The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-07-03
Dangerous Man.

Coroner Brewer, of Mercer county, bel
an inquest on Friday, to inquire into til
death of Henry Il. Conant, an attendar
at the New Jersey Insane Asylum VIII
was killed by Moses @. Kirby. an inmat
of the institution: The jury decided tina
Kirby was not mentally responsible TO
the deed, and that he was a vicious man
having committed assaults on variou
persons while an inmate of the asylum.
DR.. ]. Allen Gaunt, of Burlington. wa
the first witness called. He said that OIL
December 80, 1898, Kirby was committed
to the hospital from Burlington
county. He said the negro believed tina
he was told by the Lord to become {
physician, lawyer and preacher. The
physician said that the negro was not ther
a dangerous character.
Kirby remained in the institution until
May 80, 1901, when he was transferred to
the Burlington County asylum at New
Lisbon, which had just been completed.
He remained in the latter institution until
February 10, 1904, when he was again
taken back to the State hospital.
DR.. Cassidy, of Burlington, said that
Kirby had habit of walking into stores
and after hanging up his hat and coat
would begin to preach the gospel.
c. Clarence Deacon, superintendent of
the Burlington county hospital, said that
the records of the institution showed that
Kirby was dangerous man.
DIR. John w. Ward, medical director of
the New Jersey institution, said that Kirby
could have controlled himself, but planned
to assault person and always carried out
the threat He said the negro was a
patient in the prison insane ward, where
all the dangerous inmates are confined
He said that while no insane man was re-
sponsible fer his deeds, yet the negro
knew the difference between right and
wrong. The negro informed him after the
assault that he was justified In killing
Conant and he was told to do so by other
patients. The physician said he did not
believe that Conant ever abused the negro.
The doctor further said that he did not be-
lieve Kirby would ever get well.
DR.. John G. Felty, assistant medical
director, said that Kirby told him that
Conant pulled him from bed when search
ing the room to look for key which one
of the patients had made from an old spoon
The negro told the physician that he
struck Conant as hard as he could with a
leg from table and that when the keeper
fell PROSTATE he was told by other patients
not to strike him again.
DR.. Felty said that Conant was a model
young man and that he was not addicted
to the use of liquor or tobacco The at
tendant had been employed several times
at the hospital, and quit once to get an
outside position. He came from Cabot,
Vt. on May and died on June 10.
DR.. Charles L. Allen told of being present
at the post-mortem examination, and to-
gether with County Physician Rogers
told of the injuries that caused death.
Detective Frank Munro exhibited the
leg of the small table which Kirby used to
commit the deed.
Robert ]. Hauck, assistant supervisor of
the institution, told of how Conant and
Edward M. Skillman, another attendant,
had searched the negro's room and how
Kirby threw away the club after the
assault.
Reuben Bowden, another attendant, said
he was taking Sunday newspapers through
the wards when he learned of the crime
and placed the negro in a straitjacket.
Earl G. Anthony, an attendant, said that
Kirby had assaulted him two years ago
with butcher knife.
Walter A. Carter, another attendant,
told of how Kirby had assaulted another
patient some time ago.
Dr. William c. Sandy testified that he
attended Conant immedi ately after the as
sault and told how the negro had planned
to murder the keeper.
Kirby is still in confinement and does
not know that his victim is dead.