The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-09

III hofC lIdllld6t Scl doAdC Oii eiiN
ground that he had no recollection
of having married the defendant. He
denied that he was under the influence
of intoxicants or drugs, but declared
that during one entire week-in Whlch
time it appears he proposed and was
married-he was not himself" He did
not get his divorce, however, and his
plea was looked upon as piece OF hu-
NOR. And yet his lawyer, in discussing
the case the other day, said that he was
really convinced that his client was
sincere and that he was not his mental
self on the occasion of his marriage
The divorce case is recalled in view
of rather more serious illustration of
aphasia that has attracted attention in
New York. Can man commit crime
without his knowledge? Upon the So
luton of this strange proposition will
depend the fate of George II. Wood,
who is locked in a. cell in the little
county jail of Somerville, n. j. Wood
killed man he had never met prior to
the murder, man he had absolutely no
reason for killing, and he journeyed
miles to commit the crime He now
says he has no recollection of it. And
this the physicians call aphasia.
When or why does memory desert?
A man who has given this subject some
thought, in calling attention to the
Wood case, presents these interesting
I'VE frequently hear and read of in
stances where people have met with
accidents and Misunderstanding from
being thrown from vehicles during run
aways, chiefiy-and have been unable
after being restored to consciousness
and health ever to recall just where
unconsciousness occurred, or the in
slant before the impact with the object
which caused the concussion.
No Recollection of Falling
"A case which occurred last summer
will perhaps illustrate A pair of
horses driven by a gentleman became
frightened by an automobile and broke
into an unmanageable run. At the
end of the street through which they
were rushing was gathering of people
holding a public meeting, and the
driver, knew that unless he could stop
or turn the horses they would dash
into that crowd and cause injury to
many of them. By rare presence of
mind he decided to throw the horses
In order to save the people, whatever
the consequences to himself. Rising
to his feet and dropping one rein, he
pulled with all his strength on the
other, drawing the horses heads
around SO suddenly as to throw them
on their knees, thus stopping them,
but making complete wreck of the
light buggy, with severe injury to the
animals.
BY this sudden swerving of the car
riage he was violently thrown to the
stone roadway, striking on his shoulder
and side Of his face, and rendered un-
conscious, though no bones were
broken, and he received no severe in
juries.
Now here comes the mystery on
which We seek enlightenment. This
gentleman remembers very distinctly
h 1i,1o hot I,o
runaway till the instant before leaving
the vehicle. He knew he would be
thrown out, and can recall seeing the
horses in the act of falling, but has no
recollection of his own falling or the
pain when he struck. Everything is
perfect blank between the pulling of
the horses and the return of his mind
on being taken to his home from the
hospital, where he had laid several
weeks unconscious. .
why does memory leave and not
return? Does nature suddenly draw a
veil to shut out possible suffering?
Does some unseen, unknown spirit
come to the rescue at the instant when
death is imminent? Is it momentary
death?
Two Queer Incidents
1.-TWO similar incidents have occurred
In my own life. When quite small
boy l was turning-a grindstone for a
butcher to sharpen his knives. 1 recall
this very distinctly. The next / knew
L was being led by the arm by rela-
tive into the house where we lived. The
handle of the grindstone had caught
my clothing in some manner, SO the
butcher said, throwing me down and
rendering me unconscious. My people
were notified and came and took me
home. 1 was not injured in any form
that could be discovered 1 was un-
a hoy
able to make any connection between
turning the handle and the entrance to
my home, although l walked the dis
tance. Why and how did memory de-
Sert?
Some years after, when a cabin boy
on one of the government coal reserve
SHIPS anchored in the river Midway at
Sheerness, England, 1 recall seeing a
ball floating by and, boylike, my i'm
mediate desire was to get it. Some
time afterward the officer whom l at
tended came out upon the deck and
noticed at quite distance astern
small straw hat. He called one of the
men to go down to the companionway.
take the boat, and pick it up. Judge
of his CONSERVATION and fright to see
me well down in the water, caught in
some manner by my clothing to the
ships rudder. 1 was pulled out un-
conscious and thought to be dead Res
eOi"SINCo, VI SOuiSc were applied, Win
the different methods of resuscitation
resorted to. which proved effective.
Now, every instant and incident is
perfect blank to me from the time /
saw the ball till l was being rolled and
rubbed back to life and consciousness.
1t is assumed that l made a dash down
to the boat to secure the ball, and in
some manner slipped getting into the
boat. l have positively no knowledge
of what happened between seeing the
ball on the water and regaining my
senses. I was not bruised or hurt in
any part of my body that could be seen
no conclusion of the head, not
scratch anywhere.
Who can explain this mystery and
sudden leaving of the senses at such
time, and why?"
The Wood Case
The New Jersey murder case pre-
sents as puzzling conditions as those
outlined. AS the case now stands
Wood is either survival of the me-
dievai type of murderer, possessing the
criminal skill and craft of the Medicis
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