Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-11-09

DIR. Hughes Believes There Can BE N
Longer Any Doubt on the Matter Sine
the Revelations in the Scoyillc Case.
ST. Louis GlOhe.Democrat.
In conversation with n Globc-Demo
crat reporter DIR. Hughes, the cXper
on insanity, spoke of the recent devel
opmcnts in the Scovillc divorce case n
Chicago, and the bearing they woulC
have in the settlement of public opin
ion on Guiteau's mental responsibility
Said he:
"Guiteau's insanity, with the light
reflected from the scaffOld scene, the
micrOscOpical examination on his brain,
and the revelations of the family insan.
ity, suppressed on the trial, but lately
brought out in the trial and verdict OF
Mrs, Scovile's insanity, showing the
insanity, also, of her sister, and the in
sanity (nOt mere fanaticism) of her
father, is no longer question.
"Guitcau'S insanity was n fact. II
was the theories of stimulation, bad cd
ucations, intense egotism and total de-
pravity, and the intense public feeling
against him, which obscured the fact
of his true mental condition at the time
of his trial.
at was deluson that shot the pres
idcnt, believing the act would be ap-
proved of God and applauded of the
people; that called Gen. Sherman, GX-
pccting he would come with his troops
and protect him, and that conducted
Gutcau in the manner he deportcd him
self all through the trial and on the
galows after his conviction.
at was u dclusion that led him to
plead 'spiritology, Abrahamic insanity
as his defense, and expect to convince
jury upon his own statement, without
proof of his insanity, while acting the
part Of sane man as well as it was
possible for SO unbalanced an organism
TO do, and appearing as his own attor-
ncy. Nothing but insanity explains the
act, the circumstances under which it
was done, and the conduct of Guitcau
at the time and subsequently. Ques-
tions of possible responsibility, or de-
grccs of responsibility, for the act or
for the mental condition which led to it
are subsidiary questions.
"But regarding Guitcau's mental
status, let Us be candid and conccde
the fact that he was insane, notwith-
standing the cxigcncics of the time,
the magnitude Of the crime and public
policy may have demanded his convic-
tion and execution.
"Thc columS Of newspaper are not
the place TO properly discuss subtle
questions in psychiatry ina satisfactory
manner. have made Il psychological
analysis of this now historical lunatic,
in which have taken account Of all
of the facts, and though slow to reach
it, | have arrived at the conclusion
that Guitcau was certainly u lunatic,
and ! believe that this will be the sober
settled verdict Of history.
"Guitcau had many illusions of
which his insancly morbid egotism was
the basis AN cgotism exceeding every
possible limit of insanity. His belief
in his fitness for the exalted foreign
mission he cSOught was II dcluSiOu which
grew out of his insane cgotism. His
Drllct thal Inc country was on lhC
brink Of revolution was Il dclusion. II
was n dcluSiOn that caused him TO be-
licvc he was the hcaycD-commiSSioncd
Nemesis that should SIay the president,
that caused him to believe the people
would applaud the act, that caused
him to think he would be acquitted on
the insane plea of insanity, pleaded by
himself without proof It was dcIu-
sion that prompted all of his insane
acts and utteranccS 50 mat aprOpoS and
out Of harmony with surroundings,
that prompted his anathemas upon
court and Judge and jury for the "un-
verdict against Gods man."
that formulated the final speech and
prayer on the Scailold, the letter to the
White house, the appeals and procla-
nations TO the people; the demand for
the best legal talent in the land TO dc |
fend him, and which was to be paid for
with money which the grief-stricken
and outraged nation would furnish for
his defense.