The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-02
COMMISSIONS REPORT
SENT TO WASHINGTON
II Sanity is Established Il IS
Believed Execution viii
Take Place May 29

Topeka, Kas, April 2.-lnsanity
States army private now under death
sentence for the murder of his sweet
heart. from the gallows. To determ-
inc whether or not the soldiermurder-
er Is insane q commission Of two alien
lists has examined the prisoner in his
cell in the IeayenWorh county Jail,
ana in rooms at the federal building
in Lcayenworth The commissions
report has been sent to the depart
ment of Justice at Washington, under
orders from which the examination
was made Until the department
sees fit to announce the findings, the
report Of the alienists viii not be
made public. In fact, lhe secret IS
being carefully guarded by the gov'
eminent and Dr. T. G Eddie and D..
w. S. Lindsay, both Of Topeka, the
alienists who examined ONeal, have
been warned by the government tt
maintain strict secrecy.
Has Been Examined
O'Neal was examined bv Dr Bid
die and Dr Lindsay oil Saturday OF
last week and Tuesday Of the present
week. He was examined physically,
was made to answer a long series of
questions, and his actions while sup
posedly alone in his cell also were
watched. Or. Biddle for many years
has been superintendent of the state
hospital fcc the insane at Topeka, anu
is one Of the best known alienists
in the state. Dr. Lindsay also is a
well known alienist, and specialist on
nervous ana mental disorders. The
TWO were selected by United States
Marshal VIII. Alackey, Jro on orders
from Washington.
Why He was Reprieved
That the sixty day respite recent
~ granted ONeal was given solely
for the purpose of permitting an in
quiry into his sanity is now the gen
eral belief among the fed Il officers
connected with the case. This would
indicate. determination on the part
of President Taft to refuse to com
mute the prisoners sentence to life
Imprisonment in case he is found to
be sane. Of course, il he is found
To be insane, arrangements viii be
made to have him committed to the
government asylum for insane Grimm
ais of Washington, and either a com
mutation of sentence or a pardon
granted by President Taft.
Now that O'Neal iias been convict
4 eG and sentenced nothing but the as
4 ti0n of the President can save him
from the gallows. Even though ht
should be found to be insane, Judgf
III. c. Pollock could not recall the
sentence of death which he passed up
on the unfortunate soldier at Kansas
City. Kas., last January.
4 5evond Courts Jurisdiction
The case has passed beyond thu
jurisdiction Of any court and shoult
President Taft fail or forget to ac
upon report that O'Neal was insane
/ the fedcrals officers would be com
PEELED to carry out the death sentenc'
/ on Nav 20, despite his condition,
H Another unusual feature of the IN
sanity phase of O'Ncals case is th'
1 fact that an insanity defense wa
4 ignored by O'Neal and his counsel q
1 the trial. The question of the prif
oLer's mental condition, in fact, wa
not even mentioned or suggested a
that time, even though it seemed cel
lain that the jury would find the pris
oner guilty and The court sentenc
him to death on the scaffold Consit
cradle mystery surrounds the origi
of the governments determination t
inquire into the murderer's insanlt,
/ II Is known. however. that some G
The petitions circulated in Wyai
dotte county and sent to Washingto
contained statements of doubt rel;
| tive TO the prisoners mental cond
ton aud it Is presumed that thi
caused the government TO order tn
examination
4 United States Marshal Macke.
who had charge of the examination
Yesterday returned from Leavel
werth ia Topeka, ihe alienisis havin
held their final conference on th
previous day Mr. Mackey decline
to discuss The examination Or the que
ton Of the prisoners sanity or insal
ity