The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-05
MENACE TO PUBLIC.

Kansas needs some law by which the
loophole of escape from criminal serv-
itude by means of insanity may be az
least partly plugged up.
Fred Laird has just escaped criminal
prosecution and probably punishment
under a sentence to the penitentiary, on
the charge of sending threatening let
tiers through the mails to Charles
Wolff by being found insane by
commission in the probate court Lairu
is undoubtedly insane, from a medical
and legal standpoint. for the experts
who examined him and the professional
men who appeared as witnesses al
thought him of unsound mind He can
not now be sent to the penitentfary, but
win be sent to the insane asylum,
where he will remain for certain
length of time and then be given his
freedom 1t was shown that La1rd's
mental condition was brought on by the
excessive use of drugs. He was sent
to the insane asylum some FIVE years
ago by reason of a. total mental col
lapse as the result of the cocaine habit
He was kept there until he became
quiet and sound enough mentally to pc
discharged No cure was effected, as
subsequent events have proven de
will probably go to the asylum TINS
time. remain there a comparatively
short time and be discharged from the
institution to go his way in a. peaeeful
manner for a short time and then to
become danger Gus to himself and oth-
ers,p as was the testimony of his con-
dition for the past year as testified to
by one or mora witnesses at his trial
for insanity.
| 1t is not the fault of the physicians IN
| charge of the insane asylums that sucn
| patients are sent away from the M
| situations when there is more than a
| possibility that they will sooner or later
| commit some overt act. The state IN
sane asylurns are constantly crowded.
| and the patients that have been at the
| institutions and become quiet and man
| ageable have to be sent away to make
room for newer and more violent cases
! It is a case OF allowing the lesser evil
to prey upon the public. There should
he some special laws TO govern the dis
| position of such cases as the one OF
| Laird.
| In some eastern states there are
| laws that make the insanity loophole
| a less inviting one for criminals. Ir
| those states such person as Laird
| who had escaped the punishment OF q
| crime by reason of being found insane
would be sent to the insane asylum
| under an entirely different commit
| ment than ordinary cases. In fac
| some states have special institution:
| for such cases. In those states a mar
convicted of murder and who escaped
| punishment by means of insanity woult
| be sent to IN insane asylum instead
of a penitentiary but instead of belns
! sent with a chance for freedom Wnei
| cured he would be sent for life, on tn
| ground that such persons although in
| nocent of murder technically on tn
| grounds that they are insane are stu
| dangerous to the communities, ant
should not be allowed to run at larg
even after being dismissed from tn
asylums.
Kansas should have some law tina
would prevent such a person as Lair
from escaping punishment by reason o
the institutions being crowded or iron
any other. CAUSE, unless it is a certaint.
that he is cured. If Laird goes to tn
asylum. is discharged after shor
time. and resumes his former habit
when released, he will still. as the ties
| timony showed, "be dangerous to MN
| self and others