The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-28
A HOMICIDAL LUNATIC,

DR.. Thomas Neill Cream, who was
hanged in London on the 18th inst. for
numbering by poison several outcast
women, came of excellent, upright parents
on both sides. and all his brothers and sis
tiers are worthy and honorable men and
women. Cream was distinguished for in
telectual ability at McGill Medical college
and also for moral depravity. 1t is proba-
BILE that his counsel could have got the
ablest testimony that he was insane, but
public sentiment in England would not
have permitted the entertaining of such a
plea.
Undoubtedly Cream was a homicidai
monomaniac; his passion was to poison as
many people as possible and by his medi-
cal skill in compromising the fatal drugs to
escape justice. Cream belonged to tho
same class of homicidal !unatics that Bull
wer SO admirably describes in the follow
ing passage from his novel "A Strange
Story"
Like many other madmen. and not least those
whose propensity is 10 crime. the fugitive
maniac was exceed ngly cunning, treecherous
secret and habitusted to trick and strstagern.
More subtle than even the astu.e in possession
of al their faculties, whether to achieve his
purpose or 20 conceal il, and iabricate appear.
ances against another. But while III ordinary
CONVEX alton he seemed rational enough TO
those who were not accu toned 20 study him,
he had one Authorization which, when I'M
mOrei, LED him always. not only to betray him.
SELF. but to glory in any crime proposed or COM
mitted.
Bat the insane have, perhaps, no attribute
more IN common than that Of superweening
sei-esteem The maniac who has been re.
moved from q garrett sticks straws in his hair
and calls them crown. So much does ino-di-
nate arrogance Characterize mental alteration
that III the course OF my own practice | have
detected IN that indgmity the certain sym tom
OF insanity. especially moral insanity long be-
fore the BRAN had made its disease manifest
even to the most fam. liar kindred.
Cream belonged to the same class of
monsters as Deeming and Jack the RIM
per-" but he was the most dangerous, the
most artful and most depraved of the
three. The London correspondent OF the
New York Sun thus describes this extraor-
binary murderer:
he was the ideal poisoner with mind cold.
acute and cunning, with brutal and blood
thirsty heart His profound study OF thu sinh
.ect OF poisons enabled him 10 make new COM
oinatIon OF deadly drugs tina: was surprise 70
the greatest experts in the world. His ind.Te-.
ence 10 human lie aad hUuiaa suffering Gallons
beyonc belief. enabled him 20 sdEainiste, his
fatal doses without error and without mis-
carriage. The police o. several cities of
Canada and the United States knew him
!or black-heArted sCouadse. an illes.!
Practitioner, a seducec. murderer,
po:soGeF. Again sai again they had him
where ais career might have been ended EscD
time he WAS ls; go 70 resume II with eazerness
aGd WIFI more caution ana skill Two murder.
~ malpractice mark his ea-ly years six deaths
by poisoning IAss are known an proved AMI SIX
or eight more ;hst n!gat hsve been proved hsI
t2ers been need oi i marx tue ast six;esn
year. OF his life, ten Q! which were spent in the
harmless seclus!oa OF prison. he lad baea
oa; 81 prison less shan year when re was mt
again where his devslishness was harmless. Be
fore Be wen. 10 prison he was a novice Al e,-
pecimeater. Thus he had just entered upon his
rea! career. and but Tor his Own folly he Nigh.
have continued 10 poison uunoles ted ier Yeas
10 cone