The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-02-19
SPASMODIC INSANITY.

SPASMODIC INSANITY.
The Vineland tragedy has ended in a
Bridseton farce. Less than month ago,
an intelligent New Jersey jury pronounced
Lands insane; and, therefore, guiltless Of
the murder of Carruth. Now the Court
adjudges him a sane man, and orders his
discharge. In reaching this conclusion,
the Court doubtless has recalled the un-
usual Judgment and discrimination shown
by Lands, in selecting the exact spot in
Carruth's Uranium, in which the greatest
weight of lead could be carried, with the
least possible physical inconvenience to
the offending editor. While it is true,
that Carruth's brain was heavier after the
shooting than before, of which fact he no
doubt was painfully conscious, since the
newspaper article provocative of the kill
ing indicates an entire absence of that
useful article, still, Landis' violent contri-
button to its increase, although indicative
of the admirable method of his madness,
was not complimentary to his humanity.
Cunning for editors will no doubt here
after become a favorite pastime with him,
since people generally are fond of doing
whatever they excel in. That Lands has
proved himself admirably skilled in pisto
practice, although his target was human
skull. is plainly evident. Possibly he could
bring down his next editor at twice the
distance. "Whose turn comes next?" is
pleasing conundrum for Einelanders. a
less provocation than a newspaper Squib,
unjustifiable though it be, may at any time
provoke this humorous Nimrod to make
game of some unhappy Jerseyman, a
grim joke that resulted so seriously in
Carruth's case.
Really, the insanity dodge is becoming
despicable. Its now the unfailng defense
and certain refuge of the murderer. The
theory of insanity, as it now seems to be
interpreted, admits of no degrees or grades
A family faint, generations old, seems as
potent defense in the courts, as downright
personal mania. For all the necessary pur
poses of successful defense before mod
ern jury, the too frequent bulwark of free
hooters, and free shooters, the slightest
tinge of hereditary insanity, amounting t.
scarcely more than mere personal eccen
trcity, is, by the adroitness of counse
learned in the law. magnified into the
irresistible and resistless homicidal i'm
pulse, that alone constitutes moral anC
legal irresponsibility. AS physicians con.
cede, that most people are slightly insan,
upon some one subject or other, although
generally rational enough, the apparen
sympathy that tender hearted jurors sc
frequently display towards hard hearted
criminals, may possibly be accounted fol
upon the theory of their being compelled
on some i'll omened day, to justify some
crazy act of their own, upon the same plea
Seriously, the frequent acquittals of notori
GUS criminals, upon this specious plea o
spasmodic insanity, affords sufficient evi
dence of the necessity of restricting it!
Interpretation within safe and reasonable
limits. OF the 81 homicides committed
last year. in the city of New York, only
three persons paid the full penalty of the
law, while large proportion of the bal
ance, were acquitted either upon this plea
or upon other grounds equally frivolous
The general plea of insanity should no
suffice. This defense, to be available
should establish the fatal tendency as
continuous and unreasoning impulse, ovel
which its unhappy subject cannot possibly
exercise control. As the term insanity i.
now interpreted, should man who know.
how to handle weapon, wish to rid him
self of any one obnoxious to him, all he
need do, is to put bullet into the brain O
his victim, and trust his lawyer to trace
insanity in his family. Should he be for
tunate enough to boast an ancestor, how
ever remote, who enjoyed the reputation
of being "queer,' he need not fear the
result, since twelve men could scarcely be
found ignorant enough to convict him o
murder. If in addition to the blessing o.
"cracked relation, he can command
money, he may gun for editors every da,
in the week and run no risk of hanging.