The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-08-07
Stillvuate Minn., Thursday, Aug z, 1890.

ercsing common sense or bringing their daily
experience to bear on the subject. Many
of our most eminent merchants and public
men are distinguished by some Oddity OF
demeanOr or whimsical idea, which does
not derOgate from their public usefulness OF
personal influence in the slightest degree.
Why, in that respect, if eccentricity, in one
or more points. were to be adjudged an evil
dence of insanity, large proportion of the
guests in the various prisons in the
Union would undoubtedly be put down as
''cranks," and eligible for lunatic asylum.
There is point, however, at which eccen-
tricity properly ceases to be considered as
such, and becomes either miSdemeanOr OF
a crime; and that is, when the quasi eccen-
tricity takes the form of theft. endangering
life or property, or taking part in any pro-
ceedings likely to provoke breach of the
peace. In all such cases. the individual is
held personally responsible for his acts. and
is very properly punished for his Otfenses.
Of late years, novel phase of moral dis
ease has been prominently brought into
public notice Ia combination of eccentricity
and monOmania), and it has this peculiar
ty. that its victims, which are of both
sexes, belong almost exclusively to wealthy
or prominent families. 1t is called kleptO
mania-a mania for stealing. just for the
sake of the excitement attendant upon the
act. The perpetrators have plenty OF
| money and the enjoyment of every luxury
that the heart can desire. but they must
| steal no matter how trifling or worthless
| the article may be. Hence the fact that the
tradesmen whom they patronize, knowing
them, do not arrest them, but let them &C
their way-the bill for the articles stolel
being subsequently sent to the kleptOmani
ac's friends, who unQueStiOningly pay the
| demand.
MOnomania is malady thoroughly un
| derstOOd easily managed and successfully
treated, especially when the light of prac
tical experience, common sense, and per
sOnal knowledge of the unfortunate person.
character and surroundings is brought tt
| bear upon the investigation. In our larges
cities and towns there are hundreds of per
sons to be found, in all classes of society
whose conduct is exemplary, character un
| impeachable and general reputation highly
honOrable-but whose mental faculties arr
so thoroughly absorbed with one dOminan
but ill. founded idea usually that their life
liberty or property is in imminent danger)
that, while under it's influence, they arr
completely irresponsible-th action of thei
reasoning faculties being suspended or Sc
aside for the time. Under such circum
stances, restraint and suitable treatment il
the only course open to the friends of tn,
sufferers.
We now approach the last, and most i'm
pOrtant and interesting division of our sub
ject--viz., insanity. There are variety O.
species of insanity-acute mania melan
chOlia, dementia. imbecility, idiOcy and gen
eral paralysiS-neither of which need com
ment, for the reason that they are not likel!
to have any personal bearing on Ourselve
or those belonging to us. We shall, there
fore, cOnfine our remarks to those forms o
insanity produced by continued and excess
i've indulgence in alcoholic StimulantS, ant
the amount of responsibility incurred b!
those who commit statutable OffenSes while
under the influence of intOxicants.
| 1t is popular and very dangerous errO
to suppose that drunken person is not re
spOnsible for acts committed while under th'
| influence of liquor, or Immediately subSe
quent to a debauch. In many cases. it il
very properly held to be an aggravatiOn
instead of an extenuation of the crime. NJ
thinking man will deny that he is a fire.,
agent and is perfectly at liberty to drinl
or to leave it alone. If he has formed tn,
drinking habit, he is painfully cognizant O
the fact that, while he abstainS from liquor
he is able to keep his intellectual and mora
forces under strict control. his will-pOwe
is perfect; but, just in proportion as he in
dulges in the Intoxicating draught. his in
tellectual and moral forces weaken. hi
will-pOwer breaks down; and his passions
heretofore obedient to the pzOmptings of hi
reason. obtain the mastery, and he is ready
to commit murder, outrage. or any Othe
crime which may suggest itself to his drink
crazed brain. Now. as he was perfectly
conscious of the effect the liquor would have
on him-and he deliberately partOok OF it
with this fact before his mind at the time
| no one can for moment dispute the fac
that he is morally and legally responsible
for any and every act done under its in
fiuence. How many offenders deliberately
prepare themselves for the commission o