Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-02-15
Defense Makes Strong Case for Insanity Theory
Which State Vigorously Attacks.
EMINENT INSANITY SPECIALISTS TESTIFY.
Case Resolves Itself Into Intense Legal Battle of Ex
perts to Prove Whether not Defendant was In
sane at Time Of Tragedy. Court Room
Packed at Every Session and
Public Interest Increasing

went out and closed the door, he would
talk about being kept in barred room.
Had no idea Of time, wanted his dinner
right after breakfast. She saw
Gifford's face and eyes look similar to
his fathers several times. Before last
summer Clifford was very studious,
had perfect self control. He would
tell witness If he ever lost his mind to
tell him just what subject he was off
ON and he would try to throw it off.
He was constantly studying, looking
up all he could on the subject of in
sanity, SO if he lost his mind as his
ancestors did, he could avoid thinking
Of those subjects, and thus avoid los
ing his mind. Defendant was in
school the day before the tragedy.
After school Friday he worked on his
lots, came home to supper, and then
worked until 3 80. Witness was at
home wrapping cabbages in paper to
put away. When he came he said he
would finish them; came to bed be-
tween 10 and II O'Clock. Was restless
all night, got up soon after O'Clock,
sawed wood near the kitchen window
Witness got breakfast for him at 80,
saw him stop and gesture wildly. He
went to work on lot after breakfast /;
witness went to help him after wash
ing dishes. 1t was cold and they were
afraid of vegetables freezing. Often
heard him talking to himself on lot,
would go quietly up behind him and
listen, words were disconnected,
rambling, never understood them.
Usually at work he wore woolen pants
and coat, that morning put on duck
overalls, cotton shirt, wamus jacket,
had no wOolen pants on. Witness went
to lean-to and was picking beans off
the vines thrown in there. Expected
they would move shed that day and
wanted to get things out. Witness
looked up, saw him looking in win
dow, and said "why, you frighten me,
do not look at me so.'' He said "how
do l frighten you?" She answered
"you had such an awful look in your
eyes, The town clock struck eleven
before she got through her work. She
went out to the garden to help him get
radishes, and said to him he wasn't
dressed warm enough, had better go
home. He had that terrible look in
his eyes and said "oh, I'm all right. :"
When he came home she did not at
first notice him, he was washing at
the zinc, said he wanted to speak to
her, acted queer, said he had had
trouble with Bigelow and had knocked
him down. She was so frightened she
said she didn't want to talk about it.
After dinner she sent him to the
creamery for buttermilk. He came
back, changed his clothes and went to
work. She didn't then know any
~ ono, bo ho,nanaI Dow, u,,nt
first told her. Soon afterward defen-
dant came home with Sheriff Mizener,
changed clothes and went away with
him. Came home again that night,
acted natural, ate supper, went to bed
as usual, said nothing about it. From
then to present time hasn't talked
about it to her, except soon afterward
said that he had one of those strange
spells, that's all he ever said. He
wanted to go to Sunday School as
usual the next day, Sunday, she
stopped hm. Before the tragedy she
talked with him about controlling
himself. he called her crazy, main
tanned that since up to this time in
Jail, said she was crazy but didn't
know it. He has been the happiest
she has ever see him, since going to
Jail. He said he had many visions,
felt the presence of God always en-
We'd the martyrs. He wished every
one would leave him, Christ died the
death of a criminal, and he wished he
could.
She was cross examined at length
concerning their life in New York,
and the care of his insane father, etc.
On the redirect she testified that
on the morning of Nov. 14th she went
to Jail, her husband having said he
wanted to see her. The turnkey was
absent and she could not get in. She
returned in the afternoon and he had
forgotten that he told her to come
Saw him Nov. l4th, acted very happy,
said wanted to stand all alone in the
case as did the Christian martyrs, said
he was glad they didn't get bail for
him, some of the Tammany ring here
might have made away with him, so
as to get the bail money. Spoke of the
ventilator opening in his cell, said he
was sometimes tempted to crawl up
into it and hide and play joke on
the people; it was not large enough
for cat to crawl into. Said he
would not come into court, didn't care
what they did there. He was once
chopping in the woods. and his axe
slipped and struck a young mn, nearly
killing him. He never spoke about it
but with shudder, saying 'oh, i
nearly killed man. :" One day in Jail
he pointed to passage of Scripture,
saying thereafter I'll not talk with
you." Saw him read the letters from
New York, he looked troubled, gleam
in his eye, after that grew more un-
easy The Thursday before the tragedy
he had arrangements made to go and