Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-08
Capt. Hams Victim of Maniac
Oppressive Insanity.
POWER PRACTICALLY LOST
Unable to Recognize Enemy's Face
or Name, Says DR.. Manson.
TESTIMONY BLOW TO DEFENSE
Annis' Slayer Crazy at Time Of
Tragedy and in November,
Says DR.. Clark.

FLUSHING. y Y. January s.-A blow
from unexpected quarter was received
by the defense in the trial OF Thornton
Jenkins Hams today, when DIR. l.. Sam
uel Manson. an alienist. under cross
examination by Prosecutor Darrin, de-
clared that Capt. Hams suffered from
c-depressive insanity last August,
an ailment that would have prevented him
from recognizing the face or name OF an
enemy.
The alenist said that when patient
suffers from such a malady all power
is practically lost.
Prosecutor Darrin. taking advantage of
| the admission of the defense's alienist
asked him IL his opinion OF Capt. Hams
mental condition would be changed IL he
knew that the army officer had con-
| versed intelligently before and after the
| shooting of William f. Annis. and that
he recognized his victim as his boat near
ed the float. The medical expert sale
his opinion remained unchanged.
DR. l.. Pierce Clark. another alienist for
the defense, testified that Capt. Hams was
| insane August 10 when the shootins
| took place. and that he was insane early
in November when the witness made his
last examination.
"Impulsive insanity" Explained.
| Prospects doomed large for a field day
for the alienists in the trial today when
| DIR. Manson took the stand for cross
examination, and under the direction oil
| Prosecutor Darrin, delved into the mys'
teries of mental diseases and told of rea-
sons for his belief that Capt. Peter Hams
suffered an attack of impulsive" insan'
ity'' when he shot William f. Annis.
The declaration of the defense's alien
| list that Capt. Hams had acute mania
prior to the shooting and that after the
tragedy he suffered from melancholia,
from which he slowly recovered, opened
| wide the floodgates for exhaustive medi-
cal cross-examination.
Dr. Manson, telling Of the reasons that
| led him to his conclusions regarding
| Capt. Hams mental condition. marshaled
an overwhelming array OF terms in his
| testimony, such as zone Of anesthesia,
"stuporous melancholia' and "furore
| transitore."
| The result of the cross examination of
| the defense's alienists will determine
whether Prosecutor Darrin will call any
medical experts for the state. The prose-
cutor believes that the cross-examination.
| which will be conducted under the guild
ance Of DR.. Austin Flint, will show that
Capt. Hams had full knowledge of the
| nature and quality of his act when he
| killed Annis.
Justice Crane took part in the cross
examination of DR.. Manson, who declared
| that hysteria was allied to insanity The
alienist was questioned at length on his
definition of the various forms of insan-
| ity and of the nervous disorders and
| their relation to hysteria. hysterical
| man was not insane, said the, alienist.
The cross-examination OF Dr.. Manson
was involved.
Cali Power Gone"
DR.. Manson declared that Sir William
,f% ~, md q
which perceives, acts and thinks was only
an apology for such. The alienist denned
illusions and "delusions."
He described the phases of mental dis
turbances through which Capt. Hams
passed. For more than an hour the pros
ecutor Intercepted the witness on the va.
rious forms Of mental disturbance and
their relationship to each other.
All the phases Of Capt. Hams mental
condition were now described as mania
Oppressive insanity, said the alienist.
Suffering from such a malady as you
have mentioned. would the patient be able
to dress himSelf?"
mo. sir All power is virtually gone.'
Suffering from such malady as you
have mentioned, would the patient recog-
pize the face Of an enemy
would the patient be able to recog-
nize the name of his enemy?
mo, sir"
would II anect your opinion tnal Capt.
Hams had impulsive insanity If you knew
that on the day of the shooting he con-
versed nationally and intelligently: that
he recognized his enemy; that he talked
intelligently and quietly after the shoot
ing and at the same he lighted and
smoked cigarette?"
sit would not said DR.. Manson.
That's ALL" said the prosecutor quickly
Dr. L. Pierce Clark, connected with
the Manhattan State Hospital. was called.
Dr. Clark said he had read the hyootheti-
cal question and in his opinion Capt.
Hams was insane at the time of the
shooting. He said he had examined Capt.
Hains on November and that he was
insane at the time.
DIR. Clark said that Capt. Hams suf-
fered from manic Oppressive insanity at
the time of the shooting. The doctor said
that the captain became affected with the
mental trouble at the time of his wife's
confession.