Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-11-15
PHILOSOPHY OF MURDER.
How it Differs in Motive and Quality From
Other Crimes. ~

Some crimes, like forgery, burglary
and the like, we in the natuEe of profess
sions, says the New 0vleRTs f'icayyune.
In order to succeed in them a. certain
technical training and a necessary skill
are requisite. They may be classed as
mechanical or useful arts. Murder,
on the other hRnd, is usually the re-
suit OF some profound and power
full motive operating not only on the
passions, but upon the reason and the
imagination, and acting with the force
aud energy of an impulse born Of inspir-
alton. Murder often rises to the height
of q fine art, aud has been SO designated
by eminent ess0yists like De Qulncey.
Thus il may be that the most red handed
and inexousable slayer of his fellow man
IL, so far from being physical monster,
often gifted with exceptional good looks.
"a to tho female murdorers they are often
extremely beautiful. Any person who
has happened 10 have noticed in the
SEPTEMBER issue OF the Century Maya
zine the portrait of Vera Figner, one
of the most daring and des-
perate of the Russian Nihnists.
will realize this, Her sweet, earnest, in
genuous, girlish face suggests anything
devoted, tender and pions, but not a hint
OF bloodshed. Nevertheless, she organ
lied and managed in Odessa, IN 1882,
revolutionary movement which resulted
IN the assassination OF Gen. Strelmkof.
Take the beautiful Charlotte Corday who
assassinated the monster Marat. She
was almost angelic in her purity and love-
Illness, and neither before nor after her
long contemplated, carefully planned
and bloody crime did she bear the external
impress of aught save extreme beauty.
Murder Is not an end, but means.
There arc human tigera who delight in
bloodshod, but, apart from these, murder
belongs 10 no sex, class or condition of
life. Any one who may become possessed
of supreme passion, such as Jealousy,
ambition, love or revenge, or even pat
rlotism or religious fervor, may suddenly
be betrayed into the commission OF this
capital crime. The most delicate physi-
cal constitution, the most refined
mental development and the most
tender devoted and affeotiougte dis
position, aud the incest sense
| of honor, do not exempt the possessor
from temptation 20 she'd blood IN coca
sion. The more delicntely organized
mentally, the more spirited morally, are
no moro Tree from murderous suggestion
than are the most brutal and ignorant.
The greatest safeguard against murder
is strong Development OF the reasoning
powers along with proper moral train
Ing. Those refined and sensitive people
who are actuated by impulse rather than
reason make the smalbfeatured and hand
| some murdorers Men with great noses,
small ohlns and hrogd foreheads
often make great soldiuts, delighting in
battle and Strengthening their foes With
out ply in order TO accomplish great
public object; but they are seldom muir
derers. They have too much good sense
and directness OF purpose, even where
moral qualities are lacking, to be guilty
OF manslaughter The habituallY orimi-
nal CLASSES, deprayed by association,
weakened by evil heredity and brutalized
by drink, are left out OF this discussion
for obvious reasons.