The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-26
dn gttsIIi9sttttr.
a. nd n Fourteenth street.
Imam Of GuIteAu.


wa.Alns II, y "a over ten weeks ago, Is con-
oiS%'nJ, ~ ,be bideous creature who in
slad'a, ~ ~ and J without the slightest ex-
'od SIoos oD,ocation ssa assassinated President
rus@ y y" ,be ID Of July last, has been
G'th'la a,Ity \, d murder in the first degree.
fssa .Irariiet, I,, while twill be universally
..% las,pI,,. va, hardly expected and least
'Rp10,'o' ' !, expected to follow almost In
s,.,,S e,.a WI 1he charge Of the Judge 70 ,. the the
sanuI 7, !. .,I d, the noresntiiying that it was
lla9yon,Iet.y lay, Ne .poptaneOpsn and unanimous
s,''a sosoa'r,, %, no delay, no juggling, no CO.
a.siae las'' Sa snopc .Ae iuroH, but quick as the
s,,,,r s,,snsiDg lightning that executes the
NI u Gojn the foul villain was struck
vab ttributire justice
WI Tt,tvelye men who had so long sat in
4. .Ir o,y box had every opportunity to
S,n \, an ,1 intelligent opinion. They had
...n 49,, ,II and heard all, and none Of the
I,nl,, that afflicted many minds from the
s.,s reports Of the trial beclouded their
mi,5,, They were persuaded that the man
y, simply a moral monster-a phenome-
u,I specimen Of q hcartless and cOwardly
Villain, all eaten up with egotism, selfish.
pe., and yengcfulness, and that he was SO
Low in all his instincts as to believe that
Uea, nOtoriety, legal acquittal and at
esa partial endorsement by the country
would finally result to him. Heprociaimed
himself "Stalwart Otthe Stalwarts" in
PAPER written before the deed, showing
that he expected to be recognized as q lion
by tha. section Of the Republican party.
lie was base enough to suppose that the
fierce political contest going on at that time
might result in heroship for him in the
ranks Of the winners, and thus he wrought
himself up to essay a prize in "the lottery
Of asNSinatiOn.'
1t was in evidence that his irresistible
Inspiration theory had not been thought Of
until the lIth Of July-untiI he began to
see that be had no friends or apOlogists.
Then it was that he assumed the role Of IN |
agent Of the Deity. Prior to that he was
volunteer savior of the Republican party.
lie saw that there was no safety for him in
that role. lie realized that all men ab-
horned his deed.
In saying this much it is not necessary to
assume that this creature had sane mind.
He bad long been shameless dead beat.
IIeknew nothing Of conscience or honor.
lie had not balanced mind Us matter OF
course. But he had intelligence to enable
him to dupe people by his professions OF
piety, and his whole career for many years
was simply a succession OF confidence
games. Noneof his victims suspected him
Of any other insanity than the insanity Of
a man without . conscience. He was
peculiar and eccentric, but all the time
true to his one idea Of getting something
for nothing.
Assuming, then that this man was
crank, he was yet crank Of the most dev-
ilish character lie was smart, quick-wit-
ted, able to talk cohercntly and consecu-
lively, and able to disguise his motives.
able 10 fool people Of ordinary sense, able
ocoRFOlhis own purposes, as he didm
han once in his scheme to assassinate the
resident, and able to detect on the trial
be strong points Of the case against him,
nd to attempt 10 parry them. What,
beFetore, is to be done with such a crea-
are, so deep.dyed in villany, but to hang
i'm? Society is cursed to-day by insanity
edges Of all kinds Human life is more
nd more imperiled by the success OF the
insanity plea. Society has rightsto protect
Is well as eecen,ric criminals. Therefore
lis necessary to come to the rescue OF So
ciety when a clear case Of responsibility
Is not made cut. The testimony Of experts
n insanity was overwhelmingly against the
miserable wretch, and the country believes
hat on the strength Of such weight Of tes.
imony he should suffer death.