Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-11-28

estod in the well-being OF this valua
bic animal adopt q system o
regime more in consonance with tn,
natural and physiological require
ments Of the horse. the sooner hi
health will be secured. his usefulness
enhanced, his value increased, ant
The physical condition amelioratsd o
this, mans best friend AMI servant 0
all the domestic ani,nalS.
J.C.
A New Excuse for Murder.
London has recently had mutdsl
trial, resulting il the acquittal Of tn.
murderer, on the ground of insanity
The case differs from the class OF in
sane murders familiar to the Amcri
can people, based upon emotiona
alteration, in cases Of jealousy, mar
ital deception, illicit love, breach o
promiss, divorce, and other relation.
OF the sexes. The London case o
insanity was simply the temporary
result Of excessive drink, known pop
ularly - dslirium tremens.
The murder was one OF peculiar
atrocity. The assassin Taylor, Ia
borer, had lived with woman 70,
many years and had two children
. boy OF IA and an infant daughter.
One evening, whom Taylor had been
drinking, the boy was sent for hi,
fathers wages, brought them home,
threw himself upon the bed, and fell
asleep. When he awoke, he saw his
mother lying beside him dead "You
have killed my mother" tho boy
shouted to the man who sat near HIM.
Yes, aud ysu shall see how it was
done" was the mans reply. He im
mediatsly struck him with a heavy
iron bolt, With which he ha ] already
murdered the woman and the infan,
child. The boy alono recovered, and
it was his testimony which left no
doubt as to the killing. Tho mur-
dsrer was arrested, and began by
cutting his throat and tearing the
wound open after it had been dress
ed; he then jumped out Of a window
and otherwise conducted himself like
. man naddsned by grief or emorse;
but, subsequently, he settled down
into = rational state. The trial has
just been concluded by verdict &c
acquittal. These are the main points
OF the case, bnt there were certain
aggrsvating circumstances. Once be.
tore, Taylor had made 4 murdsrous
assault upon tho woman. 1t was on
~ a few days before the final muir
der that he stabbed her with a tork.
inhicting = severe wound. He was
arrested tor this, but the woman de-
clined to appear against him, and cha
was discharged. Testimony At the
trial also brought out the fact that
Taylor. was perfectly familiar with
the influence which drink had upon
him. He had asked some Of his COM
rades whether it was drink that
throw into these paroxysms o! rage,
and, when assured that it was, he had
promised to give 1t up. The evidence
then, was complete, not only that he
had murdered two persons and near
y murdered another, all intimately
related to him, but that hs was fully
aware OF his own dangerous propsn.
slties when drunk.
In aluitting Taylor Of lis horrible
butchsry under such evidence As this,
M English jury has carried the priv.
ilsges Of constructive insanity furth
er than ever before. The prominent
American cases in which temporary
excitement, used as synonymous with
emotional insanity. has been regard
ed 40 sufficient reason for the acquit-
tai of murderers, have all been found
ed upon on somo chivalric sentimen-
tai consideration tor woman. In the
Taylor case, however, there we're
mono Of these sentimental or emo.
tlonal excuses, whether true or false.
1t was q brutal murder committed
by . man who was At least respoasi
BILE tor putting himself in condition
that prompted 1t, and the result OF
bad personal habits IS woll ~ the
ou,growth Of depravsd nature
This may be insanity; but, it it is,
then it is time that the laws should
defiue what kind OF insanity shall
justify murder and what kind shall
not.
There 10 one phase of the Taylor
case. however, which seems to teach
q useful lesson tor all communities -
Had this man been properly prosecu.
ted tor his previous vicious assaults,
aud punished as he deserved, it IS
probable that the murder would new
er have been committed. The laws
Of all countries seem to be detective
in the way OF Furnishing unsuccessful
attempts At murder as they ought to
be punished.
The majority Of people who COM
init murder have previously indica.
ted a readiness TO do it whenever oc-
casion should present itself. But,
while the law considers the intent an
vital 40 the deed, it takes little or no
cognizance OF tho intent unless it be
accompanied by fatal results. 1t to
The long list Of temporarily insane
conditions under which murder may
be committed with impunity, that OF
excessive drunkenness is to bs added,
it is time that We ahould have some
legal restraint applied to habitua!
drunkards.-CA,cags 7ribwas.
Proposed Steamboat 0Aual.