Evening star., 1881-12-31

NV eHo AoOu-V8iVe may De d9peneed with,
18th. The trench must be flied up and ram
med within IS hours after making the connec-
tlon, and the pavement relaid, not less than
twenty days after the h1ing. all In . workman
like manner, 70 that no settling win occur. All
rubbish must be removed from street on the
completion of the work.
GUITEAU AND THE INSPIRATION
THEORY.
CASES IN THE PAsT-CRINE COMMITTED UNDER
THE ALLEGED DIRECTION OF THE DIVINE CON-
MAND.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
As Guiteau's trial progresses many instances
are given of the commission of crime by persons
who were insane, or who were supposed to be
SO, and not infrequently comparisons are drawn
between the trials following and the present
one. and the results of the former are taken as
precedents, either for the conviction or acauit-
tai OF the prisoner, as the case NAV be-
The peculiar plea set up by the prisoner. that
OF inspiration" surrounds the present case
with unusual interest, aside from that felt
throughout the civilized world on account of
the national Importance of the trial Without
attempting to show whether Guiteau's actions
are real or simulated, and whether if real he
should be punished upon the gaIlows or placed
In an asylum, it may be interesting to speak of
some OF the instances in history where
CRIME was committed under the al
legged direction Of the Divine power
Plato in the Timaeus makes some interesting
observations on the connection between diyina-
tiOn and insanity. "a sufficient proof he saws
that the Deity assigned prophetic power to
human madness is found in the fact that no one
In ms right senses has any concern with divinely
inspired and true prOpheSy which takes Mace
only when the reasoning power is fettered by
sleep or alienated by disease or enthusiasm !"
lie then goes on to say that such do not them
selves know the meaning of what they give
forth. 1t being by no means the office of one who
either has been or is still mad to Judge respect-
ing things seen or spoken by himself: whence
indeed the law directs that the race of prophets
COR interpreters should preside as Judges over
divine predictions.
Pine! gives a case of q man who thought HIM
self commissioned to procure the eternal saliva
tlon OF his family by killing them or by the bap-
tlsm OF blood, as he called it; and accordingly
eXecutei his commission so far as to kill two of
ms children. when he was arrested and confined
Several years subsequently he conceived the
pi4lect OF offering up an expatory sacrifice by
Killing all who might come within reach and he
succeeded in wounding his keeper and cutting
the throats of two other lunatics before he was
arrested.
LIN the case of Belneham tried. convicted
and executed in England, for the murder
appeared from the history of the accused
from his own account of the transaction
that led to the fatal act. and from the tes-
tlmony OF several witnesses that he la
oored under many of those strange delusions
that lind q place in the brain of madman He
pelleved that his own private grievances were
national wrongs, that his country's diplomatic
agents in foreign land neglected to near his
complaints and assist him in his troubles though
they had IN reality done more than could reason
ably have been expected of them his convic-
tons. in which he was firm almost to the last.
that MS losses would be made good by the gov
ernment. even after he had been frequently told
IN consequence of repeated applications in va
rlous quarters, that the government would not
| Interfere in his affairs; and his determination
on the failure OF all other means to bring his
affairs before the country to effect this purpose
by assassnating the head Of the government. by
winch he would have all opportunity of making
a public statement of his grievances and obtain
ing triumph, which he never doubted over the
attorney gcneral-these were all delusions
occasionally one meets with ''The Trinity
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in one body
IN an Institution for the care of the insane and
the indlvIduafs whole manner of speaking in
dlcates the peculiar delusOn. characteristic
incident of this kind occurred at St Elizabeth
Hospital visitor at the institution had occa-
sion to speak with "His Awful Majesty" and
from thoughtessness or otherwise neglected to
remove his hat while talking The "Diyinity'
became very indignant and remarked to the
gentleman that evidently he was unaware in
whose presence he stood and with whom he
spoke. Il have been told" says the gentleman,
that you are the Trinity" "Perhaps thou art
informed to a certain extent, but thou canst
not fully appreciate the fact. else thou wouldst
not dare to approach ourselves without first
removing thy hat Thine ignorance hath saved
thee: depart in peace"
Joan of Arc was possessed with both the po-
hticai excitement and religious enthusiasm
common To her time. and one of the chief arti-
cles of accusation against her was that she re-
sorted to fountain Of the fairies to see her
Visions Quite early in life she spoke of certain
hallucinatOns Of hearing and of sight Clearing
voices speaking to her and seeing visions) and
sometime later she was inspired to deliver her
country and crown her King
judith when she took it upon herself to cut
OIL the mead OF HOlofernes, the Assyrian and
thus deliver her people, was probably inspired
with patriotism, If not from on high.
The celebrated case OF Hatfield who underwent
trlal Tor attempted assassination OF the kiug o.
England IN 1900, was fairly well marked case
OF inspiration. Hauheld imagined himself to
be IN constant Intercourse with Cod that the
world was coming to an end hut by sacrificing
himself by taking the life of another he would
be enabled to save it.
Ihere is patient under surveillance at St
Elizabeth who is filed with communistic and
religious idea, and who believes that through him
only is the country to be saved from absolute
rum through the power of his own individual
prayers. This patient, in course of converse
ton. prophesied the death Of President Garfield
tof course an unfortunate coincidence only) and
upon hearing the sad news he made exclama-
tlons of joy and warned the superintendent of
the institution to beware that the great refor-
nation had commenced, and that his death was
the next in order and urged him to prepare for
his tate. This man spends most of his time in
prayer, but at times breaks out in the yilest
abuse of his guardians and of our public men
He frequently has argued that did he so desire
he could kill his physicians, and that according
to the laws of the land he could not be punished
nor deemed responsible for his crime because
he had been adjudged insane by a court of in
quiry fully qualified by law to 50 decide At
the same time he does not for moment admit
the idea that he is of unsound mind.
Social Club Enterta MealfS Taxable.
OPINION OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY THAT THEY
MUST BE LICENSED
The refusal OF the District Commissioners to
grant permit to the Ever True Social Club to
hold an entertainment at Kings Hall, on 10th and
streets northwest, WAS at the request of the
members OF that club, referred by the District
Commissioners to the attorney for the District by
way OF appeal, as TO the powers OF the Commission
er5 In the premises Mr.. Riddle has returned
the papers with the reply, in which he states: .I
am advised tn2t some cOntrarety OF opinion exists
as 10 the provisions OF the law under which this
application is made, which believe have never
before had occasion to examine. In the main q
license law is for the benefit OF the revenue; also in
many Instances it IS agency OF police as in the
case under consideration" He then quotes the