Evening star., 1950-01-10
Murphy Uses Suove RidicuIe
On Hiss Defense Psychiutrist


this q fair statement. DR.. Bingel
replied:
Il agree with every word of it
I think it's excellent"
DR.. Binger answered, "O1
course not" when Mr.. Murphy
asked if a psychiatrist could give
a complete opinion Of q mans
mental state simply by observing
him on the witness stand. He
admitted. however, that in De.
cember, 194s. he was prepared tc
testify on Mr.. Chambers before
q grand jury without ever having
even seen him on the witness
stand or anywhere else.
No "Armchair" Analysis.
Mr.. Murphy asked If the wit
ness knew that DR.. A. A. Brill
once identified Abraham Lincoln
as q schizophrenic. DR.. Binger
said he does not go in for that
kind Of armchair" analysis.
"You 60 in for the studied sort
OF analysis. don't you, doctor?'
Mr.. Murphy asked sarcastically.
There was an outburst Of laugh
ter in the courtroom as DR.. Binger
said he tried to.
The psychiatric expert denied
that his opinion on Mr.. Chambers
is perhaps "subconsciously" influ-
enced by his attachment for Mr..
and Mrs. Hiss, for whom he admits
warm personal friendship. But
when Mr.. Murphy asked if his
testimony is Simply and purely
impartial" DR.. Binger answered:
mo. that, is not wholly accu-
rate"
He offered to tell the prosecutor
"the truth about this" If Mr.
Murphy wanted him to.
Binger Gets Sharp Reminder.
you've been telling us the truth
all along. haven't you. doctor?'
Mr.. Murphy asked.
"You know I have" the witness
replied.
Mr.. Murphy sharply reminded
DR.. Binger that he was under
cross-examination and should not
answer in this vein.
Can you tell what's In my
mind, doctor?" he asked.
NO" said DR.. Binger. II wish
I could"
Mr.. Murphy questioned the wit
ness closely about his statement
last week that persistent lying Is
a symptom of ''psychopathic per.
sonality."
Brings in Santa Claus.
would parents who persistently
lie to their children about Sants
Claus be classed as psychopaths.
the prosecutor asked.
DR.. Binger said they would not
And II parents told their chill.
dren that the stork brings babie.
and If they told that story for &
period Of years, would that indi.
cate they had symptoms Of thi'
disease?"
If the parents believed it. Il
would" DR.. Binger said.
Meanwhile, Federal Judge Henr,
w. Goddard has under study
prosecution and defense requests
for material which may be in
cluded In his final summation to
the jury. F~- @s...
May Reach Jury Next Week.
Filing of the formal, requests,
which were received without COM
ment by Judge Goddard, was
taken by some observers as a
hopeful sign that the case may
go to the jury next week. It
has been In progress here since
November II, and already has
outrun the first trial Of the former
State Department official.
That trial ended with q hung
jury last July 8.
Mr.. Chambers, an admitted ex-
Communist agent, says Mr.. Hiss
gave him secret State Department
papers for transmission to Russian
agents before the war. Mr.. Hiss,
IS, former president of the Car
negie Endowment for Interna-
tional Peace, stands accused OF
falsely denying to Federal grand
jury that this is so.
II convicted on both counts OF
the indictment, M. Hiss faces q
possible maximum penalty Of II
years imprisonment and $4,000 in
fines.