New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-22

ishment of an offender who was really insane J
while the number of perfectly sane and respoh-
sible scoundres who have escaped justice on
the ground of insanity would, II IL couiu 10
ascertained, be found to be astoundlngly large
A case occurs to us at this moment as OHV d
single illustration of the facility with wDlch thiS
plea has been used to defeat the ends OF JUS
flee In the wear 1855, at New-Haven, Conn,
Willard Clark. a young man whose sanity had
never been in tho slightest degree questioned,
nrpcured pistol and deliberately shot and
killed a rival namod Wight, who had supplanted
him in the affections of young lady ana mar
ried her. The killing was in cold blood, ana
done IN presence of his victims wife ana
family. To two or three persons who had ac-
cess to him within day or two after the SHOOT
ing the murderer admitted that he committed
the crime to get his revenge, ana had paiu
debt he owed Later he began to talk income
rently about having a mission to XIII wight 10
save the young woman his wife from Oelhg
ruined by him. This statement he repeated
very much as the assassin Guiteau repeats his
clib blasDhcmy about the pressure upon HIM TO
remove Garfield. 1t was found that he had
passed through some unusual religious expert
pOpp, Hau Dttu uIlAtlUlCu ny a p'S'i"'' '"'~
affair, and was sometimes absent-mnded Wheh
spoken to. 1t appeared, too, that his father,
who was a man of Incorporate habits, had
made extravagant statements when under the
influence of liquor, and of course the insanity
eyncrts testified that he was not III his rlghC
mind.
Upon this testimony, set before the jury with
GREAT eleverncss by his counsel, he was ac-
quilted on the ground of insanity. lie was I'M
prisOned as an insane convict subject To the
order of the Court. Within year or two the
Court was petitioned to release him on the
ground that he was no longer insane-had re-
covered his reason. He was not released, how
ever. although the judge who presided Mt his
trial believed him sane and differed with the
inry in believing him so at the commission OF
the crime. With no indication Of insanity more
than any other convict or keeper in the prison,
he remained several years in the county JAIL
WAS aftcrward transferred to the state Prison,
and finally to the Insane Hospital at Middle
town, where he was comfortably provided lor'
with few restrictions upon his liberty, until his
death about two years ago. Except that he had
committed a brutal and cowardly crime there
was not the slightest reason for thinking HIM
insane. He was never suspected OF 1t before
the murder. nor did he ever show any sign OF 1t
after his acqUttal except in so far as he con-
timed to insist, a. we believe he did to the day
of his DEATH that it was his mission to Kill Wight
and that he was justified in doing it. Scores
Of similar cases could no doubt be cited, but
this is mentioned here because of its similarity
10 the Guitcau case in the respect OF the pre-
tcncc Of inspiration which was evidently an
aftcrthought in both cases. Juries are not now
so easily imposed on by pleas of insanity rs they
were twenty-five years ago, and their liability
to it will be still further diminished il Dr..
Bankers sensible view of the subject is recos-
nized as tho rule in all cases. 1t is quite time
the difference between irresponsible insanity
and responsible deprayity was defined and re-
cocuiLcd.