The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-27

81 e
for the past fourteen years a student
of brain diseases.
When asked IL dissipation had any
effect on the brain, witness said that
from twenty to fifty per cent. of all
persons suffering from brain trouble,
came to grief from drink.
Mr.. John l.. lee then read to the
witness the following long hypotheti
cal question::
Suppose the following case:
a young Virginian of more than or
binary talent and excellent training
started the practice of his profession
us lawyer with prospects of sue
ctssful career. He was respected and
honorcd In his community, and rapidly
acquired practice. He was, at the age
OF twentyseven. elected to represent
his county in the General Assembly OF
the State. and was reelected In 1887.
He was married in the fall of 1885, and
two children were born of the marriage.
namely, daughter, IN 1887, and Il son,
IN 1888. He was in fine health physi-
cplly and mentally. when. during his
canvass of 1887, he began to makeSin-
temperate use of liquor. The drink
habit steadily increased its hold upon
him. and for a period of about eight
years he drank to great excess and
was about as dissipated as 1t was pos
sihle for a man to be, one of the i'll
effects being that at times the man
was practically blind for days at q
time.
He had frequent, violent and ex-
tan 1,I a cir nf In1rin M,
which sometimes threw him into such
q condition that he would lose all
knowledge of his surroundings and of
the passage of time, and would awake
to consciousness without Knowing
how many days or weeks had been
practically lost out OF his life His
business disappeared; he became in
debted, and was in such financial
straits that he went to his fathers
home to live, and his wife TO her faith
cr's, his property having been sold
mental changes resulting from con-
tihued and excessive use of alcohol
became Very apparent. Those who
Knew him recognized that he had
ceased TO be the even tempered, Sc
rene and kindly hammered man he
had once been, and had become irri-
table, disasreeable and unreasonable
10 those who had known him In she
high promise Of his early manhood he
seemed a physical wreck, ana they
feared that his mind was being swiftly
impaired. After this long, period of
dissipation, at the earnest solicitation
| OF his wife and friends, he took a
course Of treatment at Kelley In
stitule, IN October, 1895; and thereupon
struggled resolutely against falling
again Into the habits of dissipation
tie resumed the practice of his pro
fessioa In a small way. living on a
/ snail farm at the time, and was after
a willie elected judge of the court OF
his county. filling that Office for about
SIX years. In May, sos he took charge
OF farm as superintendent and was
| in that employment until the homicide
hereinafter men toned. From October,
1895, until April %, 1907, he refrained
FROM the. use of intoxicants, except
on two occasions-namely. in October,
1905. and in February, 1907. On the
first occasion he INDUCED In Il pro-
tracted spree, and had to be taken
home. where he was III in bed for some
days, with a doctor In attendance.
/ On this occaion while he was drink
! ing he conceived the idea that he was
being pursued by his political enemies
/ On the second occasion after he had
i ceased taking stimulants he was op.
pressed by the hallucina ton that q
/ cog had slipped in the bearings OF his
! brain and said he had never had such
an experience before. The brain of the
man was seriously objected by his eX-
cesscs, and those who We're Intimate
with him could perceive that, although
he was living temperate life, his
4 mind was not what 1t had once been
i On April %, 1907, while he was attend.
ing to his ordinary duties as superin.
tcndcnt of the farms Of which he hnG
been put in charge, he received certain
information from his friend ans
ii .brother-in- law, in reference to his
| daughter
Between him and his daughter there
had existed continuously from hel
Earliest babyhood,the sweetest and ten
derest relations he worshippins hei
with all the alteration of q loving
father, and feeling In the fullest de
4 gree n fathers Joy and pride in tn;
loneliness and purity of an only daugh.
ter. He had done his best to educate
her, and she was as dear to him rs
daughter could be. The information
which he had received was to tho eff
feet that Il young unmarried man OF
the evening previous had taken hi
daughter out to drive in a buggy anc
Hutl #DISpSlL Iti puHh ttllSI blIh ~
tho house OF person whom tie daugh
ter was visiting at the time, uncon
sclous and helpless from drink, nn'
that she had remained in that condi
tion the greater part OF the night. an,
was sim too III the next morning t
come homo,
lie received this information nbou
. o'clock in the morning. TO him |
waF like u bolt of lightning from I
clear sky, and he restrained himsel
with difficulty from, taking some i'm
mediate action, but was able to de
tcrnIne TO do nothing until he coul,
s@e his daughter and have from he
lips the story of what had take
place. At this time he had himsel
under control. and wishing to kee
himself under control, would not 6
for his daughter, fearing that he Nigh
meet the young man and do sometime
rash, and so he sent his wife for hen
and she was brought back TO his hous
about / O'Clock, Shortly after her re
turn he took his daughter into h!
!rcom, and there asked her to tell hi