The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-01
THE "HARMLEss" CRANK.

Any man who is sane enough to be at
large before committing such crime is
quite sane enough to be hung after the
commission of the crime.-Louisville Com
mercial-
The crank who is sane enough to manage
his ordinary affairs is responsible per-
son, and should be held to his responsible
ity. The insanity plea has been greatly
overworked.-New York World.
The plea of insane impulse was made in
the case of Guiteau, and will doubtless be
made in the case of Prendergast. 1t is a
false plea Neither of these assassins was
sufficiently of unsound mind to create moral
unaccountability.-Ch Herald.
1t is a difficult and delicate question
what is to be done with such unfortunates;
but every thoughtful person must concede
that something should be done to protect
the public so far possible from such man
ifestationS of insanity as resulted In Car
ter HarriSonS death.-Detroit Free Press
The crank is perhaps no more numerous
now than he has been in past ages, but
the means with which he may do harm
have been so multiplied and are so easy to
obtain that greater precautions than ever
should be taken to restrain him and pro-
tect society from his outbreaks.-Cleveland
Leader.
There is no protection against the crank
who has murder in his heart. European
armies and police have not protected mon
archs 1t is very seldom that public man
is in danger among us, but the possibility
will always be present as long as there are
weak minds and inf1ammable paSSlonS.-St.
Louis Republic.
The act of a crank, of victim of a de-
fusion, conveys only warning that society
cannot afford to deal leniently with such
characters hitherto. 1t has become nee
essary to surround men in high official life
with a bodyguard to protect them from the
nOSSiblQ danger meeting
crankS.-Detroit Tribune.
The crank who suddenly becomes a muir
derous crank is not a development peculiar
to the civilization or lack of civilization of
any particular community, and until he has
disclosed what has been latent in his char
powerless to foresee or to prevent his
homicdal outbreaks.-New York Sun.
Such lives as those of Harrison and Gar
field are far too costly prices to pay for the
economy of turning harmless lunatics out
of asylums. The American nation should
learn the lesson that any person whose
mind is not under control should be placed
under ward both for the protection of the
public and for his own best interests.-Pitts-
burg Dispatch.
The true remedy is to be found only In a
healthy public sentiment, the result Of
which will be to make those called "cranks'
understand they will be punished If they do
wrong. 1t is safe to say that not one in
twenty of the murders by either cranks or
criminals would be committed if punish
ment for the crime were believed to be
sure.-Chicago Tribune.
These persons called odd or eccen-
trio, and are us tally laughed at because
they considered harmless, but it should
always be borne in mind that lack of mental
balance, however innocent and innocuous it
may seem, is liable at any time and with
out the slightest warning to take form
which Will make ii dangerous to the COM
munity.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
1t is easy to say that the act was that of
a crank, but how is the repetition Of the act
TO be averted? The victims of just such
maniacs are beginning to be numbered by
the score and nothing shows more clearly
than the killing of this virile man, almost
upon his wedding day, that our precau-
lions against these irresponsible murderers
are utterly Observation-Disclosures In
Qurer.