The record-union., 1894-06-29
FURNISHING INSANE MURDERERs.
Referring to the Prendergast case the


Chicago inter Ocean says:
The protection of society against mental
freaks and the victims OF mind diseased is
one of those problems which still remain TO
be solved. This whole field of insanity and
erankery is only just beginning to be intelli-
gently surveyed.
To execute man for a crime commit
ted when wholly insane or utterly ire
sponsible would be abhorrent. For
merly the insane were supposed to be
possessed by devils, and these it was be-
lieved must be driven out to save the
human being later the insane were
treated with severity. chained, whipped,
tortured and kept in dungeons. In mod
ern times they are treated for mental dis
ease, with great gentleness and patience,
and are kept in such confinement only as
is necessary for their safety and that of
society.
But there is class of the insane to
whom punishment for crime ought to be
meted out in the interest of restraint for
the protection of society. Let us suppose
that Santo is found to be insane, and is
thus saved from the guillotine. 1t may
be set down as certain that the fact that
insanity has protected him viii result in
several other assassinations in rapid sue
cession. SO, too, if Prendergast is res
cued from the halter by the plea of in
sanity, other cranks will be encouraged
to kill other Mayors and officers of gov
ernment.
There is a grade of insanity that spurs
its victims to deeds of violence, but who
are susceptible to the restraining influ-
ences of fear. and who are cunning
enough to recognize that insanity insures
them by immunity from punishment for
crime. We hold, therefore, that all of
this class who become criminals should
be subjected to the full penalty of the
law in order that their punishment may
restrain others of the class from exercis-
ing their homicidal tendencies.
Both Pendergast and Santo went about
to do murder with deliberation and made
such preparation as indicated cunning in
method and rational motive. The
prompting may have been in each case
born of disordered mind, but in each
case it is evident there was sufficient
sway of reason to present to the criminal
full knowledge of the penalty, and also
and what is more important, knowledge
that he had chance of escape through
the plea of insanity.
Now the insane capable of compre-
hending that knowledge. are also capable
of understanding that punishment cam
not be escaped by one having this capac-
ity. and hence if society gives it to be
understood that this class of the insane
cannot shield itself by plea of insanity,
there will be restraint put upon the
murderously-inclined of that class. For
all Of them are susceptible to fear; they
cling to life quite as tenaciously as do the
sane, and restraining influences that
menace with the halter and the ak,
operate powerfully upon them.
So we are convinced that the true poll
icy is to punish the insane murderers
who are still sane enough to fear, to plot,
to devise cunning methods and plan
pleas of escape from penalties; that when
ever it is shown that an assassin is not
hopelessly insane. completely and wholly
irresponsible, and absolutely blind to
the purpose and consequence of his
crime. and when there is total absence OF
rational motive, he ought to be punished
that other cranks and semi-insane may
be restrained from doing deeds of vio-
lence.
In the case of Prendergast, for in
stance, sthere was rational motive even if
the man was insane: that motive was re-
venge because Mayor Harrison had re-
fused him appointment to an office, and
this, Notwithstanding the fact that the de-
mand for the Office was in itself an act of
insanity, q demand impossible to be
granted. In the case of Santo, his
rational motive was the removal of man
who represented q Government of re-
straint. which Ssnto believes to be in
violation of human rights. He was car
rvinc out the doctrine advocated by sane
men. and received by him in sanity as