Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-23
Commission Agrees Unani-
mously That Roosevelt's
Assailant is Unsound- in
Mind; Not Handcuffed.
MAKES RAMBLING
SPEECH TO DOCTORS
e,.,s -ized for Causing I'm
s's's santness, but Insisted
That His Shot Was Meant
to Prevent Third Terms,


commission OF alienists investigating
as to the mental condition OF John
Schrank, who shot Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, today reported unanimous
ly that he is insane. Schrank this
afternoon was ordered to be commit.
ted to the northern insane hospital al
Oshkosh, by Judge Backus.
i The conclusions reached by the coni-
mission are as follows:
''First-John*S SchraHk Is suffering
from an insane delusion, grandiose In
character and Of q systematized va
riety.
"Second-In our opinion he Is In
sane at the present time.
"Third-On account Of the connec-
ton existing between his delusions
and the act with which he stands
charged, we are of the opinion he II
unable to confer intelligently with
counsel or the conduct OF his defense.
| (Signed)
Richard Dewey, NJ. D.. Chairman.
wv. F.. Becker, M. d.
i ID. w. Harrington, NJ. D.
4 Frank Study, M. d.
VIA sVegge, N.
/ Commissioners.
I Schrank was conducted from the
county Jail to the city hall by a strong
guard but without being handcuffed.
ARRIVING at municipal court on the
fifth floor, he sat beside his counsel,
James G. Flanders. The prisoner was
pale although he appeared not to be
excited. He rested his right and left
elbows alternately on the arms of the
chair, with either hand resting on his
jaw. The prisoner listened very In
tently to the commissions report
which was read by the chairman, DR..
Richard Dewey.
The report which consisted of sew.
eral thousand words included the per.
sonal and family history Of Schrank.
Important portions bore upon the pres
ent physical state OF the prisoner and
neurological data. The report closes
with exhibits Of numerous written
communications of the defendant
schrank's Rambling Message.
An address by Schrank to the com
missioners in which he apologized for
causing unpleasantness in making
them decide a matter which would
have been better tried by higher
than earthly court" was included in
the report. In 1t Schrank reviewed
the vision" in which he claimed to
have loked into the dying eyes Of the
late President Mckinley, when a voice
called to me to avenge his death.
| soon to an end and was at once
happy to know that my real mission
on this earth was to die for my coun-
try and the cause of republicanism.
"The shot at Milwaukee, which
created an echo In all parts Of the
world, was not short fired at the Citi.
zen Roosevelt, not shot at an ex.
president, not shot at the candidate
of a so-called progressive party, not q
shot to influence the pending elec-
ton, not a shot to gain for me motor
iety; no. 1t was simply to once and
forever establish the fact that any
man who hereafter aspires to third
presidential term will do so at the
risk Of his life. II i cannot defend
tradition, cannot defend the country
In case OF war, and you. may as we'll
send every patriot to prison.
Hopes Shot Reused Patriotism.
II hope that the shot at Milwaukee
has awakened the patriotism OF the
American nation, that 1t opened their
eyes to the real danger and showed
them the only safe way out OF 1t as 10
proven by the election returns In the
democratic party. The north, south.
east and west is once more, and more
solidly united and proudly can we
prove to the nations Of the world that
the spirit of 1776 Is still alive and
shall never die and that self-govern-
ment is an established fact and a
success.
II have been accused of selecting
state where capital punishment Id
abolished. Iwould say did not know
the laws Of any state I travelled
through and 1t would be ridiculous for
me to fear death after the act, as
expected to die during the act and not
/ live to tell the story. II knew that my
death were not sure / would have
made the third term tradition more
sacred. am sorry could not die for
my country.
Prison for me Is like going to war.
Before me Is the spirit OF George
Washington. behind that Of McKin-
ley"