The Pensacola journal., 1908-02-19

The special commission which was
appointed 10 inquire into the sanity
of Geo. c ScudamOTe. former cashier
of the Pensacola Rank e. Trust Co.
will this morning report bo the court
that Seudamore IS mentally incapac
itated" and therefore incapable OF
conducting, or assisting ais counsel
in conducting, his defense against
the charges of embeZzlemsnt and
other offenseS now standing against
him
EVIDENCE TAKEN.
This decision OF the commission
was reached after listening to evi
dence produced before it 0y both
prosecution and defense at a hearing
yesterday.
This decision was reached by the
commission after deiiherating about
two hours on the evidence introduced
at the special hearing before Judge
Beringer which began yesterday fore.
noon at 10 O'Clock and continued with
a recess OF an hour and ferty-five
minutes, HHtif f.f5 p.- nj.
The commissioners were Interview
ed last night. but each member
declined 20 give out any infOr-
nation regarding the report agreed
upon The information. however.
was given to The Journal by one who
is connected with the case. and who
was formally advised Of the decision
of the commission. What other Te-
commendations. if any. the report
contains. could not be learned 1t is
to be filed with the court this morn
ing.
UNANIMOUS DECISION.
The decision of the commission
was unanimously adopted. il is said,
there being no disa2reeing member
in the commission. Those who Sdl
upon the commission were DR. J. n.
Bickerstaff, DR.. Mallory Kennedy. DR..
d w Mcmillan. Mr.. J. Simpson
Reese. president of the Peoples Ma
tional Bank and Mr.. John r. Stillman,
collector of customs. who was appoint
ed to fill the vacancy created by the
pXcusing of Mr.. G. w Lamar presi-
dent of the American National Bank
who was excused from service by
Judge Bellinger upon his showing Tea-
sons therefor
THE EFFECT.
The effect of the decision will be
that Scudamore will be either com.
mitted TO an asylum selected by ths
court, or released under sufficient
bond. to be cared for by his relatives,
Should he be pronounced cured 10
either intsance at any time, he may
again be called 10 be tried upon tha
charges of embeZZlement forgery and
uttering negotiable paper, which are
now standing against him
THE PROCEDURE.
The mode of procedure resterda7
was in a way a surprise to many Ii
had been expected that the cOmmis-
sion should sit as a commission with
full power of court IL was made
plain however, before the beginning
of the introduction of any evidence,
that the commission, under the com
mon law. sat entirely under the rule
of the judge of the court.
SCUDAMoRE'S EXAMINATION
The feature of the days hearing
was the examination of Geo. {. Scuba
more. II is doubtful if any scene
that has been enacted IN public
court room In this county has ever
exceeded in interest the thirty min
utes spent by the commission in an
examination OF the subject OF their
There was no percepuble change
10 the laymen's eye in ScudamOre's
demeanor and conduct during The
hearing yesterday a. compared with
his other appearances in the court
room since the charges were fled
against him. Apparently, he was
without knovl-d p OF The significance
Of what was being done about him.
and gave no evidence hat ne I'M
he meaning ~ the hearing.
nor even the DiE"e thai - was in
DRAMATIC SCENES.
Twice he created scea-z When O.
l. Bass. ex-presi6ept of the Pensa
cola Bank K Trust Co. was examined
one OF the questions put 10 him was:
''Do You see any difference N Scuba
moTes facial expression. or the ex
preston of the eyes now. as com
pared with his expression Al the time
he was cashier OF the bank o. Mr..