The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-28

Il know him personally" was DR..
Evans reply.
DO you consider him as an author
ity?"
Hardly that
Don't You know that while he was in
this country he was considered one or
the foremost men in his profession?
| He made some statements that no one
could subscribe to. For instance, his pro-
posal to choroform men after sixty.
Did you ever hear anything OF that
except what you read in the papers,?
No
MI Jerome, reading from a newspaper,
asked the doctor if he did not address
the Y NJ. c. A. at Morris Plains, n. Y,
in 1905. DR.. Evans remembered the oc-
| caslon
jolly the Lawyers.
! "At that time did you not say: ! have
often managed to jolly the lawyers and
fool the court with big words which they
did not understand"
Mr. Delmas objected and the court sus-
tanned him.
! Mr. Jerome argued at length, but was
not allowed to continue on that line
| "What is a delusion. doctor?
| "A delusion is false belief which
/ cannot be shaken by the usual KINDS OF
/ arguments"
/ what are systematized delusions?
/
! to by a subject in a systematzed or or
| ganized manner"
At this point the luncheon recess was
| ordered.
During the recess Mr.. O'Reilly pleaded
with District Attorney Jerome for per-
mission for Evelyn Nesbit Thaw to re-
main in the courtroom, now that her tes-
timony is concluded.
Kept Mrs. ThaW Out.
said Mr.. Jerome
| Dr. Evans was recalled Immediately
after recess and the district attorney re-
sumed his cross-eXamination.
! Replying to District Attorney Jerome,
Dr. Evans said that unsystematized delu-
sions are so numerous and varied II
would take an interminable time to de
scribe them, but he finally described
! them as deluslons not depending upon q
focal delusion.
when a man is dominated by an in
sane delusion," asked Mr.. Jerome, are
his acts logically related to delusion?
They may or may not be. In men
tai explosion the delusions might lose
their focus
but would they not be logically related
to the focal delusion?'
Insanity logical, perhaps. This may
| be suggested by de1usion but not I'M
PEELED by it?"
IF a person suffering from an insane
deuson because he is being prosecuted
does he kill the person responsible for
the persecution, or does he kill some OBJ
ject of his affection whom he does not
believe is prosecuting him?'
THE person responsible for the perse-
cution undoubtedly becomes the victim"
Meanchola.
In melancholia, DR.. Evans said that,
generally speaking, the person suffering
from that form of insanity seeks self de-
struction or the killing of some person
dear to him in order to take them from
a world of suffering.
Mr.. Jerome questioned the witness
closely as to irresistible impulses. He
declared each case of Irresistible impulse
had to be considered by itself.
do you not know that the irresistible
impulse to kill is not a form of insanity
recognized by the statutes of this staten
asked Mr.. Jerome
Mr. Delmas objected to this and was
sustained.
Mr.. Jerome read portions of the doctors
testimony in another case In which he
stated the stages of insanity could be
classed under five grand divisions. Je-
rome took these divisions one at a time
and asked him if Thaw now or at any
time suffered from that particular ella SIS
Idiocy, imbecillty and dementia were dis
missed When it came to melancholia,
DR.. Evans said he was of the opinion
that at one time Thaw suffered from an
insane condition of the mind, which
might be assed under the grand division
of melancholia.
Thaw's Present Condition.
Have you an opinion as to his presen,
mental condition.
~ have"
you have been in court here every
) day?'
Yes"
| And you have talked with him every
day."
I practically yes
, you have carefully scrutinized him9'
81 have not
"Iave you designedly RETAINED from
; doing so?''
| Not designedly. l had no reason fol
scrutinizing him, and was not required tt
] do so. l have an opinoin. but it is in
adequate"
'rhe question is do YOU consider ThaN
2 demented today?'
mo, replied Dr. Evans
''In your opinion, was he ever dement,
: ed?n
THAT depends on what you mean by
demented.'
81 mean your own general definition o
it?"
No said DR.. Evans
= Not Demented.
at what time did Thaw suffer from
9 insane melanchola?"
You tried to get me to say 1t wa