Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-31

were almost without exception over
ruled, but the question was amended IN
a number of instances.
Physician Says Insane
with the question as amended that
1 have read to YOU" he asked DR..
Kurtz "you may state whether in your
opinion, assuming all the facts therein
to be true, the defendant was sane or
insane at the time of the alleged shoot
ing?"
my opinion is that she was insane, .
was the reply.
Assuming that all these facts are
true as given in the question, do you
believe the defendant was or was not
able to distinguish between right and
wrong in regard to the transaction
which resulted?"
I'm my opinion she was not capable
of understanding what she was doing"
In reply to another question the wit
ness said the defendant was not in a
condition of mind to appreciate or dis
tinguish between right or wrong at the
time of the shooting, and when asked
for reasons said:
There are sufficient causes to indi-
cate this case was a perfect case of
insanity. If the woman had been ex-
amined by a board of commissioners
she would not be at large-she would
be in an insane asylum. In the first
place, her mother suffered from neural
gia, and she inherited this; in the sec
ond place, she has had epileptic fits,
and all epileptics are subject to insan-
ity. She has also been hysterical, and
hysteria itself is a moderate degree of
insanity.
"She has had injuries, a compound
fracture of the limb, which affecting the
marrow has helped to bring on insan-
ity. She has been kicked by brute"
Here the court admonished the wit
ness to be careful in his statements,
and DR.. Kurtz amended his statement
by saying the man she loved"
Complications Affect Brain
This, he said, had resulted in compli-
cations which in themselves would
have done much to affect her brain.
The witness said he believed from the
testimony that Mrs. Corwell had dis
tinct hallucinations, leading to transit
tory frenzy. and this, in connection
with epilepsy, would lead to such a
condition.
Referring to Mrs. CorwelHs attempt
to commit suicide, the witness said sui
eide itself Is an act of insanity. He
described hallucinations as the cause
for conception of something which does
not exist-a dream with open eyes. "a
person may say she is being burned up
by poison when no poison is there-that
is a hallucination."
On cross examination DR.. Kurtz
classified insanity as simple or COM
bined, the latter character predominant
ing, he said, as the simple form is apt
to run into the acute.
He said the form of insanity from
which he believed Mrs. Corwell was
suffering at the time of the shooting
was a compound psychosis, consisting
of hysteria and epilepsy and other men,
tai conditions. He described the diff
ference between spasms in children
caused by indigestion and those re-
sulting from attacks of epilepsy.
what is jealousy?' asked Blair.
'I haven't had much experience in
that" said the witness, at which there
was ripple of amusement.
Would a woman insane tend to be
untidy or careful in her dress?"
"Well, she might go about in any
kind of clothing; she might go naked.
Dress, you know, is a habit
Witness said that anything that
would irritate the condition of the
brain would cause a dilation of the
eyes, and if the brain is soothed the
eyes would contract. In cases of de-
lusions, he said, cheerful company and
surroundings will generally take the
minds of patients from their symptoms,
and some times effect cure.
Court at this point adjourned until
10 o'clock Monday.