Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-07-26

riod OF his confinement TO the jail
Then. by direction OF Sheriff Ramsey
I gave owen thorough examination
with the view Of determining hi> pre-
else mental and physical condition
for the guidance Of the sheriff anu
the TAILOR. thoE fore feel that ]
ain in position to give YOU reliable
nd disinterested information. Owen
A, perfectly sane. within the meaning
II the law. He Is Of low order OF
mentality and is a type OF that class
~ detectives" who furnish such a
large percentage OF our criminal
classes. might go on at length and
into detail about these detectives
or "degenerates." but suppose you
are only interested in determining the
sanity or insanity OF this man. He Is
not insane
Letters have been written from
Alachua county in relation TO this
case on two lines: one is that the
| aid Owen has not received fair
rial. on the ground that having Sc
cured no attorney himself, the court
followed the legal method Of appoint.
in an attorney for him. SUCH , :
been the action OF the courts % t..s
State for a great many years. May
lawyers have been to the Legislature
and none have ever yet even tr.cd
to change the law. II they have. !
have no knowledge of the same. How.
lever. under our laws. such action is
legal. II is impossible for the GOV
ernOr TO set aside the wellestablished
laws OF the country.
On the ground OF insanity. | have
received requests and petitions L
commute his sentence to life i'm
prisonment II Mr.. Owen is insane.
he should be put in an asylum for
the criminal insane. such as they have
At Matteawan, ". Y. This State has
never yet provided a place for the
criminal insane. Il has provided
means for the commitment TO the hos
pitll for insane people. There is a
method prescribed by law for peopl,
who have been sent to such hospi;I
TO be restored to their freedom. II
appears that the said Owen belongs
TO that class OF "deficients" or de-
fectiyes, known as "degenate" from
which our criminals are almost who.
y drawn II such degenerates' are
ID be- sent TO the Hospital for the In.
sane. il thus appears that most OF our
,Timinals should be sent there. Then,
Il the authorities in charge OF the
hospital should declare them TO b.
ane, the only thing TO do is 10 turn
hem loose upon society. or probably
end them TO jail From the laws,
h. said Owen is either insane or he
Is not. II he is insane II is quit,
apparent that he should not be sen,
20 the pcnitsntiary for life. II he il
sent TO the Hospital for the Insane,
Is insane, and is declared 20 be sane
il is quite apparent that he should
be turned out. This Information l.
eEt 20 you for your consideration.
Your attention Is invited TO the
following quotation from a communl
cation received:
II understand that he killed two
men the same day, but was tried for
only one offense. The other indict.
ment against him for murder in the
iirst degree is still pending. People
In the vicinity where Owen killed the
men, are very indignant over the IF.
fort 20 get him TO the asylum BE-.
lieye that IL he is not hanged. h.
will be lynched or killed II the oppor.
tunity is offered.
Your attention Is also invited 10
the following quotation from a com.
munication received
- am satisfied that this man has
received no more than he deserves.
except the stay OF two weeks, and IN.
al there is some hanging done. !
feel. at.---I TIA; -. hi.l.u, VII a..
stop
Also the following:
The people here seem OF the
opinion that it would be right. lust
and proper that thu law should take
lis course
= have tie honor to De,
Very respectfully.
- pEp-r ~ or ,,rrr,,...