Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-03-20


marked in his charge to the jury that
''it was the first time R7eptOmdaia had
ever been pleaded in defense of any
prisoner in this county,
The term is used to express one form
Of partial moral mania. That there is
such form OF insanity is now admit
ted by the best authors, amongst whom
are the well known names of E ;quirol,
GeOrget, Coll, Rush, Keil, Heensoth,
Hofbaurer, Cox, Andrew Comb, Aber-
crombie, Connolly, Pritchard, Roy,
Gay, and Wharton & Stillei. Partial
moral mania is confined to ole or a
few of the affective faculties, the rest of
the moral and intellectual constitution
preserving its ordinary integrity" 1t
consists in an exorbitant activity of
some one passion or propensity, and its
predOminence or complete mastery
over every other. the faculty thus
affected prompts the individual to ac-
ton by kind of irresistible instinct,
while he either retains the most per-
feet consciousness of its improperly,
horror at the enormity of the conduct,
to which it would impel him."
Partial moral mania may manifest
itselfin divers forms, as ''Erotomania, :"
or amorous madness. "Pyromania," !"
ora morbid propensity to incendiary-
ism, "Suicidal Monomania," ''Homi-
cidal Mania," and Kleptomania," or
propensity to theft.
The books are full of cases similar to
that of the defendent in this case. DIR.
Roy remarks, "There can be little
doubt that moral mania is far more
com mon in the ordinary walks of So
ciety than is generally imagined" p
DIR. Rush speaks of very worthy and
exemplary lady in all other respects,
in comfortable circumstances in life,
and yet the subject of this disease to
such an extent that she would even
steal bread while at friends table-if
nothing more tempting offered. She
would both confess and lament her
crime. DR.. Roy knew very worthy
clergyman who towards the latter part
of his life became addicted to stealing
trifles, taking them home and putting
them in his garret, but never offering
to use them.
DIR. Lee knew a physician in exten-
sive practice, connected by marriage
with respectable family, who was
for years in the habit of stealing every
thing in the house of his patients that
he could carry away. He had two
large pockets in his cloak to accommo-
date this branch of business. After
years of successful pilfering he was de-
tected; his house was more like a
museum or pawn5roker's shop than
any thing else. Friends got him to
change his location, but the fatal pro-
pensity lead him again TO steal; and at
/, last he stole gold watch, for which
he suffered punishment.
This form of insanity has affected
many in high life. The first King of
, Sweden, according to DR.. Gall, was af-
fiicted in this way. 4 countess at
: Frankfort, and othor instances might
be mertioned. Dieritz speaks of a
! criminal who at the moment he was
about to be executed stole the confes-
sor's sunffboX.
1t is often difficult matter to recoy-
niZe the disease because of the appar-
ent good and mental sOundness. Often,
t especially in females, the trouble only
manifests its presence at certain times.
when the system is under the effects OF
/, some form of disease. In the case OF
Charlotte Powell, she only appeared to
be the subject of the propensity to steal
at times. The attacks were about
every month, and until the offense for
which she was on trial, had consisted
in taking articles of clothing from diff
f ferent members of her own family,
hiding them for few days, and when
the attack passed of, returning them
. again. She never but the one time
stole from strangers.
The jury doubtless concluded from
the fact of her having manifested the
propensity at different times in man
> ner that could not be explained upon
, any idea of sanity, and in the case for
which she was On trial; the mode OF
action, aud the articles stolen, together
with her general conduct and state of
health at the time, as related by rela-
! tives and acquaintance, that she
could not be accountable.
Because party acts in this way ''it
does not follow that she may not lie in
possession of her senses, and even of
her usual intelligence, since, in order
to resist the impulses of her passions,
it is not sufficient the reason should i'm
part its counsels; we must have the
necessary po,cer to obey thema." "These,
remarks DR.. Roy, "are the cases that
confound the wise and defy the scruti-
ny of the skillful, while they tempt
. the superficial and conceited to betray
their ignorance, under the delusion of
superior penetration; which tarnish
many a professional reputation, and
Iexpose even the pretensions of true
science to popular mockery and de-
Irision."
Sentence of Prisoners.