Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-31
me Moral Insanitr Plea.

and not responsible Ior MS acuOns. Ou
Tuesday last DR.. A. E. Mcdonald,
Superintendent of Wards Island Insane
Asylum. was placed on the stand, and
gave very interesting evidence on insani-
ty, on which subject he has bestowed
special attention for many years. He de
clared, as the result of his careful
investigations, that when men real
" insane cou1mit evil deeds,
they are entirely oblivious to results.
and neither plan with deliberaticn nor
seek to avoid legitimate consequences;
that he did not believe in what is called
temporary insanity" nor did he place
any faith in hereditary insanity. while as
to moral insanity" he secuted at the
idea, saving that 1t was "a recent phrase
invented to conceal wickedness or craft.
having been first used during the French
revolution to excuse the slaughter Of
that period"
These ideas of DR.. Mcdonald were
also, on Wednesday, supplemented and
greatly strengthened by the testimony of
DR.. Randolph Barksdale, Superintend-
ent of the Central Lunatic Asylum, near
Richmond, and Of DR.. John 81. Callen-
der. Superintendent of the Tennessee
State Asylum for the Insane, and who
for the past twelve years has
given special attention to the sub
ject of insanity. having seen
two thousand cases since his connection
with the institution of which he is now
the head. Both these gentlemen unhesi-
ta;iDglY and emphstically declared that,
in their opinion, there was no such thing
in the world as moral insanity. DR.. Cal
lender intimating that the term ''moral
monstrosity" would be much more ap-
plicable to a person of average intellect
''who gives free vent to his evil passions
and commits heinous crimes"
Again, on Thursday, the opinion of
these experienced gentlemen received
valuable confederation in the testimony
Of DR.. Walter Kempsler, superintendent
of the State Insane Asylum of Wiscon-
sin, who has devoted himself to the study
of insanity during a period of fifteen
years. He also was very emphatic in
his denial of the existence of any such
disease as moral insanity" 1T was
simply" said he, "a convenient term
which has been invented to excuse the
commission of heinous crimes" and he
declared he had never seen an instance
where an insane man, after committing a
crime. boosted of his insanity, or urged
it as an excuse for his deeds.
The testimony of these gentlemen is OF
the greatest importance to the world at
large outside of all connection with the
Guiteau trial. 1t has, of late years, be-
come favorite defense of men accused
of all manner of crimes, that they were
emotionally or morally insane, when
they committed their offenses, and in a
vast majority of cases such defense has
made favorable impressions on juries.
As a consequence, the insane asylum
has more than once, even in our
own State, become merely a safe har
Dor and refuge of criminals worthy of
shaven heads and striped suits, who,
after being confined in comfort for
short season, are either permitted, con-
veniently, to make their escape, or are
officially pronounced restored" and so
are discharged to prey upon the com
munity at will, and, once more, unre-
STRANGELY yield themselves up to their
evil inclinations.
1t needs no penetrating intellect to see
how fraught with danger and harm to
society at large Is this of allowing
heinous criminals to go unwhipt of jus
tice on the ground Of emotional or tenn
porary insanity, and it is a subject of
sincere generalization that it has been
conclusively shown, upon the testimony
of such men as have given evidence in
the Guiteau trial-men of learning,
high official and social positions,
and of vast experience and unlimited
opportunities for knowing the truth of
what they assert-that no such thing
really exists, but that it is merely
creature of the imagination of some
cunning criminal, or some clever
counsel for the defense" Hereafter,
in numerous instances, when this plea is
entered on the occasion of the trial of
evil doors charged with the commission
of villainous crimes, the testimony of
these learned and reliable experts in the
Guiteau case will be brought forward,
aud. as a result, the plea will be ignored.
and the offenders will receive the proper
punishment which they will richly merit.
The public have uttered many COM
plants over the unnecessary prolon-
gation of the trial of the as
sassin of the lamented Garfield, but
if this result is brought about
through the medium OF that trial, society
everywhere will have cause to rejoice
that it was prolonged. Let a few So
called morally insane criminals feel, for
a moment or two, the stretch around
their throats of strong hempen cord, as
they fall through the trap of a gal
lows, or experience the delights of
hard labor, in motley garb, for life,
and the large number of lunatics
IN the world will display more
method in their madness, and strive with
greater care to restrain the outbursts of
their so called greatness. The Sheriff's
rope and the penitentiary cell will doubt
less prove more wonderful restoratives
for minds diseased than the most careful
treatment of the most skillful physicians
in hospitals, while insane asylums will
no longer prove convenient and COM
Portable retreats for moral mOnstrOsi-