New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-01
DIR. HALL NONE THE WORSE.
ROTH Is IN THE INSANE PAVILION.
PRONOUNCED DANGEROUS LuSAuc BY a,

PRONOUNCED A DANGEROUS LUNATIc BY AN
INSANITY EXPERT.
The Rev. Dr. John Hail. who shot at three times
without being hit Sunday when he was leaving the
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. appeared in the
Yorlville Police Court yesterday morning to make
formal complaint against his assalant, John George
Roth The prisoner brought handcufed from the
Fifty rstst police station, where he had been kept
over night and he was perfectly quiet and self
possessed. His clothing neat and he did not
present an unpleasant appearance. The examination
was held by Justice Grady In his private room and Dr.
Hall was accompanied by General Arson G.. McCOok,
who intended to act as his counsel II II should be
necessary.
But IL not necessary, altogether the examina
ton lasted but few minutes, for Roth declined To
enter defence, to make any statement till he had
seen counsel He made only objection TO the pro
ceedlngs, and That against the retention OF his
papers by the Justice. But his protest overrued
After being informed to his rights under the law he
held in So 900 ball for trial, and committed TO the
Tombs. He said his John George Roth
that he born I'm Prussia, fortyseven years Old
had to this country nineteen years and that
he lived at No. 295 Avenue a. The witnesses to the
shooting. who appeared in court with DR.. Hail. were
Richard Burton sexton OF the Fifth Avenue Presby
tcrian Church: his son, Thomas Burton; Charles j.
Doran Of No. 755 seventhave. A. Z. Dick. Of No. SO
West Twenty secOnd-st; Charles H. Pierce OF No. 10
Ffth-ave. Charles B. Hogg, Of No. SO East Sixty
frst-st., and Hector Levene, of No. 232 East Fifty
tird-st
From the TOmbs the prisoner taken 10 the
insane pavilion at Bellevue Hospital. where DR.. s. s.
Douglas examined his mental condition. with the
result OF finding him undoubtedly Insane. He was
therefore kept In the hospital and will he transferred
to the asylum Wards Island when the papers ore
made out. DR.. Douglas said TO Tribune reporter
last night:
HIS insanity is OF the kind that OF
Dougherty, and of Louis Armand. who. you will
member, was recently arrested for following Mrs.
Alexander and in this case the question Of personal
sanity had much to do with the crime He suffered
from fixed idea, and should designate his trouble
as paranOia, which consider better than
monomania, that Is too loose term. Apart from
the one special delusun. these are rational, and
as rule, perfectly gentle and nofensive till they
driven TO extremities by something or another. In
Roth's case this was want OF money. Then they com
NIT violence and to extremes. Men suffering from
such forms of insanity the most dangerous Of all
insane persons"
"what do you mean when you say that personal
vanity had much to do with Roths crime?
al will explain by telling you something which
was not generally known till now. Roth considers
himself an extremely handsome man, and he is not q
bad-looking fellow. He thinks that he perfectly
irresistible and that woman could Withstand his
charms. Consequently whenever he showed himself
went out driving in the Park he says he did some
years ago, many fell In love with him that
II aroused mems enmity against him, and these foes
took all sorts Of means to disgure him, as to spoil
his beauty, such as causing skin Diseases etc, TO
appear on his fare. Then they bounded him further
by causing him TO lose money and position, and pre-
venting him from getting work. Now, you see, ex
ceptng that he argued rom false premises his
ing proceeded by strictly logical steps. It was per
fecy natural for him 10 feel bitter resentment against
those whom he held guilty OF such persecution"
ais he at all violent now, under cOnfnementf'
"NOt at all. He is perfectly quiet and rational and
quite a pleasant man to converse with. ! should
Judge him 10 be- II not educated, at any rate highly
intelligent. He is not cast down and utterly Yais
70 comprehend the serious nature OF HIS attempt to
shoot Dr. Hall. He says he did not intend TO Kill
him. but only to shoot him in the leg so as 10 show
drastcay that would be dangerous for his enemies
to prosecute him any longer. He is not gloomy or
depressed Indeed, the condition Of mind possessed
by people suffering from his form Of insanity is vastly
better than that Of unfortnnates suffering from
melancholy, for instance. Insane people like Roth,
while they feel imaginary troubles and prosecutions
keenly are not cast by them They feel melted
TO rebellion and ultimately violence but they are not
made melancholy. The love Of creating sensation
Is another strong factor with such people, and Roth
probably enjoys the nOorety he has gained as much
as Dougherty and Armand did"
DR.. Hall was seen by Tribune reporter yesterday
He said that he felt perfectly well and that his narrow
escape from death had not affected him inluriousy
He was asked about the sensational story published
YES erday 10 the effect that his life had been threat
ened in Queenstown last summer. The published
account was TO the effect that when the Umbria, on
which Dr. Hall had engaged his passage home stopped
at Queenstown 10 take the malls aboard, Dr. Hall
intended 10 go ashore and preach, as il was sunday
but ne changed his mind and remained aboard the
steamer When some passengers who had gone ashore
returned they reported that wild looking man had
asked for Dr. Hall, with the expressed Intention OF
shooting him DR.. Hall smiled when he read the
story and said that it originated in joke made by one
of his fellow passengers and that there was no truth
I'm IT,