythree years of
age were the observed of all observers
in Equity Court Room No. ., where the
proceedings were held. Mr.. Peters sat
Immediately behind his counsel, Messrs.
Worthington, Heald, and Frailey, while his
wife had seat a few feet in the rear
of him She was attired in a neat fitting
black suit, and wore blue hat OF the mil
itary style. She kept her face yelled dur
ing the entire day. but ii was easy TO note
that she was paying the closest attention
to the proce iings. Mr.. Peters frequently
conferred with counsel.
The application for a writ de lunatico
inquirendo was made by his aunt. who at
the same time petitioned the Supreme Court
of the District to issue an injunction re-
straining the local banks and other insti-
tutiCns where Peters has money on de-
posit from paying il out upon his check or
| draft, and at the same time enjoining nm
| from making drafts or checks on his de-
posits The petitioner is represented by
| Messrs Jere NJ. Wilson and A. A. Hoeling.
| jr Mr. Wilson in his opening statement
| to the jury. made brief recital OF the
| circumstances and facts which led to the
| issuing of the writ, and claimed that such
| course was necessary in the interests not
| alone OF MIR. Peters but his relatives. Mr..
| Worthngton. in stating his side of the
| case, said that Mr.. Wilson had lost sight
of or had evaded noting the most impor-
| tant feature in connection with the mat
| ter which the Jury would be called upon to
| consider, and that is not wlTat was Mr..
| Peters condition of mind at some recent
| or remote period but what his condition is
| now. He also referred to Peters arrest
| after his arrival in Washington as most
atrocious proceeding, which he claimed
| must have been prompted by some other
reason than the care of Peters and his
property The testimony of the witnesses,
| taken as a whole, related the story of Pet
ers' dongs and sayings while at Hot
| Springs and New Orleans. substantially as
told in The Times yesterday.
Testimony of Witnesses.
The first witness called was Or. Thomas
E Holland a practicing physician at Hot
Springs. Ark He told that he was called
to treat Mr.. Peters at Hot Springs. Mr..
Peters. with Mrs. Peters, was occupying
the handsomest suite of apartments at the
| Arlington Hotel Mrs Peters told the wit
ness so he said, that at that time she
had never been married to Mr.. Peters.
DR.. Holland told of the actions of Mr..
Peters at Hot Springs. repeating several
alleged occurrences that have heretofore
been detailed. In paying the witness for
his services, Mr.. Peters, so DR.. Holland
testified. handed over Il 1000 note, 10
which he attached a revenue stamp.
| The witness gave Mr.. Peters no drugs
that would in any way affect his mind, sc
| it was testified The witness went on "a
say that he telegraphed J:-Paul Brown, OF
Wilmington. Del, the only friend of Mr.
Peters he knew OF. that Mr.. Peters was out
| of his mind. and was about to be married
Mr. Brown forwarded the telegram to this
| city and Dr. Holland received telegram
from Mr.. Daniel Fraser, of the Norris
Peters Company, requesting him to prevent
the proposed marriage if Mr.. Peters was
J not in his right mind.
Among other things, DR.. Holland told
the Jury that he knew that Mr.. Peters
while at Hot Springs. had not slept for five
| -bar, h. ti-s
, reached Hot Springs, was not considered
OF uusound mind by the witness, although
he was erratic. The condition of insanity
developed later. In the opinion OF DIR. Hol-
land Mr.. Peters did not drink at all the
entire time he was at Hot Springs
Frank C. Place. County Clerk Of Gar
land County, Ark, was next called as
witness. He stated that Mr.. Peters -allet
. at his Office in Hot Springs and made ap
plication for a license to marry "Clar,
Mackay spinster." The witness had beer
informed that MIR. Peters was not right
mentally. a worthless piece of paper wa
given TO the applicant under the assump
tion that il was marriage license. Th
, witness told Mr.. Peters that there wa
no charge for the license, but Mr.. Peter
remarked that he paid for everything h
Q got and threw a large roll of money Ol
= the counter. Later man named Martil
b, | j. Walsh, spoken of as confidence MAJ
, and gambler. made application for
. license for Mr.. Peters and Miss Mackay
; 1t was refused. MIR Peters manner. $
= said the witness, was entirely diheren
the day he desired the marriage licen5
from what 1t was in court today.
It Lee Mayberry, a hackman. of HO
h Springs. testified that he was employed b
s Mr.. Peters for several days while he wa
u at Hot Springs. 1t was the habit of MI
u Peters to drive down town in the mornin
:, :, to the bank, and then proceed to one or tw