Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-25
The PSYCHOLOGY OF
CRANKS.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

The police of a number of cities are
now investigating communications OF
various kinds from persons who claim
to know that Holt had confederates in
his plan for annihilating those sup
posed to be responsible for ammuni-
ton shipments to Europe. The danger
from such a confederate being at large
is sufficient to warrant the closest in
vestigation of any claim of this kind,
yet most, il not all of them. are the
work of persons classed as "cranks"
in the police records. meaning those
whose mentality is not sufficiently bal
anced to sustain any unusual stress.
The accounts Of the Holt affair at
tracted SO much public interest that
persons Of the crank type were induced
to claim a part in it merely for the
sake of notoriety.
Because the word crank" is FREE
quently misused, and is as likely to
apply to the base ball enthusiast as to
the man willing to commit wholesale
murder in carrying out an abnormal
theory of patriotism or duty. alienists
are now insisting upon the correct
name of "mattoid" being applied to
such persons as are guilty of eccen-
tricity or crime for some misconceived
idea. The "mattoid" is classed in the
zone between sanity and insanity. He
may have great talent in one direction.
He may be gifted in art. speech or
poetry. but he has no continuity or
judgment. He will conceive a wild idea
and act upon it. regardless of conse-
quences, although in other matters he
may be perfectly normal and above the
average Intelligence. The ''mattoid' Is
distinguished from the criminal insane
by complete moral integrity upon
all matters save the one upon which he
has lost his sense of judgment.
X
DIR. Arthur Macdonald of Washington,
honorary president of the International
Congress of Anthro-
U. S. in Danger pology of Europe.
From Mattoids. cri,uino,o.n of IKE IN IN
garded as authoritative, has given ex-
haustive study to the "mattoid" because
Of his belief that this country is in pc
culiar danger from this type of mental
detectives who frequently menace the
lives of public men. The political
is nearly always a mattoid,
who attempts murder because of some
benefit he believes will result to the
nation from the removal of his victim.
DR.. Macdonald made an exhaustive
study of the man who attempted to as
sassinate Col. Roosevelt during the last
campaign. The anti-third-
term mania was what influenced this
mans mind. He was also Influenced by
a dream in which President Mckinley
to him and said: This is my
murderer. Avenge my DEATH"
Guiteau, the assassin of President
Garfield, was another mattoid who be-
lieved that he was committing a deed
for the good of his country. Each
showed deliberation and careful plan
ming. Col. Roosevelts assailant fol-
lowed him from one place to another,
carefully meditating his attack. Gar
fields murderer went down to the foot
of 18th street the morning before the
placed a stick in the mud by
the river and practiced shooting at it in
order to be sure of his aim. Both men
the will of God and risking their own
lives for their country. Booth, the
slayer of Lincoln. was also Of the mat
told type. The conditions growing out
of fixing the blame upon one person,
whose death, to his deluded mind, would
revenge the slaughter Of the battle
fields and the losses of the south.
The assassin of Mayor Carter Harri-
son of Chicago before the close of the
Worlds Fair claimed that he was JUS
titled in his action. as did also the man
who attempted to take the life of Mayor
Gaynor of New York. A man who had
suffered loss through investments in
stocks under the control of
Jay Gould believed himself justified in
his identity and entering
the employ of the Gould household as a
butler in their Hudson river home in
order that he might kill the railroad
magnate. For three months he was a
luiet, efficient servant, showing I'M
usual facility in the performance of du-
ties absolutely new to him. But when
the time came for his attempted assas-
sination. as the millionaire lay resting
in a private room. he slipped upon the
floor and fell PROSTATE across the form
of his intended victim, the sharpened
fruit knife with which he had intended
to kill falling from his hand. Gould's
quick nerve enabled him to promptly
grapple with the man. He was quietly
disposed of in a private sanitarium, in
order that no publicity might be given
to the affair.
Mattoids are usually Of quiet de-
meanor. frequently students, and are
therefore I'M
Mattoid Usually suspected un-
of Quiet Demeanor. crime me- ia &C.
Their mentality is nor
NAL, save upon one point In this re-
spect they differ notably from lunatics
who are restless and unable to follow
any continued course of action aside
from those indicated by their manias.
The continuous attendance Of secret
service men was most distasteful to
President Roosevelt during his term in