Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-13
TESTING MENTALITY

The young girl who was tried recently at Seattle ON
charge Of murder as the result of >homicid growing
OF a domestic scandal was acquitted, the jury having
.rently determined that her mental condition was not
as to warrant conviction. The facts in the case were
unable and undenied. The killing was dones in the
d light of day, and the defendant told the story of it
= frankly and freely. The only defense possible was
Of insanity, and the plea of insanity was introduced.
expert called by the defense testified to having ex-
ped the girl as to her mental condition, and he de-
I'd that he found her defective. One test to which he
submitted her, according to his own evidence, was
Of asking her to state three differences between a
ident and a king, a question which he said any normal
Se-year-old child would answer without any delay.
defendant named one point of difference and then
ped. The conclusion therefore was that the mentality
is young woman was below that Of the normal child
relve years. The expert himself was submitted to a
by the prosecuting attorney who on cross examination
d him to point out the differences between a member
pngress and a member of parliament. The expert
led the Issue, and refrained from indicating the statue
Is own mentality by an answer to this question. The
tent sheds a little further light upon a subject already
! brilliantly Illuminated, namely, the absurdity of
of the tests which are made to determine for official
ssoses the precise mental condition of individuals. In
first place his ex9Drt was called by the defense. He
r H1s eAdHAudlIOnd al n request OF the deEenQant 8 at
$y. The girl undoubtedly knew the purpose for which
Svas examined, and II she were reasonably shrewd and
ssbeen given a little quiet coaching by her lawyer, she
ID naturally answer the questions discreetly and in
a manner as to avoid the appearance at least Of un.
Eleverness.
I'm the second place the experts statement that the
Zion which he submitted was one which any twelve
sold child ought to be able to answer offhand is in it.
an absurdity. Let the reader, who may be several times
We years Of age, try it for himself. His first point of
Fence, and he will reach that very readily, will be that
ssesident is elected while the king inherits his office.
that is open to objection. Presidents so far as VIC
n are always elected, by the body Of the people, by
Gates chosen for that purpose as in the United States,
u the regular parliamentary body as in France, and
p are not always the inheritors of their office. Che
ant king OF Norway is a Dane who was chosen king OF
gay by the Norwegian parliament. Kings have been
ed as a regular custom without the element Of In
sance entering into the question at all, SO that even
xanswer. which would occur to everyone as the first
asnost obvious, is subject to qualification. and we defy
ne to pick out two others which will apply IN all or
all cases. Hence. the girl who gave one point of
neqce offhand and hesitated over the. rest did just
A. any ordinary person would doA It would be in
ting to have this test applied TO twelve year old child
ind to observe the result.
~ E-J- E