MANIACAL FINANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 238, 17 March 1915, Page 4

MANIACAL FINANCE.

EARLE HERMANN SUFFERS FROM DELUSIONS. iPLEA OF INSANITY. By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Received March .18, 10.5 p.m. Sydney, March 18. In the Earle Hermann case, Hermann made a lengthy statement. Eleven years ago, he said, he was sand-bagged at Capetown, and later ho was kicked on the head by a horse. ITe had since suffered from recurrent fits, which were very frequent last year. When the attacks were coming on lie felt that nothing was too big to undertake, anl nothing mattered; while after his fits lus memory was blotted out. After hearing the evidence against him he had been horror-stricken to find that he had committed acts of which ho was unaware. He had no more knowledge of discounting these bills than the members of the jury. Hundreds of thousands of •pounds 1 worth of bills passe| through his hands, and often in the rush of business lie signed them without examining. He had no need of money. If he were responsible for the bil!s_ as alleged, it wa» the act of a maniac. Everything had gone. It was a horrible stain and disgrace, and most extraordinary; yet not so extraordinary when one considered the efTect of tlieae fits. Ho had wanted to make money, and he could have cleared out, for thero was plenty of opportunity. Mrs Hermann and a liumber of doctors deposed to Hermann's delusions under epileptic seizures.