New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-23
.SCHRANK FOUND INSANE
"They Can Bury Me Alive" He
Says After Verdict.
CALLS SHOOTING "A DUTY"
Committed to Asylum, Probably
for Life, Roosevelt Assailant
Denies He Is q Lunatic.

Milwaukee, Nov 22.-John Schrank
who shot Theodore Roosevelt on the nisn
of October IA In milwaukee,. is insane
He was committed late this afternoon oS
Municipal Judge A. C. Backus to the
Northern Hospital for the Insane, near
| Oshkosh, until cured.
Before being led back TO jail to await
preparations for the trip to the asylum
schrank said:
I had expected they would find me In
sane, because II was In the papers two
days ago. | want to say now that am
sane and know what am doing all the
time. l am not lunatic and never was
and have done II. The commission has
sworn away my life. Each member went
upon the stand and said ] was incurably
insane. They can bury Inc alive IL they
see NJ. / don't care what happens now.
Commitment followed the presentation
Of an exhaustive report by a commission
OF five alienists in which the defendant
was unanimously adjudged insane. and
the introduction OF prima facie evidence
Of several witnesses.
Asked whether the defence had any
thing to offer. James G.. Flanders. coun-
sci. after a whispered conversation with
Schrank, informed the court that II had
not
Cure Doubtful, Say Alienists.
District Attorney Sabel submitted a
number OF questions bearing upon medical
terms TO each of the alienists, all OF
whom agreed that Schrank was suffering
from chronic paranoia and that II was
doubtful II the disease could be cured.
Failure 20 effect a cure Of schrank's
disorder means that he will spend the
rest Of his life In the asylum, to which
he probably will be taken on Monday
next.
The conclusions reached by the COM
mission, consisting of Drs. W. f. Becker,
ID. w. Harrington, Frank Studley and
William L. Wcgge, are:
First, John Schrsnk is suffering from
insane decisions, grandiose in character
and OF systematized variety.
Second, In our opinion, lie is insane at
tho present time.
Third. on account OF the connection ex-
isting between his decisions and the act
with which ho stands charged, we are OF
the opinion he is unable TO confer intel
ngently with counsel on the conduct Of
his defence.
The commissions report includes a long
address By Schrank to the commissioners.
In which he apologized for causing I'M
pleasantness in asking them to pass a
verdict IN matter which should have
been better tried by higher than earthly
court.
He then goes on to review the deu-
sons in which he claimed to have looked
into the dying eyes Of President Nc
kiRley, when a voice called 20 me 10
avenge his death. i was confident that
my life was coming soon TO an end
and was at once happy to know that my
real mission on this earth was TO die
for my country and the cause OF Repub-
licanism." lie added
The shot at milwaukee,. which created
an echo IN all parts OF the world. was
not a shot fred At the citizen Roosevelt,
not shot at an er-President, not a
shot at the candidate OF so-called Pro
grcssive party, not a shot 10 influence
the pending election, not a shot TO gain
for me nOtoriety; no, Il was simply 10
once and forever establish the fact that
any man who hereafter aspircs TO n third
Presidential term will do no at the risk
OF his life. II cannot defend tradition,
of war. YOU may as we'll send every patri-
OF TO prison.
Talks Of Spirit Of rs.
] hope that the shot at Milwaukee has
awakened patriotism OF the American
nation, that II opened their eyes 10 the
real danger and show them the only safe
way out OF II, as IS proven by the cleo
ton returns In the great Democratic par
~. The North, South. East and West
Is once more and more s0lidly united and
proudly can we prove TO the nations OF
the world that the spirit of us u still
alive and shall never die and that self
government is an established fact and a
success. -
| have been accused Of having selected
a state where capital punishment Is
abolished. | would say 7 did not know
that laws OF any state travelled through
and IL would be ridiculous for me 70
fear death after the act. as ] expected
TO die during the act and not live 10 tell
the story. II ! knew that my deah would
have made the third-terIn tradition moro
sacred ] am sorry l could not die Tor
my country.