New-York tribune., 1909-10-20

would listen to him. All over Italy he was an
object of derisiOn. Passanante was sent to "a dun
geon- Thirteen years later a commission of alien
lists examined the prisoner and found that he was
insane. LombrosO right And thus the foun-
der OF the science of criminology after years OF
fearless and tireless defiance Of public opinion
came into his own.
Twenty-One years later. when the anarchist
Bresci succeeded in killing King Humbert Lom-
brOsO again took the stand and pleaded that the
assassin be treated as insane person. one whose
act had been inspired by a political mania which
had overpowered him.
Professor LombrOso's theory was that criminals
were born and not made by environment. They
should be treated. therefore. victims OF an in
herited disease. Definite prison sentences he would
abolish The victim of the crime disease he held.
should be treated till cured and then released
LombrOsO was born in Verona in 1886 and was
educated at the University of Turin, from which
he was graduated with hOnors. He began the prac-
tce of his profession in that city. but soon OBJ
tanned an appointment as an army surgeon a post
which he held for eight years He received the
first impetus toward the study Of crime while still
with the army. While examining the skull of an
executed murderer he found maIformation which
led to the theory that the mans act might have
been caused by defect in his brain. On that
theory he worked the rest Of his life.
His first academic post was that OF lecturer on
medco-psychology at the University Of Pavia
While studying the inmates Of the asylum there
he was impressed with the connection between nu-
triton and insanity. large number Of them he
found were suffering with peagra. which he traced
to badly grown maize. staple food with the
Italian masses After a long. hard fought cam
paign he induced the authorities take measures
that materially reduced the number of sufferers
from this disease.
After several years of study along these general
lines he concentrated his work on the causes Of
epilepsy. and promulgated his theories of the assn-
citation of the 'epiIeptoid cachexa'' with abnormal
development, whether manifested in mere eccen-
trictty in actual crime The researches of fifteen
years he embodied IN his "Uomo Deliquente" This
followed by "Uomo di Genio" which was
translated into six languages and widely accepted
in Italy and Russia and in North and South
America. He was a prolific writer. contributing
much to the discussion Of sociology and kindred
topics. Some OF his principal works were Genius
and Insanity" Criminal Insanity in Italy" and
Il Homme CrimineL" The Man of Genius"
written in 1891, in English His other works
were nearly all in Italian.
With all his study of the criminal tendencies OF
mankind. he was ever Optimist. He believed
that the downward tendency OF family with
tainted blood could be checked by proper Of the
health education and general development. He
urged heaIthfu physical labor a corrective.
Professor LOmbrosO also occupied for many years
the chair of forensic medicine and psychiatry the
University of Turin, and a director of the
lunattc asylum at PesarO. He had modest home
in apartment house in Turin. where he kept
up his medical practice TO the end. A large part
of his work among charity patients and from
dogmatic in his views. and not inclined tolerate
the arguments of those who opposed him, he was
one of the most approachable of men.
He unimpOsng in appearance, short and
stout with a stiff chin beard, a long waist and
very short legs In his family circle he kindly
and indulgent, but his word was absolute law.
He ardent socialist. like other professors
in the University of Turin. A few years ago his
daughter. Paola. who shared fathers views.
sentenced to twenty-One days imprisonment
and fine of So lire for melting class hatred and
euogiing violation of the Law in article pub
lished in socialist organ.
Recently the professor had attracted much at
tention by his investigation of spirituasm Orig
inaIy he had been outspoken opponent Of all
doctrines. but certain observations he made in
practice his profession led him investigate
of things he could not otherwise understand
For twenty years he had under observation Eusapia
Palladno the NeapOlitan medium. and by her was
won partial belief i'm spiritual manifestations.
At the last. however though he admitted that he
not willing accept the theory. but surmised that
the manifestations might he produced by the in
PRODUCTION of the fourth dimension OF the mathema-
ticians
Others mis- utterances attracted interna-
tional discussion one of these the statement.
backed by elaborate figures. that all women are
liars The American man of wealth also came in
for causiic attack from this dissector of charac
ter. He denied that the maker of millions was a
genius sense. lie had never visited this
country. hOwe,e being deferred by his dread of a
trip