The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-17
FEIGNING INSANITY.

Whether or not NFredericks, the MUIR
derer, is feigning insanity in order to
escape an unpleasant acquaintance with
the hangman's moose is. not so important
as other considerations which his conduct
suggests. :
One is that criminals of inferior intelli-
gence almost invariably commit the fatal
error in feigning insanity. OF resorting to
acute mania. They do this partly because
acute mania is generally the only form OF
insanity with which they are acquainted.
and partly because it is striking in its
manifestations. They are ignorant OF
the fact not only that it is the most
difficult, exhausting and dangerous form
of insanity to assume, but. that it is also
the form of the insanity dodge" most
easily detected.
Certain very prominent pathological
conditions accompany violent mania, but
are obscure and difficult to discover in
passive insanity and what is commonly
called monomania. The raving lunatic
most likely shows unmistakable aberra-
tions of the pupils, heavy coating OF
the tongue, arrangement of the digestive
organs, irregularity and inadequacy OF
sleep, uncertain heart action, greater or
less insensibility to pain and peculiar odor
of the person. Expert aIienists are
familiar with these symptoms and know
their meaning. The difficulties of feigning
violent mania are increased by the neces-
sity for an exceedingly active alertness, for
an expenditure of physical force which
must be followed by abundant food and
sleep and by inviting restraining means
which hamper comfort.
The educated criminal pursues differ.
ent course. He feigns the mildest possible
form of insanity-preferabI bly, a simpering,
foolish manner of speech, or the training
of his conduct in some special direction to
indicate monomania of a kind which
would explain his crime, or dense
stolidity which excludes notice of any
passing circumstance This last is. a
difficult task, but not so trying as violent
mania. A striking instance of. it in this
State was that of CimeriIla, San Jose
murderer of many years ago. He was a
dense, heavy, stupid man, but he simu-
lated this form of insanity with so perfect
cleverness that the doctors disagreed, and
the jury gave him the benefit of the doubt
and instead of hanging him sentenced him
Meanwhile every possible trick had been
resorted to by the Sheriff to entrap him.
He was taken out and turned loose to
see if he would attempt to escape, but he
was shrewd enough to guess that dozen
men were concealed and ready to seize
him. He was thrown face downward in a
pool OF water, and would have permitted
himself to drown if he had not been
dragged out in time to save his life. AS
soon as the jury announced its verdict,
which made it impossible for him to be
tried again, he cast aside his disguise and
expressed joyful qualification over its
success.
Our present system of determining the
sanity Of criminal is conspicuousIy
wrong. Both the prosecution and the
defense invariably produce physicians.
often of high reputation, who give
directly opposing testimony. It would
seem that commission appointed by the
court and kept free from the influence OF
either side would be the more sensible
idea. Under the present method the
medical profession, by its very disagree
ment over one of the most serious OF
human ailments, suffers lowering of its