The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-21
Noted Alienist Does Not Believe That
Richeson Was Crazy But Had
Reason For the
Cutting.
HAS FOUR THEORIES
Opinion ls That Accused Minister
Gashed Himself Expecting
sympathy and Some
Benefit.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
NEW YORK, Dec. 21.-That the act
Of Rev. c. Y. T. Richeson in mutilating
himself was not that OF an insane
man, but was done for /. sinister pur-
pose, is the belief of DR.. Carlos Fred
erick Macdonald, noted alienist. and
physician. Dr. Macdonald who was
called to Buffalo to examine Czolgosz,
assassin of President Mckinley, was
medical examiner for the state in the
trial Of Harry K. Thaw, and is an in
ternational authority on mental dis.
eases.
DR.. Macdonald today prepared for
the United Press the following opinion
on the case:
lBy DR.. Carlos Frederick Macdonald,
copyright, 1911, by the United Press.1
II is extremely difficult to formulate
theory as to the Rev. c. v. T. Richie
sons mental status or the impulse by
which he was actuated when he used
I. a piece OF tin, as am told, which he
had carefully sharpened, to wound
himself in manner that was both
unnatural and extremely painful.
Since have never seen Richeson,
nor, indeed. even good photograph
Of him, and since am in possession
Of no facts concerning his history or
career. beyond what have casually
read In the daily press, | would say,
ii before expressing an opinion, that my
deductions and theories are formed
solely from published reports OF the
man.
So far as have been able to gather.
there is nothing in the history OF
Richeson to indicate insanity in any
form. His face, If published photo.
graphs and newspaper Illustrations are
accurate. is not that of a man who
tends to insanity, but on the contrary
It is the face OF a weak man. The
cast OF features is not that o. de-
termined man but that of one who
might be subject to and swayed by
sudden temptation.
Richesons type is that of man
who might commit an act and then be
deeply overcome by remorse, but he
Is not of the type to become frenzied
and seek through self torture to re-
lieve him OF his thoughts.
There are four theories which are
within the realm of possibility in the
Richeson case.
First--His act might have beer
prompted through the weight OF gull
resting heavily upon him, bringing
with it remorse sufficiently poignant
to cause him to commit self-mutilation
Second--With his sudden transition
from pulpit and high respectability tc
felcn's cell and disgrace. together
with the influence naturally exerted by
his ministerial calling. his training
his belief in hereafter and the sense
OF having betrayed his cloth. there
might have come through the days
spent alone in his CELL brooding over
his predicament high resolution SC
firm that he would be driven by fear
OF his own weaknesses and lack OF
willpower to mutilate himself. This
however, is improbable, since Richie
son, so far as j have gathered by
fragmentary information, is not man
who could or would endure intense
physical pain through a high sense Of
duty.
Third--He might be insane, but
do not think so.
Fourth--He might. II he is guilty
be laboring under q distorted idea that
his acts would so react as to save his
life or even free him.
Judging again by my uncertain in
formation Richeson is a man who is
not brave in sense of enduring ply
steal pain He is the sort Of man who
would shrink from an unpleasant
ordeal, and who would hardly have
willpower enough to face crisis un
q less moved by some mighty impulse
Were Richeson innocent-h he may be
Of course-it seems hardly likely thai
he would commit such an act of self
mutilation, since there would be nc
reason for 1t. Were he guilty, nc
might, under the weight Of that
knowledge, and fear Of exposure and
punishment. be neryed up to wount
himself.
He would have a powerful motive
for doing something that would save
his life or liberty while II he Were
innocent, the natural normal tendenc,
would be to stand firm, rely upon hi'