The Irish standard., 1893-08-26


try try to set him al, liberty. But TINS Tar
they have failed. The prison doctors
say that he is banning" and that his
medical training enables him to simulate: |
insanity SO successfully that his friends
are deceived about his mental condition.
DR.. luke, an insanity expert Of high re-
pute, was selected by Home Secretary
Asquith at the request Of Ambassador
Bayard to examine the prisoner, and he
reported that he is not insane. This re-
port caused the Home Secretary to give
an emphatic denial to the rumor that
the Gladstone government had already
released Gallagher and that he was on
his way home to America. He said fur
Their that there is no justification for the
extension Of government clemency to
Gallagher, who will probably die in
prison. DR.. Mark Ryan, q prominent
London physician who is the president
OF the London amnesty association, OBJ
tanned permission to visit the prisoner
and this is what he says: when Gal
lagher was brought in by the warden to
the visitors room he regarded me with
evident suspicion and then cast his eyes
upon the ground and maintained
logged silence, despite every effort l
could make to assure him of my friendly
disposition toward him. Gallagher fin
ally requested the warden to take HIM
away. His gaze was vacant and mean
ingless and he gave every indication OF
being mentally unsound. l consider
myself competent to pass an opinion
upon this matter, especially because OF
experience have had e it'll lunatics dur
ing my practice as physician. [ was
for three years the medical officer Of ST.
Georges Retreat, private lunatic asy-
lum near Brighton. I am informed and
believe that since the visit of mine Gel
lagher has refused to see all visitors ex-
cepting Secretary Henry White, of the
American legation" Mr.. White visited
Gallagher at the request of President
Harrison. He was accompanied by
clerk of the American Legation, and the
latter declares that from Gallagher's ap-
pearance and actions during the inter
view he has no doubt that the man was
mad. Gallagher acted suspiciously and
told Mr.. White briefly and br,1squely
that he had nothing to say. Two weeks
ago he was visited by T. st. John Gaff
ney, of Brooklyn, N. Y, and Charles
O'Connor Hennessey, a special CORES
pendent of the New York World who
writes over seven columns of matter in
reference to the case. Capt. Harris,
governor of Portland prison where Gal
lagher is incarcerated, received the visi-
tors and acquainted Gallagher of their
arrival, but he absolutely refused to see
them, though MI. Gatfney was the bearer
of letter to him from his sister. The
governor told the visitors that he had
prevailed on Gallagher to receive them,
saying that they had come thousands of
miles and that the American Ambassa-
dor was much interested in the visit.
Gle refused absolutely to see anyone"
said the governor. 1T is one of his bad
days. he continued, "and he is violent
and abusive towards all who approach
him." Then he went on to explain that
the prisoner was habitually morose, tact
turn and suspicious of all friendly over
lures, "Well, wouldn't you regard all
this as evidence of insanity?" the Gov
ernor was asked.
ooh, I couldn't say that" he answered,
evasively. "You see I'm not an expert
on insanity. He acts as if there was
something the matter with his head, and
I think he is worse-that is, more ugly
now than ever before"
The correspondent of the World
sought an interview with John Curtin
Kent, the New Yorker who was con-
yicted with Gallagher and who is also
serving life sentence. Kent was de-
lighted to see him and proclaimed his
LILO LJiu LIS VlS1UCA UAAoU NA0i"
lagher was crazy for several years, and
that Whitehead and Flanagan, two
more of the political prisoners, were in
sane Kent implored that something be
done in America to establish his inno-
cence and secure his release from hv.
ing death.
The chaplain of the prison, Rev
Thomas Matthews. made a special plea
to Gallagher to sea Gafney and Hennes-
sey but he resisted his kindly Offices with
great violence. The priest believed Gal
lagher's mind to be unsound, since his
arrival in the prison, and the governor
assured Mr.. Gaffney in unequivocal
terms that the prisoner was not ''sham-
ming" The correspondent asserts that
Gallagher is undoubtedly insane, not
withstanding DR.. Tuke's agreement with
the physicians Of the prison, and that he
has been in that sad condition for five
years. He says it must be remembered
~ Go1f sr