Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-09-07
His Pinching is Stopped.

His PinchinG is Stopped.
Salvatore Canabo will not pinch any
more arms for the next month. He
was committed to Blackwell's Island
for one month by Police Justice Burke
Yesterday morning in the Harlem, Ny,
police court.
Canabo may congratulate himself on
the lightness of his punishment. Had
he amused himself by pinching the
arms ofParisian women he would have
been held for examination by expert
alienists, and the chances are that he
would have been committed to some
lunatic asylum for the rest of his life.
Canabo has terrorized Harlem wcmen
for the last three weeks. He was in the
habit Of lurking in doorways along
l25th street after dark, and stealthily
following women who were alone.
These he would overtake at crossing
or come other place where no one was
near. Then he would suddenly dart
up behind his victim and throw one
arm around her waist, while with his
free hand he squeezed and pinched her
arm.
The man was always able to make
his escape, because the women he
pinched were too surprised and fright
ened TO give any alarm. Police Cap
tain Meakin instructed his men to look
for him, but their efforts were unsuc-
cessful until Sunday evening. Then:
as told in the Herald, Canabo pinched
the arm of young woman who was
walking through west l25th street with
Thomas j. Joyce. of No. 304 west l20th
street.
The young woman screamed as Ca
nabo ran away. Joyce ran after him,
and soon raised crowd. When the
pursuers surrounded him Canabo drew
knife, with six inch blade. Police
man NVeindgarden had to rap him on
the head three or four times with a
chilly" before he became quiet. he
had five ugly looking cobble stones,
with sharp edges, in his pocket.
Canabo is short and swarthy, with
broad shoulders and powerful back.
His eyes are small and dull. He is
only twenty-five years old. Very little
time was taken in considering his case
in the Harlem Police Court Wednesday
morning
When Justice Burke committed him
to Blackwell's Island for month be
marched back to the prison without a
word. His home is at No. 345 east
1l2th street, in what is known as Lit
tie Italy,! Nothing could be learned
of his history.
called the attention of DR.. Allan
McLane Hamilton to Canabo's case
Wednesday afternoon and asked for
his opinion as to the mans condition
aud what should be done with him.
81 cannot say much about it without
seeing the man." replied DR.. Hamilton,
"but certainly the facts related in the
Herald give one the impression that the
man is insane. The appearances indi-
cate form of paranoia. The knife
and the outfit of stones indicate that
the fellow is very dangerous lunatic,
probably with homicidal tendencies.
He should be closely watched.
"The mans peculiar fondness for
pinchipg women's arms may or may
not be an indication ofinsanity. tits a
sign OF perversion. OF the same type
are the men who cash women or slash
them with knives, the fellows who cut
their dresses, the huegers and hair cut
ters and those who throw ink on dress
es. All of these suffer from perver-
sion kindred to that which dominates
Jack the Ripper
''It is by no means certain that Can.
abo is insane. There can be no doubt
about his perversion and that he allows
himself to be governed by certain con-
cepts. Very possibly he experienced
no qualification from the act except the
satisfaction Of having carried out his
ridiculous plan. The history of such
cases shows that these silly acts are
committed oftener by insane than by
sane persons Men have been known
TO act in this way who were otherwise
noted for their strong intellects."
should not such persons as Canabo
be confined in lunatic asylums ?'' /
asked.
CAS- rule, yes,' replied DR.. Hamil.
ton. "All of them should be examined
by mental alienists. l have little
doubt that if the man you speak OF
were examined by the city ply.
sicians they would commit him tc
an insane asylum. Men of his
class should be kept there until
cured. The best place for fellows O
that class is at DIR. McDonald's farm
and asylum at Islip, Long Island. There
they have plenty ofregular work which
with the discipline, is the best thing il
the world for them.
"To imprison such fellows as th,
pincher has no deterrent effect upor
them. You might as we'll try to cure {
lunatic by fning him. Under tht
statutes, l believe, Canabo could b.
sent to State prison for ten years If tn
case against him were prosecuted tt
the utmost. But what good would thai
do? None, except that the perver
would be restrained from pinching an.
more womens arms as long as he wa
locked up"
SIS it true that the pinchers and hug
gers and such fellows are treated al
lunatics in France?" l asked.
= :" Most of them are sent to insane
asylums," answered DR.. Hamilton
All of them are examined by alienist
whenever arrested. Those found to b'
insane are committed to asvlums 70
life-or, at least, until cured. Thi
form ofperversion is more common il
France than here 1t occurs NOR
frequently among the dark skinned
emotional races than among those tha
are more phlegmatic. ~ y Herald