The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1911-09-29
CARL WEEMS Will
NOT Stand TRIAL
MAN WHO KILLED CANTRIL And
WOUNDS DEPUTY SHERIFF COLE
is DECLARED INSANE.

AIIeI studying the case OF Carl
Weems for week at the Eastern
Washington hospital for the insane
at Medical Lake, DR.. John NJ. Sem
pie, superintendent Of the institu-
tion, has come 10 the conclusion that
the man who killed Lee Cantril and
wounded Deputy Sheriff Cole on the
night Of August IA is insane. Dr..
Semple was here ten days ago and
made a careful examination Of the
prisoner and heard testimony re-
gardlng the conduct of the self CON
tesSed murderer. At the doctors re-
quest Weems was taken to the hos
pital for observation. Tuesday night
the prisoner was returned 10 the
county jail and the following written
report of his condition by DR.. Sem
pie was delivered to Hon. Thomas
Neill, judge Of the superior court:
DR.. Senple's Report.
In accordance with your order
We have kept Carl Weems under close
observation during the past week. |
am now convinced Weems is insane.
"Weems' case is unusual in that il
does not follow we'll recognized
types, but such cases do occur and
are classified as mixed states"
Weems belongs TO the general type
known as Dementia PrecOx but does
not closely follow any given subdi-
vision OF Dementia PrecoX He mani
tests the incOrheTence, sudden i'm
pulses, noisy and bOisterous conduct.
and filthiness of habits commonly
found in the CatatOnic form of De-
mentia PrecOX with the deIuSiOn Of
persecution, rather loosely formed,
of the paranOid form. Weems' ans
wers to questions are frequently ir-
revelant but this irrelevancy is due
chiefly to an Indifference to questions
asked, but when the question is re-
peated and his attention forced he
will usually answer correctly pro-
viding the answer can be brief He is
incapable Of answering a moderately
complicated question. He cannot fix
his attention long enough; his mind
wanders. The quickly shifting ideas
cause the inCOherence as he hardly
starts 10 express q thought before
another crowds il OUT.
''Weems' obedience 10 the COM
mand of the Jail officials at Colfax is
noticeable here. 1t is probably due
to the fact that he has spent consid-
cradle time IL jails and has been ac-
castomed TO obey orders. There are
Tery few of the insane who do not, in
j nf
the law. Even when they think they
are presidents or emperors they will
quickly get a broom and sweep the
floor when told to do so. There are
times. however, when they cannot
realize anything.
Realizing that Weems has a pow
erful motive TO stimulate insanity |
have kept him under close observa-
tion. In addition TO my visits | have
had half-hourly report day and
night since admission. I firmly be-
lieyc Cart Weems is insane
Family History.
A few days ago Deputy Sheriff
William Cole received a letter from
Mrs T.. W. Brown, Weems' half sis
ter living in New York, i'll which she
tells of the boys early environment.
Following is the letter:
New York, Sept. II, 1911.
Mr.. William Cole.
Co!fax, Washington.
Dear Sir
Your letter, the enclosed bill, and
newspaper clipping were received by
me this morning; and ] thank YOU
sincerely for the information you
have kindly given me. ] know by
the tone CT your letter that you are
an honCra BILE, big-hearted man, else
yOu would have felt unkindly
towards my poor unfortunate broth
er. am sorry for the suffering he
caused YOU, and I hope you are en-
tirely well ere this. Carl Weems is
my half brother, and he is undOubt-
edIv insane.
Ny father died when l was baby,
and when I was about three years
old my mother. against the protests
of all Of her relatives, married Free
man NeCms. He forced my mother
to move away from her people, then
sae had to sell her home and every
thing else that my father left her.
After that Weems drank and abused
both nv mother and |. AS | grew
older l tried TO get my mother TO
lea, tile creature TO whom she Eas
maj ried, but she was church mem
Der and true Christian, and for the
sake OF her helpless little children,
she thought it was her duty 10 stay
with him. I stood his meannesS as
long AS l could, then l left and later
went to my fathers people where /
STAYED until | married and came
North. After l left Weems treated
my mother and the children brutally.
2eonle have since told me that her
mind became affected before Carl was
born. Clara. the child younger than
Carl. was not bright, and her mind
never developed My mothers peo-
ple refused Though they were all
able) to assist her in any way, and
she was compelled TO put her baby,
Clara. in the Georgia Industrial
Home in Macon, Ga. Miss Mumford
there Il think she is now the head of
the institution will substantiate