The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-10-18
Make Attack
On Insanity
Theory
TWO PHYSICIANS CHALLENGE
TESTIMONY OF DIR. SILL
MAN RELATIVE TO NEW
COMBS STATE OF MIND
WHEN HE KILLED KVAL-
SHAUG.

That man suffering from peu-
rott epilepsy could not have been
as coherent in his purposes and
actions and could not possibly
have carried out a preconceived
plan, as Newcomb admittedly did
when he shot and killed Martin
Kvalshaug, was the conclusion of
DR.. w. T. Williamson of Portland
and DIR. e. M. Brown of Tacoma,
in answer to hypothetical ques-
tion put to them by Deputy Pros
ecutor Burmeister this morning in
the Newcomb murder trial.
Testimony Challenged
The statement of DR.. Silliman of
Seattle that Newcomb was a suf-
ferer from this form of insanity
and nearly every other contention
of the defense's principal alienist
was challenged.
Not only could he not suffer
from peurotic epilepsy, but neither
could Newcomb have been a para
noiac or subject to myoptic cpl
lepsis, according to DR.. William
son. Peurotic epilepsy, the ply
sician stated, is form of insanity
where the transition from the nor
NAL is abrupt, and the effect is a
total transformation of the per-
sonality, and that no coherency
could possibly exist in either
actions or in thought. The victim
would be in a momentary state of
frenzy, recognizing neither foe nor
friend, and would be as apt to at
tack one as the other, he said. His
attack would be characterized by
inhuman ferociousness, such as
tearing into the body, marking it
up, mutilating 1t and so on.
Cool and Deliberate
According to Newcomb's con-
fession, he shot Kvalshaug with a
pistol after he struck him, and
shot again as he lay PROSTATE.
Newcomb then left the scene of the
murder, talked to several people
on his way down town, occupied a
room in a hotel instead of going
home that night, and made the
confession the next day.
DIR. Williamson contended that
If he were suffering with peurotic
epilepsy, he would have been In a
dazen and stupid condition and
could not have done all these
seemingly rational things.
The witness further contended
that Newcomb talking the murder
over with Mrs. Kvalshaug, max
Ing all the plans, taking the car
as prearranged to meet the couple
as they were coming home from
the dance, is altogether too coher-
ent a series Of action for a man
laboring with a "brainstorm" or
Juror epilepsy.
DR.. Williamson's testimony fur
ther brought out the fact that the
sphymograph, on which the de-
fense placed great hopes to show
Newcomb's insanity as recorded by
his pulse, has been practically
abandoned for Ia years by the
medical fraternity as unreliable.
Well Known Alienist
DR.. Williamson is one of the best
known alienists on the coast. He
recently made an address before
the Oregon State Bar association
entitled insanity and Criminal
ity," which was ordered printed
and distributed to all the jails and
asylums in the state.
DR.. q. M. Brown of Tacoma,
whose testimony followed William
son, introduced rubber baby to
illustrate that the blades of pair
or foreeps cannot rest on both
cheeks of a child when born, as
was alleged to have been the case
when Newcomb was born, primar-
ily causing, 1t was contended, a
flattening OF the head and thus
impairing his mentality. DR..
Brown also gave testimony re-
garding Newcombe's alleged epi-
leptic insanity which was substan-
tally the same as DIR. William
sons.
w04HE# Far fnufoht TI,an-