The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-06-02
A MURDERER'S BRAIN.
Big Brain, and the Thickest Skull on
RecOrd-Singular characteristics.
II. w. RANDALL, Sec'y.


The Binghampton, NY, Republican
gives the following interesting state
ments in regard to Rulloff, who was re-
Gently hung there, for numbering q
clerk in store which Rulloff and two
other men were robbing. That was his
seventh known murder. His intellec-
tual requirements were most remark
able, and in knowledge of languages
and the principles of their formation,
he is thought to have excelled any
other scholar on record. Wishal he
was most abandoned criminal, and
should have been hung at least twenty
five years ago:
The work of dissecting RulloG7s head
was SO far completed this morning as
| to enable those having it in charge to
ascertain the weight of his brain. The
brain weighed fifty-nine ounces. being
nine and half or ten ounces heavier
than the average weight. The heaviest
brain ever weighed was that of Culver,
the French naturalist, which is given
by some authorities at sixty-five ounces,
and by some at sixty-four ounces. The
brain of Daniel Webster (partly esti-
mated on account of a portion being
destroyed by disease) weighed sixty
four ounces. The brain of DIR. Aber-
crombie, of Scotland, weighed sixty
three ounces,
The average weight of mems brain is
about 80 ounces the maximum weight
80 ounces, (GuVier's1 and the minimum
weight Gdiots) 20 ounces. AS an aver
age, the lower portion of the brain (cer-
ebullum) is to the upper portion (cere,
brum Gas l is to 1910. The lower,
brute portion, of Rulloff7s brain and the
mechanical powers were unusually
large. The upper portion of the brain,
which directs the higher moral and re-
ligiOus sentiments, was very deficient
in RullOff. In the formation of his
brain, Rnlotf was q ferocious animal,
and SO far as disposition colld relieve
him from responsibility. he was not
strictly responsible for his acts. There
is no doubt that he thought himself not
a very bad man, on the morning of his
prison, cursing from the cell to the gal
lows,
The measurement of Rulloff7s head,
around at the eyebrows, tsupra orbital,)
was twenty-fOur and half inches. The
skull was probably the thickest ever
known. In no place was it less than
three-eiShths of an inch in thickness,
and In most places it vas half an inch
thick. The usual thickness of Q clan's
skull is less than one fourth OF an Inch.
RplloTs head was opened In the usual
way, by parting the scalp over the top
of the head from one ear to the other,
aud saving of the top. The surgeons
who performed the operation say It re-
quired thrce-quaPters of an hour to saw
around the skull, and before IL was
completed they began to think the'head
was all skull.
With the protection of q skull half an
Inch thick, 4nd SCALP of the thickness
and toughness of g rhinoeeros Tsnd,
the man of seven murders was prcVid@
ed with natural helmet that would
have defied the force of any pistol bull
let. If he had been in Mirrick's place
the bullet would have made only a
slight Wopnd; aud had he been pro-
Ylded with cults FEga equal to his
scalp, his defensive armor against bui,
lets would have been as complete as a
coat of mail.
The cords in Ruloh7s neck were as
heavy and strong as those OF an OK,
and from his formation, qnc would al
most suppose that he wac protected
against death from the galfows as well
as By injury to his head.
RnlloHs body gas larger than it was
supposed to be by easuai observers.
The Sheriff ascertained when he took
measnre OF the prisoner for a coffin to
bury him In, that he was five feet and
ten inches in height, and measured
nineteen inches across the shoulders.
When in good condition his weight was
abont lis pounds.