DR. CLARKE, of Toronto, was the next witness. He said he
was the Superintendent of the Toronto Lunatic Asylum. He
has had nine or ten years' experience in treating lunatics.
He examined the prisoner twice yesterday and once this
morning. From what evidence he had heard and from his
own examination, provided the witnesses told the truth
and the prisoner was not malingering, there was no doubt
of his being insane.
Cross-examined by Mr. Osler--It is impossible for any
man to say that a person like Riel, who is sharp and
well-educated, is either insane or sane. He (the witness)
would require to have him under his notice for months to
form an opinion. The man's actions are consistent with
fraud. Thinks he knows the difference between right and
wrong, subject to his delusion.
DR. WALLACE was next called. He said he was Superintendent
of the Insane Asylum at Hamilton. He had listened to the
evidence in this case. He saw the prisoner alone for half
an hour. He has formed the opinion that there is no
indication of insanity about him. He thinks the prisoner
knows the difference between right and wrong. The person
suffering from megalomania often imagines he is a king,
divinely inspired, has the world at his feet--supreme
egotism in fact. It is one of the complications of
paralytic insanity.
DR. JUKES, of the Mounted Police, would not say the
prisoner was not insane. He had seen him daily since
May, and noticed no traces of insanity.
The Court adjourned at five o'clock.
RIEL'S ADDRESS TO THE JURY.
At the outset, writes W. A. H., correspondent of the
Montreal _Star_, Riel spoke in a quiet and low tone, many
of his statements carrying home conviction to his hearers.
"At any rate," was the subsequent comment, "Riel speaks
with the belief that he is right." Gradually as he
proceeded and got fairly launched into his subject, his
eyes sparkled, his body swayed to and fro as if strongly
agitated, and his hands accomplished a series of wonderful
gestures as he warmed up and spoke with impassioned
eloquence. His hearers were spell-bound, and well they
might, as each concluding assertion with terrible
earnestness was uttered with the effect and force of a
trumpet blast. That every soul in Court was impressed is
not untrue, and many ladies were moved to tears. The
following is an epitome of what he said:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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