The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1873-06-26

Hoid ct l p. ~. li6x
a. The Post Once Newsroom Sod,
Fountain 10 now running 10 full blast
Call and try glass Of loo cool sods water.
The Resp0nslbilley Of Insane
crlnln0lb.

Tfisls for murder have 10 large pro-
portion Of ossss been converted iuto farces
sncs the plea Of insanity hss bsooms sscos.
sized - 90 excuse for crime. The cssss; 10
witch jnriss ooovict whore the slightest
pnssoss OF Insanity 10 cot up ere very low,
aud criminals auj their counsel sre vel,
a~sss ofthis fAessad' qaisk 10 take sdvan.
tsGs II It. The greater tho crims ssd the
mcrs direct the proof.tse greater the shsuoss
ofsncesss for plss Of inssuity. TO offer
snch plea 10 case OF o simple stree,
knoskdowa would provoke dsrisiou, but let
II" sssau'tar KIN thssvietIn With kuife or
p'ssol end the ples Of insanity will BE- lIs-
ten"d 10 With attention; II the murderer 10
'fsnoelously brutal sr without the excuse. Of
ssa",sais provoestion the oassoss srs, oil
10 fsvor o, .bs escape Of The perpetrator on
shs ground Of iussnity. Jusiss--sud 10
ssne cases Courts valso-proosed on the
theory thsra person 10 souud mlnd cannot
commit murdsr-thoush capsbIs. Of every
ether species Of erime-and though the sb-
6srratseu Of Intellect may b but momsps
Ary, ceomeaeina and ending With The blow
Of the kciis osvths pulling Of The sriasss, II
Ia sufacisot 10 relieve the murderer from re-
sPousibs!lty fss tbs aesd.
Tfs'rssult Of this IL the iuosesss Of the
highest e'sss Of crime and tho Indifference
ofths perpetrstors. They know there 10
but little fssr Of punishnsnt 90 long % The
csime 10 sutatientiy strocious. So fer has
this gone thst The sssnaest thinkers are
turning their sttsatiou.to the bsst means o
rsmsdying's ffishstuf' and rapidly growing
evil. Dr. William A. Hsmuond, the we'll
Known medical expert 10 cases of insanity,
has published . moaograph ou,CrIminsl In-
sanity IN which be sakss the ground nat %
insane person 10 to some extent responsible
Sor bic seis and should bs made sccounts.
bls. thssmoss be assumes that the true
shject Of the peasi law isto protect society
rather than TO puolsu the crininss and that
~ Iuaa,ie who 10 dangerous 10 the peace
and welfare Of society should b plsosd be-
yssd the ability Of doing mischief The
law mskes no allowance for ignorsnos 10
dssling With criminals, The victim OF dsfsc>
uvs OF vicious training being DEALT With -
hardly - hepsrsoa who o6soded with the
fihi knowledge Of the uulswfulnsss and i'm
mosslity Of the act end the extent Of the
penalty. Dr.. Hsmmond holdttassthe lun-
attic should be placed In the same category
a. tina victim Of circumstances who was
bred 10 poverty end vloe.
10 support Of this assertion that the iu'
cane ere morally accountable 10 come d'-
gree for their acts 10 cites instances where
undoubted iuostios have discussed scls Of
murder by iuastIos aud have he'd their own
murd.rons pro pausItlss checked or given
larger rem 70 BY The manner 10 which the
. perpetrators Of those mnrdsrous scts we're
,rs.,aJs Tne lunstic-has the power Of eouI
trolling. NJ sctious 10 . great degree, spd
DR.. Il'.muaod doubts ifsuy luostic bas an
s'irrs.isubIs impulse, although many have
Impulses that are ''slmost irrasistibls."