The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-06-17
How Mr.. william Skies Went Mad.
From the n. York Tribune.

There is not not in any law-book, but
which Messrs. Spencer and Graham un-
doubtedly have heard of, which is so point
edly illustrative of the great legal doctrine
of momentary madness, or irresponsible
frenzy, or by whatever name the great legal
doctrine (it has many an alias) may be call
ed, that we are surprised that Messrs.
Spencer and Graham did not cite it during
the late oyer of murder. We refer to the
case of Mr.. Bill Skies, as set forth in the
veracious chronicle of 'Olliver Twist.
Mr.. Skies, it viii be re enembered, was
a celebrated sporting gentleman
in London, who lived by the appropriation
of other peoples property, and who had 3
mistress named Nancy. This poor GIN
sodden woman, in a moment of pity for
s'OliYer, betrayed Mr.. VIM. Skies, which
fact was communicated to him by great
crony and companion of his, an Israelite
gentleman named Fagin- The moment he
received this unpleasant information from
the friendly Fagin, Mr.. Skies (whose ten
derest sensibifities had received a sudden
shock) ''lost all control of himself, and
the following eolloquy ensued:
"Let me out, said Skies. "Don't speak
to me; it's not safe. Let me out, say"
"Hear nae speak word, rejoined the
Jew, laying his hand upon the lock. ''You
won't be"
"Well," replied the other.
''Youwon't tbe-tOo-yiolent, Bill2" whin-
ed the Jew.
But when a man has 'lost all control OF
himself, it is of no use to try to stop him.
Mr.. Fagin, however, explained that he
merely wished to caution Mr.. Skies against
being s'too violent for safety" With
/ " cd 10
residence of the devoted Nancy. That he
must have been '.inssne" is evident from
the following graphic description of his de
meanor in the street.
s'Without one pause, or moments cor.
sideration; without once turning his head
to the right or left, or raising his eyes tc
the sky, or lowering them to the ground,
but looking straight before him with saw
age resolution; his teeth 50 tightly com.
pressed that the strained jaw seemed start
| ing through his skin; the robber held on
his headlong course, nor muttered word
nor relaxed muscle until he reached his
own door.
1t is reasonably TO be deduced from thi:
account that Mr.. Skies must have been a.
mad as his counsel could have desired, i
haply MIR. Skies had ever come to trial fol
the deed he was about to do. He was
mounted so high upon his injuries; he haC
been so ill-treated by the too voluble Nancy
that his brain must have been suhused,
that clearly something must have been the
matter with his heart or his bowels-it wa
of no consequence which. But evidently
he was in most convenient state of tenn
porary hallucination. This is furthe
proved by his conduct on coming into tn
presence of the false Nancy. What he aiC
to Nancy then and there will be indicates
by Just one more quotation:
'.She staggered and fell, nearly blinded
with the blood that rained down from
deep cash in her forehead; but raising her
self with difficulty on her knees, drew fron
her bosom q white handkerehief-Ros
Maylie's own-and holding it up in he
. folded hands as high towards heaven as he
Feeble strength would allow, breathed on
. prayer for m Nrcy to her maker.
''It was a ghastly figure to look upon
The murderer, staggering backward to tn
wall, and shutting out the sight with hi
hands, seized heavy club and struck he
, down"
Instances of instantaneous aberratiO
: have become so common ia this country
Y and the aberrationists are so often tindin
themselves In judicial jeopardy that "
> have cited this we'll known case for the
special benefit, should they get themselv'
into trouble with the law, which hereaft'
isn't very probable. MIR. Skies hung hir
self-by accident-in trying to escape fro
9 the police, and thus it happened, that b
e case was never sdiudieated in court.