Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-16

! ton at all with the blood of the family.
| 1t says that the illness in 1889, which
has been spoken of, was only temper
airy and was not SO extensive as to top
pie over his reason; that although he
was sent to the asylum he was soon
discharged and went back among his
| friends and to his work. That the
! opinion Of DR.. Price was one formed at
the time on the thing as it then was
and does not affect the main question.
The State also says that the testi-
| mony Of certain brothers and sisters as
| to his condition. sleeplessness, impress
| SiOns and other matters We're greatly
| exaggerated; that they We're sympathy
| with the brother, and that they ex-
| iggerated either purposly or uncon-
/ SciOusly; and that his conduct was not
| 50 suspicious or peculiar as they would
| have you believe; and that the wife
| left the young children with the hus-
! band and that she would not have done
, 50 had she not supposed he was sane.
Then the State adduces evidence of
knight on the hay-press, in the hay
| field and at other places. that he had
charge Of the press, had charge of the
| floor and was foreman of the crew and
| did the business; that they worked
with him more or less, ate with him
more or less. and that they observed
nothing peculiar; that he was a quiet
man, not inclined to talk much but
nothing indicating to them any I'M
sOundness of mind. Then the men
with whom he traded: did business.
traded a COW and bought grain The
State says he could buy and sell, make
trades, that he cared for his family
and maintained them right along The
State also brings forward his insol-
vency proceedings in 1897. and says
that he then realized his situation. that
ne was not able to pay his debts: that
he had mind enough then to make up
a petition in insolvency, a list of cred
tors, list Of assets, prayed for his
discharge and obtained it, The State
says that in 1897 he was all right with
plenty Of mental capacity for ordinary
business transactions
The State further argues. if I under
stand its counsel correctly. that the IN.
happiness shown. the moodiness the dis.
inclination to talk much, to go off bv
himself. are explained not by mental dis
ease, but by his unfortunate relations
with Mamie Small; that he had un.
fortunately allowed himself to become in
fatuated with this girl, although he was
a husband and father; that this girl had
possession of his thoughts: that he was
in love with a girl much younger than
he; that he was jealous of her; that he
had all the pangs of the jealous lover:
that this made him morose and moody.
and that he neglected talking with his
fellows to think of her. The State claims
that this incident of the laudanum is ex-
planned by that. not by any mental dis
ease, but by sudden grief at what he
thought was the loss of Mamie; that she
had been sent away, that he was to be
without her: that the world seemed to
him as it does to all unhappy lovers. not
worth living in; that the only thing was
to get out of it, and he took laudanum
for that purpose; that as soon as the
jealous rage was over the man was all
right again.
The State further says that in 1898 the
girl. having experienced some change IF
views or change of heart, resolved to
end this connection and 50 notified him.
and that his subsequent conduct was not
the result Of mental disease but Of zeal.
ousy; that he was suffering the pangs
of an unhappy lover, who found that the
object of his affections was no longer
mindful Of him. The State further saws
that the conduct of Knight is explained
by the circumstance that the girl. con-
science stricken. had disclosed the rela
tions to her sister and to his wife and
that his wife had left him: that he was
now in danger of having his home broken
up and in danger of prosecution for adul.
and pf hainp
prison, and that his brooding was over
rather than mental disease
The State adduces the testimony of Mr..
AL Holman that he talked of 1t in that
way; that what he was mourning and
fretting about was the prospect of being
sent to State prison for his offences with
this girl. The State claims that those
impressions and that unhappness showed
that he had mental capacity to reason
about things, could appreciate what Grim
was and appreciate the penalty, and that
he dreaded it. The State further claims
that his correspondence in 1888. up to 1899,
shows a man of depraved tastes, man
who was weak and silly, man who had
allowed himself to become infatuated
with a girl and had given way to that in
ldtudlloH, ana yet tndt the correspond.
ence shows that he had retained his fac.
ultes, retained his knowledge and con
seriousness; that they are coherent and,
while silly, they show that he was still
a rational man fully competent to under
stand the situation and his relations to
society.
The State further calls your attention
to his conduct at the time of the transac.
ton. in his having said that he would
shoot her; that he would as soon go to
State prison for shooting as for adultery;
that if they were going to get MIN in ut
all, they would get him in after he had
killed her; that he had stated to some
witnesses that he had intended to do this
thing, and that ne drank to get his cour.
age up for that purpose. and that he said
he would have taken his own life if he
could have gotten anything to drink
The State calls your attention to his
mode OF escape, his desire to avoid the
man whom he met, did not want to be