Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-05
Superintendent Of State Insane
Asylum Could Only Recall One
Case of Brain Storm.
CONDUCT OF THE INSANE.
Alienlst Says That No Rule Can
Be Laid Down as to Their
Course of Action.
He Can't Tear a Hypothetical Question
To Pieces 20 District Attorney Vol
unteers TO Assist Him.

New York. March 5.-The prospect
that Mrs. William Thaw. the white
haired mother of the defendant, MIGHT
De a witness today at the trial of Harry
IL Thaw, tended 10 revive interest In
inc hearing. Dist. Atty. Jerome 70
snmed the cross-exaninatiou of Dr..
Charles G., Wagner, superintendent Of
The state hospital for the insane M
Binghamton, by reading the latter part
OF Dr. Wagners testimony of yestet-
day regarding the characteristics of tho
nrain-storm. The witness yesterday
referred Mr.. jerome TO an Instance OF
braih-storIn cited In one Of the medical
authorities Today the prosecutor
asked II the alienist knew OF amy other
reported cases OF bra n-storm
DR.. Wagner said he could not reeall
any ofl-hand.
THAW WAS BORED.
Thaw, who had brought his custom
airy batch OF letters into conrt with
him, after a brief whispered uouversa-
zion with some Of his counsel. proceed-
ed to read Il large number of eplstles.
He then took a large pad out OF one OF
bis big envelopes, secured pen and ink
aud began to write a letter. He seemed
the least interested spectator IN the
room. In fact, the expert testimony
throughout has bored the prisoner i'm
measurably His present attitude IL IN
sharp contrast 10 tho interest he dis
played while his Wife was on the stand.
Mi. Jerome asked Dr.. Wagner If he
could cite q brsin-storln in which the
onset took place in 10 minutes, Tho
doctor could not
Does the calmness aud delibeIac.ou
with which Thaw walked down the
aisle Of the roof garden and shot White
Indicate anything about his mental
condition? is It natural for a person
suffering from brain-storm 10 act in
this m7nner? asked The district attor-
ney.
Il have already told Won that cams
noi lay down any rule as to conduct In
insanity" replied Or. .Wagiics-
There is M natural Way in which
things are done. insanity in itself Il
which a patient was out walking and
suddenly jumped into a canal. climbed
under a culver and was drowned.
remember another case Of a patient
who took or his necIstle, tied II to thsi
bed and lying down upon the floor,
rested his neck I'm a loop he had made
In the tie until he was choked To death.
added DR., Wagner.
Have yor ever known a person TO
commit an act OF homicide In n brain
storm by going about it with calmness
and coolness?"
There are no two cases Of Insanity
o. even of sanity for that matter. which
are exactly similar
WONT ANSWER DIRECTLY.
Since you will not answer my anes-
tton directly. am i right In assuming
that you have mover observed case OF
braln-storm OK mental illumination Ia
which the person committed acts OF
violence with calniness7''
u prefer 70 answer as I have. Cool
ness aud elaboration does not accur-
ately Mt any case have ever KNOWN
You could not tel what was going
on In the defendants brain except what
wss apparent to the eye. could your"
No"
WAS thers any single thing In the
Hypothetical question Indicative of
braiu-siorm?
Il can't tear The hypothetica! ques-
ton 10 pieces ike that"
Then VIII tear IL 10 pieces for you
said Mr.. Jerome. He plOcnede,I to
read extracts from the question and
asked II they individually suggested a
brain-tOrm.
DR. wagner said thar. taken collect
lively. the facts indicated a mental full
lninStlon--an extraordinary state or
mind