The daily times., 1921-06-09
DECLARE
PEACOCK SUFFERS
FORM OF INSANITY
DIR. ANDERSON TEsTIFIEs
Defense Declares Hereditary
Insanity Runs Through
Peacock Family. State
Brings Out Fact While Rel
atives Were Feebleminded
Peacock Was Brilliant.

Lexington, June S."Dr. AlDerL
Anderson, superintendent of the
state hospital for the insane, Raleigh,
testifying here yesterday afternoon.
declared that in his opinion DR.. j.
w. Peacock, now on trial charged
with the murder of Chief of Police
J. E. Taylor, of Thomasville, April
16, is at present an insane mana
paranoiac. While there were
the day, DR.. Anderson was the first
to equality as an expert. Clyde Hoey
for the state, put the alienist through
a gruelling cross-examination, draw
ing from him the admission that he
has in his life time sworn at least
four men, charged with murder, in
sane. Heated debates broke out be-
tween opposing attorneys from time
to time whit 80 c',oIHv lawyer was
popping question of+or question in
rapidire fashion at tho evpert Two
more experts, DR.. James x. Hall, of
Westbrook sanitarium at Richmond,
Va, and DIR. Isaac Taylor, of Nor
canton. will testify upon the conven-
ing of court tomorrow morning at
$50 o'clock.
The days session was featured by
the testimony of medical men an
swering hypothetical questions
principally. Dr. Anderson thought
that in the event the jury should find
that Peacock, in bad health and Ia
boring under the impression that
Chief Taylor had threatened to de-
stroy his home, did on April 16 in a
brutal manner and without outward
insane and that he was not capable
of distinguishing between right and
wrong.
The defense, in addition to the
foundation already constructed for
temporary insanity, erected another
foundation-that of hereditary in
sanity in the form of paranoia. Ca
barrus county witnesses, living near
the Peacock family, testified that DR.
Peacock's mother and aunt were Of
weak mentality, while his grand
mother and great-grandmother de-
ve1oped mental trouble sometime
prior to their demise. In cross-ex.
amining the Cabarrus witnesses the
state brought out the fact that while
Peacock's relatives were weak an(
feeble minded, yet he was man o
extraordinary mentality mar
with a brilliant mind.
One of the startling admissions dis
closed since the trial begun was on
by J. T. Long of Thomasville, who
upon cross-examination said that b
approved of the murder of Chic
Taylor under the circumstances
Upon redirect examination Long sal,
that he made the assertion becaus
Chief Taylor had beaten r. B. Win
son, a Thomasvil1e attorney, and
moreover the chief had made threat
against Dr. Peacock and because @
the disclosures made after the Win
ston-Salem investigation. This in
vestigation dealt with Chief Taylor
work in the Twin City.
Describes ParanOia.
DIR. Anderson described paranoi
something about as follows: 1t is
form of insanity which is character
ized by systematized delusions, c
by the tendency to form such deli
sions. Systematized delusions are 6
characteristic of paranoia 1T is ne
essary to know what is meant by th
term A delusion is systematic
when it has a logical construction
all Of it's parts. It is belief whic
proceeds from an erroneous prem
ses, by a process of ratiocination,
insane conclusions. Therefore
has a marked influence on condu'
and character, the more so that sue
delusions are also, as rule, fxe
When speaking of fixed delusion
however, it is not meant that sue
decisions can never change, but on