Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-04
OPINION OF DR.. EMM0NS
Declares Defendant Was Crazy
When He Killed John Reeves.
HEREDITY TAINT DISCLOSED
Other Witnesses Give Particulars
Of Tragedy Which Was Enacted
at Syphax Station.


Charles L. Emmons. an alienest. DR.. EN-
mons was the first expert put on the wit
ness stand at the trial Of Vondermiller
In the county court Of Alexandra county
today to prove the mental responsibility
Of the prisoner.
Vondermiller was insane when he killed
Reeves, and was insane before that, in
the opinion expressed by DR.. Emnlons in
his testimony today. Vondermillers acts
In many particulars, said the expert, in
dicate that he had passed the twilight
land Of sanity into the darkness Of men,
tai responsibility.
A hypothetical question put by the de
tense contained several Thousand words.
The characteristics of the individuality of
vondermiller. as the defense assumed it
had been presented in the evidence, was
set forth The entire period of Wonder
miller's life and the hereditary taint of
insanity were covered. Beginning with an
tion described accidents to Vondermil-
Ter, the nervousness of his disposition,
MS insomnia. his erratic tendencies and
Vondermiller's fear Of his brother in law.
Objections Made by State.
When the question was put by the de-
fense objection was raised by Common
wealth's Attorney Mackey. The jury was
excluded while the objection was argued
The court determined that both state anc
defense. as basis to develop its conten-
tons for or against insanity. had the
right to assume the facts as compatible
with Its opinion OF the evidence before
the jury.
Frank Reeves. first witness for the de-
fense this morning, told Of Vonder1niller's S
visit TO the home OF Reeves sister, Mrs.
Redmond. at the Fairfax apartment
house. Washington. almost Immediately
after the tragedy at Sypax station. and
Reeves. who is brother of the dead
man. corroborated Mrs. Redmond's testi-
mony. and told OF Vondermiller's attempt
to jump out Of the window.
He emphatically denied that he had
ever. except at the courtroom, heard that
Vondermiller had illtreated his wife
Describes Scene Of Tragedy.
II. w. Lloyd Of Fredericksburg, a car
penter, who had been engaged in build
Ing operations in Alexandra county, told
OF the physical surroundings of the scene
OF the tragedy. He told Of experiments
to discover If Reeves. falling on the
track when shot. could be seen, as de-
scribed by witnesses for the state Mr.
Lloyd testified that he could not see,
from the Vondermiller house porch. q
man at the station or on the tracks where
Reeves fell when shot.
ROBERT Syphax, colored man. who
has testified previously. was the next
witness. He denied that he saw Reeves
the morning OF the tragedy. He also
denied that he said to Mrs. Reeves as
he passed her:
You stay back. It's no place for you.
III go down." as Mrs. Reeves had testi-
fled.
He saw Mrs. Reeves come down the
steps of her house in an excited fash
What has happened?"
"Oh. my God"' was her only reply,
phax ran on to the station.
Only the roof of the station can be
seen from the porch of the Vondermiller
house, said Syphax, and he was sure the
house was more than 100 yards from the
station.
DIR. Charles NJ. Emmons Of Suitland
Md. with offices in Washington. was
called by the defense No satisfactory
definition Of insanity, he said. is avail
measure he stated that insanity or
psychoses indicates a diseased mind, ac-
companied by consciousness.
Classiflcations Of insanity. he said,
were all open to criticism, but were
necessary to permit Of comprehen-
Alienism. he said, was far from an
exact science.
Heredity. he said. bears a strong re-
lation to insanity. Nervous, alcoholic
and diseased parents transmit charac-
teristics either to the offspring or to
the next generation. Epilepsy, he tes-
titled. has q close relation to insanity;
at least 10 per cent Of epileptics be-
come insane.
Hypothetical Question Introduced.
The hypothetical question was then put
by the defense to the expert. The COM
monwealth attorney. Mr.. Mackey. de-
clared that the statements Of fact In the
hypothetical question were not in accord
ance with the evidence. and contained
statements that had not been introduced
In evidence. Mr.. Mackey attacked the
declarations contained in the hypotheti-
cal question. especially objecting to the
statements Of facts regarding the epileptic
tendencies Of the defendant.
Mr.. Wampler of counsel for defense
claimed that the statement Of facts were
in accordance with the testimony, but
quoted authorities to show that a hy-
pothetical question need only present the
facts as assumed by the theory of the
defense. The court admitted the question
and by agreement between the court and
counsel for state and defense 1t was
agreed that q Hypothetical question by
the state should have the same latitude
IN setting 1OItu ltS OkuiAo1l " TIC AoNe~
in evidence.
"a person in the condition set forth
in the Hypothetical question would be
Of diseased mind" was DR.. Emmons'
reply to the question.
when he shot and killed the man he
had knowledge Of his act." said DIR.
Emmons, but 1t was an insane knowl-
edge"
DR. Emmons said that he had exam
ined the defendant, and that his opin-
ion of vondeRmiller's insanity was
| thereby confirmed.
vondermiller was not only insane at
| the time OF the killing OF Reeves. DR..
Emnons declared. but was. in his opin-
| ion. insane before then. and that act
OF homicide was not the act of tenn
porary insanity.
Cross-ExAmination.
Under cross-examination, DR.. Emmona
stated that the functions OF an expert.
| in his opinion. were to present to the
| Jury the known phenomena Of mental
diseases. SO that tho jury can determine
the insanity Of the subject.
Symptoms Of paranoia and OF dement's
| praecox, said DR.. Emmons, are shown BY
| the prisoner. Epiieptic insanity. he de.
/ clared, Is not always violent in its man
4 ifestations.
The defense has about closed its case
4 Do