The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-04-28
Insanity and Crime.

Some of the modern criminals make an
interesting study in morbid moral psychOl-
ogy. In the case of young Field. whose
enormous frauds included the robbing of his
relatives, even his father. expert medical
testimony informs us that insane men fire.
Quently amass great fortunes despite a
malady which may lead them to the gross.
est acts of wrong.
On behalf of Miss Mitchell. the bright
young girl of Memphis. who killed. her
dearest friend" in cold blood because the
two could not be constantly together, it is
said that homicidal insanity is not incon-
sistent with the greatest and most sincere
affection even for the one who may after
ward become the victim of that fatal flaw
in mental organization.
Other instances of the insanity plea on
behalf of murdererS and other of the more
fragrant acts of lawleSSneSS. will suggest
themselves to every reader. Now comes the
case of DR.. Harry Scudder, of Chicago. un-
der arrest on charge of having brutally
murdered his mother in-law after arranging
to secure her property under the provisions
of forged will. Promptly with the details
of the horrible affair come assurances that
the doctor was never we'll balanced and
that the evidences of insanity have recently
increased to marked extent. Friends and
relatives rally to his rescue and make what
seems the only plea in which lies hope OF his
acquittal by declaring him insane to an
extent that relieves him of responsibility.
Where is the system of criminal defense
to end? Every one has peculiaritieS or
weaknesses which the cunning of medical
talent and the eager solicitude of loving
friends can torture into evidences of de-
ranged mind. ANY eccentricity. desire
for seclusiOn. wish for nOtOriety. unusual
views on any subject, positive views on all
subjects. miserliness. profigacy. careless
ness in dress. over -fastidiousness in dress,
religious zeal. disregard for religion. inde-
pendence. subserviency. any or all are
marks of an individuality which, in skillful
hands, can be made the mark of insanity.
Accepting this defense. growing in favor
with the legal profession, no one is safe and
no one is sure that anyone else is safe. The
noblest specimen of a broad. learned and
charm you with his friendship only to lure
you to death. A wife may grow all the
more demonstrative in her love while pre-
pairing to insure your violent death. But
we have more faith in the doctrine of innate
depravity than the finely spun reasoning OF
those who find such large proportion of
the world crazy.
It is usually those of wealth and high
social standing who escape by the insanity
route. Yet they are the offenders who
must break down the strongest moral bar
rers in their offending. The penniless
murderer without friends is generally run
through to his legal punishment with scant
ceremony. A poor burglar, who does no
greater wrong than the trusted embezzler,
is never excused on the ground of an un-
sound mind. Besides all this. the defense
If insanity is seldom resorted to when any
other hope for the prisoners release can be
relied upon. When rich murderers. rich
bank wreckers and rich embezzlers are
caught dead to rights" then comes the
proof that they acted from irresistible i'm
pulse or were insane. Free Press.