The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-19
PROBING INTO WOODS MIND.
IS HE EPILEPTIC, OR SURGEON
SCIOUS, OR GUILTY?
Justice Garretson Takes Part in Ques.
tlonIng Alienists With a View OF Get.
ting at the Truth From Common.
sense Vlew-WO0d May Plead Guilty.


soMEnvILLE, n. j., May ls.-The case
Of the State against George H. Wood Of
New York city, charged with the murder
Of George H. Williams. the Watching
grocer was declared closed by Justice
Garretson at o'clock this afternoon.
Mrs George Williams, the widow Of the
murdered man, broke down just as the
State was about to close its case with the
rebuttal testimony of Bill MARTINI, the
Watching barkeeper, who served Wood
drink just before he started on the fatal
ride with Williams up the mountain. Mar
fnz was telling the jury how Wood had
asked him for a man to drive him over the
mountain and how he had directed him
TO his best friend George Williams, when
the memory of her husbands last ride as
she watched him out of sight up the noun
tain road was recalled to the widow, with
overwhelming force and she leaned for
ward in her chair and sohbed. The court
proceedings were stopped until she was
led from the room. 1t was during this
scene that Wood gave the first 8 light sign Of
emotion during the trial. His lips quivered
and his eyes grew moist
The greater part of to-day's session was
consumed III lHc ltSlHlOIf VI
alienists Justice Garretson took hand
In questioning them and sought to bring
out to the satisfaction Of himself and the
Jury by plain questions whether in their
opinion Wood could have registered at a
hotel under hisown name, hired horse and
driven to see his own relatives and finally
committed murder without being con-
scious of it, or without being morally respon-
sible for his act
Sidney D. Wilgus was placed on tho
stand again this morning. Woods story
Of being pursued from town by an imaginary
man who was his exact counterpart was,
In the opinion of Dr. Wilgus, a probable
phase in the life of an epileptic.
The witness said he had studied the
emotional changes in Woods character
and questioned him about his evil spirit,
wolf and it's relation to his fainting spells
Wood. he says, had told him before that he
suffered lapse of memory he was always
led by "a little black man. He believed
Wood at the present time was medically
insane but perhaps not legally insane.
He believed the defendant was the victim
OF mental epilepsy. Such attacks as Wood
was alleged to have experienced had been
known to result in acts of homicide He
had examined Wood on two occasions.
Dr. Wilgus, like other aienists who had
preceded him in behalf of the defendant re-
mctanty admitted that his conclusions on
Wood condition were lased to some x
tent on Woods story and If the story was
not true the conclusions might be modified
At this juncture Justice Garretson took
hand at cross-examining the witness. In
answer to the question: Doctor, do you
believe that Wood was insane at the time
that he is alleged to have committed this
act?' the witness said: Il do not believe he
was insane, but In state Of subconscious-
ness
He defined subcons ciousness as dreamy
state in which the subject acted in a natural
manner without being entirely conscious
Of it, and Of subsequently, having no recol-
lection Of his acts. He said this was con-
Justice Garretson wanted TO KNOW II
the witness really believed that Wood
could have hired a horse, driven to his
relatives near Mount Horeb, registered
his own name at the hotel, &c, without
being conscious Of it or able to distinguish
the difference between right and wrong.
The witness replied that this was his belief
a. he had seen similar cases in other SUBJ
jects.
An apparently formidable alienist ar
rayed by the prosecution against the
medical witnesses for the defense was
DR.. Pierce Baly, instructor in the study
OF mental and nervous diseases in the Col
lege of Physicians and Surgeons in New
York. Dr.. Baily testified that he was also
q consul ting physician Of the Craig Epi-
leptic Colony where there were 900 patients
and that he had wide experience with
insane subjects. He had examined Wood
on March 4. Wood readily comprehended
the questions propounded to him and an
,,rt1, roth iry to
indicate anything wrong mentally except
an indication of long period OF forget
fitness. He told him the story of Wolf"
coming to him on Friday
Did you regard him az friend?" asked
Y did" replied Wood, -but think if he
was friend he would now come forward
and help me.
DO YOU think Wood has epilepsy"
asked Mr. Clark.
The history OF the case would not indicate
any such disease. The crime was not of a
character committed by epileptics, Crimes
OF this kind are not common they are
marked in general by the absence of any
motive. The assailiant is usually very
ferocious and seeks to mutilate his victim.
He frequently forgets the crime and never
tries to get away"
The witness said there was state Of
suboonsciousness in which certain persons
seem 10 nave q QuaI nature ana apparently!
have double thoughts in certain circum-
stances.
Would you be willing to say that Wood
could not distinguish between right and
wrong when he committed this crime?"
tho witness was asked.
Il would not" was the answer There
are not enough facts that ! can find in the
case to warrant such a conclusion
On cross-eXamination DR.. b Hey said he
believed that Wood knew the quality of
the act he was committing, but whether he
was able to keep from committing the sc
he could not say. Mr. Swackhamer called
pon tie Prosecutor to produce the state
mant of DR.. Bailey TO him after the exami-
ration, but this was refused unless the
whole statement was put in evidence be-
fore the jury.
Justice Garretson asked the witness if
this condition of lost consciousness from
Monday to the following Sunday was any
more than loss Of memory. TIE witness
thought that was all.
In doing all the acts at his grandmoth-
ers," continued Justice Garretson, @and
bargaining for the horse. and sleigh at
WilliamS's stable could he have done these
things without giving evidence of an abnor-
nal condition."
He could not il he was in an epl ptc
state he could not know what he va, doing.
II in slb-conscious state he would know.
but might forget all about what he did.
Mr. Clark named over the events of the
shooting Of Williams and the flight through