The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-21
DREAMS CAUSE TRAGEDIES.
Several Instances Recalled in Which Violence Has Been Done on Others.

Philadelphia Press.
 On the night of Thursday, July 9. Frank Manoley, a woodturner of Baltimore, killed his wife. He admits the killing. and yet he does not consider himself guilty of any crime for he claims that he dreamed burglar was in the room and that, while asleep he drew his re- volver, and, thinking that he was shoot ing the burglar, shot his wife.
 The case has naturally caused a good deal of comment and, at first sight, many persons seemed to think the defense a himsy one, but this view is gradually undergoing a change, because of the list of similar cases that are now being re- called to memory.
 One of these is that of young Albert Lotman, and 1t occurred no further away than Elktown, Md, and no earlier than last November. Lotman, a boy, bor- rowed shotgun from a friend, intend ing to use it for rabbit shooting next day. When She went to bed that night he carried the gun to his room, and, plac- ing 1t alongside of his bed, soon fell asleep. During his slumber he began to dream of the abundance of game that was in store for him, and became so enthusiastic that he picked up the gun and, aiming it at his feet thinking them rabbit fired. The shot entered the right foot, and the member had to be amputated
 Another case cited is that of Bernard Schmedmaizig, well known to psycholo- gists, who. while dreaming, killed his wife with hatchet, and one wherein a young man dreamed that his father was mad dog and shot and killed him, and was acquitted.
 Then there was the case of Simon Fra ger, who was tried in Scotland in 1878 for the murder of his child It was proved fkaA I.H kI, killed it by daShing it's head against the wall of the room. The defense was that the deed was done unconsciously while he was in state of somnambuism. He dreamed that he had seen a wild beast jump into his bed, and he arose to at tack 1t. It appeared that from his boy hood he was accustomed to get U,S in his sleep. The Court instructed the jury to find that he had killed the child, while unconscious of the act by reason of his condition as a somnambulist, and that he was not responsible for his actions
 There are numerous well-authenticated cases" said William Cotton, a promi- nent Baltimore lawyer, but the only one contained in the official reports is that of Fain vs. the Commonwealth decided by the Supreme Court of Kentucky in 1S7O 7S KKy.. 1S3.) Fain was convicted of manslaughter. At the trial in the court below he offered to prove that he committed the alleged offense in state or somnolency or semi-consciousness from sleep. The evidence was rejected by the trial court, but on appeal it was held that this ruling was erroneous, and a new trial was ordered.
 ''The Supreme Court placed it's ruling upon the ground that, as in the state designated as somnambulism or somno- lentia, the person does not enjoy the free and rational exercise of his understand ing, and is more or less unconscious of his outward relations, none of his acts during the paroXysm can rightfully be attributed to him as crimes. In this case it appeared that there was not the slight est motives for the homicide, and the ev- idence tended to show that the prisoner believed himself to be attacked by the deceased, who was in the act of rousing him from sleep, and shot him in supposed self-defense.
 Tn nightmare" writes Dr. J. NJ. Buck ley, in an article on Dreams, Nightmare and Somnambulism," the mind is con- scious of an impossibility of motion, speech or respiration, with dreadful sense of pressure across the chest and an awful vision of impending danger. In the city of Philadelphia lad, having been exceptionally healthy from birth, was attacked with nightmare when 14 years old After a few attacks his father slept with him. for the purpose of awakening him If there should be oc- casion.
 one night the father was startled by the voice of the boy crying in terrified tones: Pop, Pop! I'm afraid! He felt the hand of his son nervously clutching his wrist Then the boy tainted and died instantly. The post mortem examination showed a clot of blood about the heart, caused by paralysis, due to fear. There is reason to believe that such instances are numerous enough to make nightmare worthy of serious medical investigation"