Norwich bulletin., 1911-11-21

the piano. Other 2times he would go I out about s o'clock and not return until next morning
 T noticed that when he was mad q pig vein and artery behind his right ear would pulsste so that it was visible
 Tt was so tender I could not touch it. I would bathe his head with cold water and towels.
 In cross examination witness said, according to the. deposition, that Spen- cer worked first in store. then went a- boat. to Seattle, then again in a store. After that he went to work for an express company Then he went away
 of was the murder. l read it inrone of the San Francisco papers the day after his arrest He is a distant rel ative of my fathers aunt
 At this junCiure Attorney Suspicion read tine letter which Spencer wrote to Mrs. Martland from jail, Monday, August N22, 1910.
 SPencer's Letter.
 The letter was long and interest ing che in which the prisoner ad- dresses the woman as Dear Anita, and continues by telling of the awful cer says in the letter that he blaTnes his fathers beating for his actions, declaring that it was not until he was beaten with a whip stock that he began tO SJe&l- ana that ne mas not been able to resist temptations since then Continuing. the prisoner says that it is peculiar that when he was employed in stores and offices where he handled large amounts of money he was able to resist the tempta tions, and that he was led to rob houses and get comparatively nothing, the whole uncontrollable desire to enter houses ending in the shooting of a defenseless school teacher.
 q SuDDOSe it was the many voices I heard that got me so excited that I pulled the trigger" said the prisoner, referring to the murder
 Then he told of his close conf1ne- ment in the jail, of his being able to play checkers, dominoes and cards with a guard and of the visits of his family. his wife. Minnie, calling at the jail every Tuesday and Friday and bringing their boy with her.
 They allow them to bring only flowers and books and things like that to me because they think I might end my life if I was given everything"
 Navy Surgeon Testifies.
 The next witness was Dr. Henry LaMotte of Seattle. Wash, who testi- fled that he is d retired naval sur geon, retiring in 1897.
 At the present time I am studying diseases of the eye. I knew Spencer when he was in the navy. l have treated five of six cases, but all of them in the navy are sent to an asy- 1um.
 'sWe were obliged to examine pa tients and diagnose the cases, but not treat them.
 During the summer of 1895 I had Spencer under observation"
 District Attorney Callahan objected at this point and 8 long whispered discussion followed
 Spencer was in the hospital in V 1~T .aI.~ daily for about a month. He had three varities of imperative impulses. He was quiet and reserved and somewhat derossessed when suddenly he would
 My attention was drawn to the case by orders. Rev Frederick $. Sherman was the chaplain at that time."
 Aftsrnoon Session.
 The afternoon session opened at 2e4 o'clock and Dr. LaMotte was recalled to the witness stand. He was asked what treatment he administered.
 What was your diagnosis of his mental condition@ @ asked Attorney Stapleton- Distric- Attorney Callahan objected and the objection was sus- tained on the grounds that the witness was not an insanity expert
 Attorney Stapleton then attempted to qualify the witness by asking the en tire experience.
 The disposition of the case WIS the discharge of the prisoner because of derangement."
 In cross examination, witness said that he has been aa ocuIist since 1S97
 At the beginning of the Spanish American wa~ I was on board a naval ship in LoEdcn. About the first of April, 1898, l went on the Topeka. have been on active duty twice since being placed on the retired list"
 "f there is anything mentally or wrong with an applicant he is reJected?''
 Yes, sir telling you that he was in the hos pital nine days?r
 Yes. sir"
 You said this morning that he was m there about a month, and a minute ago you said the time was shorter?" i
 Yes. sir"
 Why didn,t you say that he was ireated by you only nine days?"
 Because it seems to me that it was | cnger-''
 Witness did ot recall that Spencer | was homesick, nor did he know that | spencer was trying to get out of the | service.
 District Attorney Callahan intro 1 iuced the report of the discharge sign 1 d by the board of medical survey of | which witness was a member. Witt l ness identified report and it was of cred as evidence by the common 1 wealth.
 Did the report contain all the aiI- nents from which Spencer suffered 2" lsked Attorney Stapleton
 NO. sir; one ailrnent was sufficient ! o insure his discharge from the serv- cc."
 Dr. Houston Called.
 Dr. John A. Houston, superintend- l mt of the Northampton insane hos ! 1ft3l, was the next witness. His ! estimony in part was as follows:
 There is no recognized standard of insanity at Che present time. Some ,ases are difficult to classify. but most | .ases cal. be classified by some stand | srd.r
 --Is hereditary insanity a Iredispos- | ng cause of insanity ?''
 Al ancestors must be considered | n making diagnoses. EccentricIty also 1 must be considered"
 With regard 10 senile denentia, 1 .ouId the posterity be affected the ! 'arne way as 61d see2'
 Tt is to be a1en into consideration. | intellectual growth is also of inn | ,ortance in considering cases
 T was called April :. 1910, to exf t lmine the prisoner. I was there be- | ween one and two hours at the police l ;tation. Former District Attorney Taft asked me to make the exannina | ion. I testified 1t the hearing last fall | ,cf1re Superiar court when fho r1riS- |