Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-27
According to the Testimony of
Several Witnesses.
HE TALKS ALL RIGHT
Subjected to an Examination on Law,
Medicine and lNavi-
cation.

Drs. Schwartz and Turner comprised a
commission that inquired into the men,
tai condition of Henry Mollard in Judge
l-indsay's court room this afternoon.
MIollard is the man who petitioned the
district court for a writ of haheas corpus
a few days ago, claiming in the petition
he was not insane, never had been and
was being unlawfully deprived of his
liberty by the sheriff of Silver Bow
county. The hearing of the petition was
then set for tomorrow before Judge
Clancy. Mollard was taken into custody
in Walkervil!e about the first of the
month, the complaint against him being
made by Newton G. Purcell, whose
mother onducts the American house in
that city. Purcell told his story to the
judge and commission. He said that
about two weeks prior to Mollard's ar
rest he found Mollard, who was a board
er at the house, in his room to
wash his feet with his socks on. A few
days before the complaint was filed he
had found him in a selni-darkened room
IN the house. He had one hand raised
and approached him. Not knowing who
ne was on account of the uncertain light
ne asked Mollard who he was and r%cceiv-
ca no reply. He then grappled with Mol
lard on the supposition that he was an
intruder n it was not uncil he had
choked him and hauled him to the side
walk that he learned his identity. Mol
lard had then said he would kin him for.
that n started away. Or another oc-
casloh he mad proclaimed himself a doc
.or ana a lawyer. AT the dinner table one
day he had mixed his cabbage, corn;d
peer and other side dishes together and
then taken a piece of brown paper. torn
II into bits and shovel it into the pickle
bottle, after which he had given the bot
tie a shake with the remark that II
would be a nice dose for someone.
Inc witness described other nec,liar
tricks in the actions. of Mollard and whila
SO doing Mollard asked the Judge if he
would be permitted to say something.
After awhile" said the judge, and
Moflard settled back in his chair to await
his turn.
DIR. Sheerin stated that Mo)lard had
been arrested about two years ago on a
charge of insanity, but had been releas-
ca. he thought from What he had
heard that Mollard had spells, but he
mad never seen him have one.
Fred McE.lroy said he had known Mol
lard since last July; had boarded with
him at the American house. He had he
said, noticed Mollard's peculiar actions.
Had seen him pour the milk into the
sugar bowl at the meal table. heard him
move the furniture about in his room and
sing at unusual hours of the night.
Edward Golde said he had known
Mollard Since April Of 1898. He had OH
served Mollard's actions during the last
Two months and would say he had not
conducted himself like ONE whose mind
was regular. Witness had heard it said
that some OF Mollard's family We're in
sane.
Mollard was given a chance and
talked as intelligently as any sane man.
He said he was born July Is. 1853. and
followed it with a b~ioeraDhical sketch
of his life and a geographical illustra-
ton of the variols places he had been
since he first took the trail. He then
settled down to actual business and de-
scribed an afliction at the right side of
his throat With which he sometimes
suffered. He denied that Purcell had
ever seen him washing his feet with his
socks on. but admitted tina he might
have been seen with wet socks just after
returning from work. As Cor the allie
cations made by witnesses h he
walked around the house at unusual
hours of the night, Mollard said he was
an early riser and frequently got up
ahead of the others in the morning and
took a bath and a long walk.
lie Vas questioned about his knowI-
edge of medicine and his answers demon
strated that he was not so slow. He WIS
questioned on smallpox, navigation, law.
and a few other intricacies. AT the time
the Inter Mountain went to press the
ordeal was still in Progress.