Rock Island Argus., 1906-02-24
IS GUILTY
Jury in Y. N. c. A. Trial Finds In
sanity Not Real. but Feigned
for Purpose.
BANISHMENT TO ANDALUSlA
Entertainment Based on Question of
Shakespeare's great drama Proves
Big Success.

That the insanity of Hamlet, as indi-
Gated in his actions toward those who,
as he believed, were conspiring against
| him, was feigned, and that he commit
ted murder when he killed Claudius,
was the verdict of the jury which
heard the case in the trial at the Y. NJ 4.
{. a. last evening. The jury returned
a verdict finding Hamlet guilty of the
murder as charged in the indictment,
and fixing the penalty as Punishment
to Andalusia. The jury was composed
of Rev. r. B. Williams, foreman. Clar-
ence Martin, Don NJ. Norris, John
Chase, E. b. McKown, p. F. Cox, Ar
thur Angel, Frank Young, Ed Strate
! Ralph McManus, G. c. Blakeslee and
Clayton Shinstrom.
Plea Of Insanity.
The case for the defense was based
on the plea that the defendant was in
sane, and the defense, represented by
Attorneys H. A. Weld and j. F. Witter,
presented a strong case to show that
Hamlet's actions, even when he was
alone, were those of an insane man.
The fact that Hamlet had experienced
hallucinations, in the form of the
ghost of his father, and that his ac-
tions toward Ophelia, toward the
queen, toward King Claudius, and to
ward others whom he believed to be
acting with the king and queen against
him, were pointed out as evidences of
insanity. The cause of insanity was
set forth as the murder of his father
the marriage of his mother to Claudius
whom he suspected of the murder of
his father, and disappointment III love
Was Part of Plan.
The case of the state. which was
represented by Attorneys Hope Thomp-
son and G. c. Wenger, was based or
the indication that Hamlct's insanity
was feignCd for the purpose of deceiy-
ing the king and queen and their cOur-
tiers. The proof of the claim that Ham
let feigned insanity rested largely on
the testimony of the attendant. Hide
brandt q. K. HarO and Horatio O.. c.
Daugherty). with reference to the oath
of secrecy Hamlet required of his
friends when he had conversed with
the ghost of his father. Hamlet re-
quired his friends to pledge secrecy,
should his actions later seem strange.
The Witnesses.
The testimony for the prosecution
was presented by Osric %. b. Hamp-
toni. Hildebrandt q. K. Hart), Hora-
ito tL. c. Daugherty). Rosencrantz Oh.
E. Brown, Marcellus (H. e. Van Du-
zer), the actor (William LavendeD,
and DR.. F. H First as an expert The
testimony for the defense was pre-
I,x-
attendant a. S. Chap
mani. Polonius (Rev. o. w. Lawrence)
Laertes CDR. r. NJ. Pearce). the grave
digger CIV. b. McIntyre). and DIR. A. e.
Williams, who gave expert testimony
on the subject of insanity.
Brought to Date.
The trial was well carried out, the |
heavy atmosphere of a court being re-
lieved by the amusing conventions and |
the witty replies of the witnesses. o. |
B. Hampton. as Osric, in testifying as |
to the circumstances of the murder. |
replied to the attorney that he ''de !
clined to answer on advice of counsel"
and was asked if he imagined the pro-
ceeding TO be Standard Oil investiga- |
ton. w. B. Mcintyre, as the grave dig
ger. was positive that Hamlet was in
sane, and declared that his opinion
was founded on the fact that Hamlet |
had called him an ass. References to
he lid in Rock Island were made
several times during the trial, G.. G.
Wenger, in his opening statement, re-
'erring to the possibility of plea of
said that he could, if
necessary, show that Hamlet quit