The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-12

invariably in the morning and after
a good nights sleep. He was a beauti-
full sleeper, sleeping the sleep of the
pure in heart every night, and IN the
morning he would eat with the appetite
of an anaconda. This was entirely at
variance with the acts of an insane
man of the type he was trying to
represent, but, apparently, his instruct
or hadn't coached him on that point.
Next he developed pugnaciousness
IL little man came into his cell he
would attack him with great ferocity.
beat him, bite him or do anything he
could to damage him. But he never
tackled big man.
One day he pitched into little fell
low who came into his cell. He was
one OF those Wiry little fellows that are
tull OF tight. The way that little fellow
took the starch out of Vicenzo was re-
ireshlng. He gave him a sound drub-
ping, and Immediately the violent
phase of his insanity disappeared.
HE began to get tired Of it, any
way, and was never noisy or violent
except when he knew he was being
watched. He was too lazy to keep up
the symptoms, and exhibited them only
when some one was about
he was tried for his sanity on May
- was QuIeI GIlOuSn until he got
into the courtroom. Then he became
violent. He was pronounced insane.
Mind you, up to this time, he had
SHOWN no delusions, illusions or hallu-
clnatlons. He was simply violent But
the insanity teacher soon gave him
that idea, and Vicenzo began to de-
clare that bugs We're pursuing him
bugs with blood on them. Bugs were
getting into his ears, he said, and the
reason that he had killed his wife was
because she had put bugs into his
coHee. When he was arrested he had
never said anything of the sort
The insanity teacher kept at his
work He went to the relatives and
friends of Vicenzo and at the trial he
mad score of witnesses who declared
that Vicenzo had often exhibited symp-
toms OF insanity. Then 1t was that I
began to suspect the insanity teacher
ana began Investigations that resulted
In finding out how he had been at his
work.
eff Vicenzo is noisy I said to his
Keepers, stop feeding him. He had
Voracious appetite, and that order
stopped the noisiness. On his trial
Vlcenzo was convicted. The teacher
mad been good enough, but his pupil
was dull degenerate, who couldn't
keep up the stimulation of insanity
with success.
About the same time another man.
charles Petrowski, also a murderer
was In the prison. 1 made up to him
with some success, and one day he said
to me:
Doctor, fellow offered to make
me crazy for $10.'
Il never could find out whether II
was the same teacher who had been
soliciting his trade or not, but l have
no doubt it was
I'm thirteen months before this fell
low began to ply his trade in the
Tombs not plea of insanity had been
made for the Italians accused of MUIR
der. When he got to work, however.
nearly every one of them made that
plea. Gierachici and Maloni set up a
plea of insanity. 1 believe the plea in
the case of Marie Barbara would have
been insanity If 1 hadn't made a thor
ough examination of her mental state
before the other fellows had a chance
to work the thing up.
1.-THE peculiar thing about these in
sanity cases was that all displayed the
same symptoms. The violent form, the
one that Is nearer the lay idea of in
sanity, was abandoned. They began
TO simulate melancholia. They would
come into the court room with dishev-
eled hair, throw themselves into a
chair, and sit there all day, scarcely
moving, occasionally weeping if they
could squeeze tears out. Once out of
the sight of the judge and jury their
normal demeanor returned.
The man whose power of reasoning
is good enough to pick out Colts re-
VolVer instead of toy gun; who lies
In wait for his victim; who seeks him
out, and not finding him, comes again,
and who shoots when there are no wit
nesses Is sane enough to know that the
act is wrong. The law of wills is that
unless the mans decisions are against
the contestors and directly affect his
feelings toward them they do not in
validate the will, even though such de-
lusions exist He is sane enough to
devise property to others If he chooses.
The same line of reasoning should
apply in the case Of criminals, but the
fact that it often doesn't give these
teachers Of symptoms Of insanity a
chance to make money from murder
ers.
"Hannigan, Gregory, Maight and Nc
Gowan all assumed the melancholia
form of insanity. Their actions were
the same all through. Within ten min
utes after Hannigan was acquitted he
was doing Harrigan dance steps in the
hall. Not a sign of melancholia re-
manned.
Insanity is not the only form of
stimulation of disease taught to crimi-
nails. Epilepsy is favorite. In Com
mercial road, London, which parallels
Whitechapel road, is a regular school
where epilepsy is taught. 1t even adj
vertiSeS occasionally"
The Italian whom DIR. Newton dis
covered is, so far as the New York
records go, the only one who has been
found plying his trade in the Tombs,
but there are undoubtedly others in
the remarkable business.
The more recent cases of Thomas
Tobin and Harry Rose are more fresh
in the public mind. DR.. Charles L.
Dana and DR.. Carlos Macdonald both
pronounced Tobin insane, but he was
sentenced to death.
Rose apparently has complete de-
mentia, although at the time he killed
his wife he was in the very best of
health.
He now talks incoherently. He does
not seem to know that his wife is dead.
He cries piteously. At times he be-
Heves himself possessed of millions of
dollars. He is weak and cringing and
altogether changed.
r. - L.