The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-06-19
ALIENISTS
WITNESSES
Dr. Thompson Said Retreat
Was Not Modern, but
MOderniZed
SUPERIOR COURT
JUDGE ON STAND
Said He Would Not Grant Divorce
Aga lst Insane Person-Not Inform
ed by DR.. Paul Waterman of Any
Insanity on Mrs. Brenton S Part.
Especial to The Reformer.)

tSDeclai TO Inc hSIOGHef.} |
HARTFORD, Conn, June 10.
A Hypothetical question of five type
written pages, which it took Ralph o.
Wells, counsel for Rev. Cranston Bren-
ton, IA minutes to PROFOUND, was prob
ably the main feature of the afternoon
Yesterday at the trial Of the $4,000 .
conspiracy suit brought by Mrs Eliza
beth Curtis Holman, former wife of /
Professor Brenton, against him, DR.. o.
c. Smith and Dr. Paul Waterman. in
the federal ccurt. The question, which |
was based upon evidence already given
was propounded to DR.. Whitefield y.
Thompson, superintendent of the Hart
| ford Retreat, as an alienist, and in i
answer to IT, he said in substance, that
| Mrs. Holman 5 mind was probably i'm
paired on Sept. 3, 1912 the day she
| vas taken to Brattleboro,
| Judge Marcus II. Holcomb Of the su-
| perior court, the judge who heard the
| divorce suit brought, by Mrs. Holman
| against her former husband, and which
| resulted iii his getting a divorce from
| her en- cross bill, was asked several
| questions regarding the trial, also as
: 10 his bHluiDu u IL " titNA ii4s%1t iAp0
| volunteering TO him. during the trial,
his opinion as to Mrs. Brenton sanity.
/ He replied that the responsibility for
this rested with the counsel On cross
examination BY David Z. Fitzgerald Of
the plaiutiff s counsel, he admitted that
he would not have granted a decree of
divorce If the mind OF one Of the par
!, ties had been abnormal, or insane, or
| that he would not have rendered judg-
| ment against a person considered men
tally unbalanced.
: DR. Waterman during the last of his
cross. examination said that Mrs. Hol-
man probably had been born 4 moral
| imbecile. and that, as there was no
positive cure for it, she probably was
the same now Dr. Thompson said that
I basing his assumption on the facts
/ contained in the hypothetical question
e there was fair ground for the belief
q that psychosis existed Of such 4 char.
aeter as to make it proper to put tho
7 patient under observation in an institu
r fion for the insane. lie also said thai
| her retention at the asylum, by volun
tafv commitment as a voluntary pa
tient. would tend to her cure IN whole
! or in part.
: Dir. Thompson who was assistant su
! pofintendent of the Brattleboro Rctrea
, from 1891 to 1904, told Of visit ther
in July or August, 1912, and on cross
examination said that he could not sa,
the ward. ..where Mrs Brent0n was, wa
nicely ventilated. He also said that h
knew that the ventilation system ha
lie been condemned Asked whether h
could call the institution modern an
up-to-date, he replied: e could hardl
q | - hpou mod
ii ized. - DR. Thompson was still on tn
le stand when court adjourned.
One of the features of the mornin
" session was the weltphrased deseriptio
Of given bv Dr. Waterman of his reason
e for thinking Mrs Brenton was insan
ne up to Sept. ) and his convictions as
Tx her sanity after that date. Accordin
III to his version. Mrs. Holman unde
he went a radical change for the bette
in the remarkably short time she we
- in the Brattleboro insane asylum. ID
Waterman was the first witness callc
Ire and he remained on the stand, und,
cross examination, during the cntil
nc morning session.
on Plaintiffs Counsel Makes Stroke.
nd One of the strokes of counsel Il
he the plaintiff was the production of
nd letter written by DR.. Waterman to Nh
Holman, in which he took upon h
to own shoulders the full responsibility
'od Mrs. Brenton S sojourn at the Retrea
on The letter was q piece of diplomac
IN the physician explained, and was q
signed to preserve tranquility in Il
Ter Brenton household.
TO DR.. Waterman took the stand
a,e 'ho 10.35 O'Clock and the cross examin
sN ,. ton was resumed
@ | DR.. Waterman was handed q lett
tho h signed with his name. He said
- questioned the genuineness of the $
for nature. He acknowledged writing NJ
"a. Brenton letter, asking her forgivenC
tho for " distress he had caused her
he might not have cause to regret
,ite his life
re- "If blame for your present situatl
ono must be determined, it is upon me ii
the it must fall, = he had written her. A
yith again: The general plans were mi
in proposals and execution. ,WhateN
the unfortunate effect this may have, it
the my direct fault, regardless to what
son tent others were responsible. =
venl Another passage from this let
can was: eff Mr.. Brenton seems to hs
lent been unkind, bear in mind that ]
not only have | proposed TO him his eou
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