Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-11-27

fit striped suits on some of the
"best people,
EMOTIONAL INSANITY AND MURDER.
The acquittal of Ilance for the
murder of his wife in Baltimore
reflects no credit on the law and
order people of Maryland. Hance
is represented as gentleman OF
respectable family, but such was
the prevailing sentiment in Balti-
more that a change of venue was
granted to Annapolis, where the
verdict Of "not guilty" was rem
dered. The case illustrates how a
men may be of the best families,
pass current as gentlemen and
yet lack every element and instinct
of one. The finding of the jury
illustrates how weak humanity can
find pretexts on which to excuse
crime committed by one class OF
boosted gentry while another class
are hung to trees for less offences
without law, judge or jury.
The facts in this case are these
Hance, the gentleman, frequentcd
brothels. From one of these he
took a woman STEPPED in vice and
made her his wife, and as such
made her a member of his family,
After bIiefperiod of married life,
she returned to the brothel and
resumed her life of shame and
degradation. IIance followed her
there ana shot her to death. On
the plea of "emotlonal insanity
caused by passionate love for his
wife a jury turned this gentle
man ~ free to resume his associa-
tons among the best families and
the best people. The law forblds
the taking of the life Of the adul.
terer by the husband OF the adul-
teress. Juries generally ignore
this law. But we have never
heard of a case where the husband
was excused for the murder of his
wife, however gross her offending.
How can it be possible to acQuit
a man for killing "A wife whom he
had chosen from a number of de-
PRAYED women in a bawdy house.
The wretch was sane till he shot.
For the second his emotion, his i'm
pulse got the better of him, and he
was insane for that second.
Drunkenness is no excuse for
crime in law. How many men
become drunkards by gradations
and commit crime when crazed
with brain destroying alcohol ?
Such are imprisoned or hung on
the theory that they are RESPONSE
BILE for their condition. How
much less is the gentleman O.
Hance responsible for his emotion
after making a wife Of a prostitute ?
o Maryland, my Maryland. how
YOU must have breathed and burned
when from your pulpits you heard
read from First Timothy: "Some
mems sins are open beforehand,
going before t. Judgment" and
heard comment thereon like the
following from Rev. Royal II. Pull
man:
"The apostolic caution to Tim
othy," said Mr.. Pullman, "Is sug-
gestive Of the great fact that be
who becomes either hero or a
criminal shows it in many ways
long before the conspicuous act of
herOism or of crime. The manner
of life, even FROM childhood, is
prophetic. The coming sin is
open beforehand; its approach is
heralded by unmistakable signs"
"The plea of insanity, or of
irresistible impulse, which secured
a verdict of mot guilty in the
recent trial of Thomas &. Hance,
presents practical lesson illus
trative Of this fact which should
be wellstudied. We have no word
of condemnation for either court
or Jury in this case, but bow to the
issue of the trial. But we have
much to say of that mental aud
moral condition, and the approaches
to it,which renders a man irrespon.
sible for his condition. This plea
is very common in these days, and
alarmingly so, for its educatve
influence is demoralizing. 1t is an
apparent excuse for crime when the
excuse in fact reaches only to the
single act, and not to the manner
of lite which leads up to the act.
ale is inexcusably blind who
does not quite early in life see
some of the dangers to which he
is exposed, and he is responsible
for neglecting the means of guard.
ing and defending himself against
these dangers. Men are not born
criminals; they make themselves
so. No man IS safe who has not
learned how to master himself
The act of killing in a fit of un.
gOvernable jealousy may be excused
10y the human court Oh the ground
of Irresistible impulse, but the law
OF God sets forth the awful tragedy
of the unbalanced mind in which
the killing il done as the rctribu.
ton overtaking the career of neglec.
ted opportunities and disregarded
warnings"
He Advertised For A Wife.
FORT WAYNE, IND, Nov. 20
Miss Melissa McClery, a we'll known
young lady of this city, answered
an advertisement two years ago
from a penflpman ADVERTISING for