Empanelled for the first time in any law court in China, a jury six American ladies were summoned in the U.S. Commissioner's Court jon April 25 to determine the sanity of Miss Kiara L. C. Wegner, an independent missionary.—MIN Alexander Krisel, the Commissioner, was on the Bench and counsel appearing in the case were Dr. George Sellett, U.S. District Attorney, for the Government, and Az. W. 8. Fleming, who was appointed by the Court to act as counsel for the subject of the in quiry.
The ladies called to serve on the jary were Mrs. Lansing Host, wife Of the president of the Yangtsze Rapids S. Ca; Mrs. Ferno J. Schahl, wife of the senior member of the law firm of Sehukl & Lurton; rs. John. A- Bly, wife of @ pro. femer at St University: john's Nanking Road, who was a member of the First Grand Jury of Hudson County, New York, after the admission of women as grand jurors; Mrs. amen B. Davies, wite of a eral formerly senior Deputy in the Shanghai Provisional Court.
As none of the jurors were chal-longed, they were sworn in ext bloc, after which the Commissioner explained to them the reason for which they had been called. and described their duties and respon-
Sellett then outlined the circumstances and said that Mass Wegner was a native of Germany. She went to the United States and became naturalized and her home iven as Trenton, Nex Jer to have been a train-though it was not certain whether or not she was registered.
Tu 1928, she was associated with a church in Philadelphis an independent missionary. Coming to Shanghai, she studied Chinese intensively for year or more in a local language school, after which she went to a small mission in Hunan as secretary to the head. The mission sent her to Hankow after it had dispensed with her services and the Hankow American Consulate-General communicated with the Department of State which asked the church that sent her to China to provide funds for her repatriation. The church furnished $200 and said that that vas all it could raise.
On March 15, Miss Wegner reached Shanghai ' in custody of a missionary lady from Hankow and waz placed in the China Inland Hospital, after which she was removed to the Blue Hospital, 385 Route Dufour, where she was at present. The District "Attorney, his petition asking the Court to determine whether or not Miss Wegner was insane and, if she were, to issue orders for her custody, expressed the opinion that she was insane and was unable to govern herself ox manage her own affairs and she was, therefore, a fit person be committed to an anslum for the insane.
An affidavit signed by Dr. W. K. Nance was read which said that otiant had been requested by the Marshal to attend the subject of the inquiry on March 15, since ich date she had been under care in the Blue Hospital. AMiant the patient on numerous.
opportunities of observing her nce and, had ample shsical and mental condition. In his opinion, Miss Wegner was at present insane and was unable to govern herself or to manage her own affairs and he recommended thal she should be committed to at asylum for the care of the insane Dr. Christoph Schwarzenburh, sip. (Hambsr2), said that he saw Ais Wi several weeks ago. As far as sitness could see, she took no notice Pf what he said and she talked nonsense. He was of the opinion that she was insane.
was difficult, he said, to say whether her mental condition was such as to incapacitate her from looking after her own affairs. He was of opinion that she was suffering from dementis prac cor.
Dr. W. K. Nance, prison physician to the American Gaol, deposed that fae saw Miss Wegner eight or ten times and he had conversed with het en a number of occasions, Witness asked her atour the events of her past life and she informed. him that she had—come to China dependently to work as a mis-senary among the Chinese. She studied Chinese in Shanghai and Subsequently: became secretary to a missionary named Becker in Hunan, Witness was certain that she could not take care of herself and said that she was a danger to both fevkelf and to others because, with her delusions, she might go up to stranger and assault him, thinking he was one of her enemies and Tereecutors. She had. not attacked anybody #0 far nor had she manifested any violence. Her disease was incurable and was Tiable to become worse.
Witness, continuing, said that Miss Wagner was not shut up: she head refused to take a walk because, when she looked out of the window, she saw people and thought they were her enemies waiting to get her. He was unable to determine riy insanity. in her fami Miss Martha Collins, M.b4 corrobrated this testimony and said thal, when she visited the patient a second time, she had been ordered out of the room. Witness way of pinion that Miss Wegner insane and was unable to take care of herself er go about freely: she was a potential danger to herself ud everyone else. The insanity from which the patient suffered wa one of the most hopeless forms Witness then went on to describe the asylum for the insane in Washing ton, Miss D.C, Dora Oliver, who Ming Wagner as. nurse, afified as to the condition of the lady concerned, and Mr A. 0. Shaner, American', Administ he niatter of citizen. the Commissioner: said that he considered that no verdict should be rendered until the busy had viewed the subject of the inquiry. Tt would, he said, he un fair i€ they did, and he would order an adjournment until they" had viewed Miss Wegner. AW jury woman objected because she thought Miss Wegner would view her as an enemy The hearing wax adjourned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.