Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-23
EGOMANIA BLAMED
FOR DOUBLE CRIMES
OF BRILLIANT BOY
Continued from Page y

obtain the perfection for Which he
was striving.
Under this hallucination, he de-
clared he burned his two younger
sisters as they slept in their room in
the Georgia home. One year later
to the day, he was called on to kill
again, and this time it was his
parents, though he declared he did
not realize who he was killing, that
time and place and object were not
in his mind all he understood was
that he must kill. He also thought
that a year later he must make his
third sacrifice of human life before
he could be perfect.
Never Told Parents.
Mcdowell was asked if he ever
told his mother or father of having
burned his sisters to death in Geor-
gia. Looking the qbestioner straight
in the eyes, he said: mo, I could
not do that, it would have hurt them
too much" He said that he had
never told anyone of the killing of
his sisters, though it preyed upon
his mind a great deal.
Referring to religious beliefs
| II,
that one could have high and perfect
ideals and yet not believe in any re-
ligion. His ideal was a world gov
terament where everything was per-
feet His opinion IS that norman
birth will be done away with in time
and human life will be produced by
science and mechanical instruments.
This. however, he thought would
come about slowly as will also the
perfect world government. Condl-
tions are not ripe for them now, ana
thew would do untold harm II 1nau-
gu1ated now.
Mcdowell said he believed there
are as many gods as there are peo-
pie to believe in them, and ne real
lied that they are help to the lg-
norant people of the present time.
However, he said, the more 1ntelll-
gent people do not believe in but
one God.
Accused by his questioner of having
been a student of socialism and nav
ing associated with radicals. NC
| Dowell denied the charge though ne
! said he had read a great deal and
had tried to analyze religion ana
humanity. This, he said, was re-
sponsible for his confused BRAIN
though he declared he was not what
YOU would call crazy, simply not
right in his head!
Shot Father First
(Which one of your parents did
Won shoot first?" he asked.
81 shot my father first" was the
reply.
Did your mother, who slept be-
side him, wake up or scream?' he
was asked.
"You would naturally think she
would?" said the boy, but do not
recall that she did, besides l was
shooting pretty fast, and L do not
think she had time to do anything,
he concluded.
did you ever kill anyone besides
your two sistersand your parents!
he was asked.
"Not that I have any recollection
of" replied the lad, and I had L
done so, 1 believe it would have
made such an impression on my
mind that / would have remembered
it, for I recall wildly the killing OF
my sisters and my parents, ne
stated.
Speaking Of his parents, Nc
| Dowell said no boy ever had bet
ter father, land L loved him. MY
mother was all that a mother could
| be-" He went on to say that he did
not believe he had normal affection
for anything, that he was so self
conferred, there was no room IN MS
head for anything else.
1t was said, at the court house,
that a commission would be called
at once and likely the boy will be
sent to the state insane asylum with
out a hearing.
That Mcdowell will ever pay
/ with his life for the double murder
to which he confessed here yester-
day appears very improbable The
youth who shot to death his mother
and his father, Mr.. and Mrs. j. Nj.
Mcdowell, as they slept, will be GER
tain to plead insanity when he is
brought to trial at the next term
of circuit court, even if he is not
declared insane before that time and
sent to the asylum. Under the laws
of this state, an insane person is
not accountable for q crime COM
mitted and an insane person cannot
be put to death even if sane at the
time of the crime. That it would
be easy for Mcdowell to prove in
sanity IS apparent from the facts
! in the case.
An EgOmaniac
Mcdowell seems to be suffering
from what the medical profession
and alienists would call egomania.
He is more concerned about HIM
self than about anything else, and
his mental condition is the same at
all times. He appears abnormal all
| the time, and it is not a case of pc
| RODS of insanity. This was shown
by his actions yesterday before and
after he had confessed that he shot
his father and his mother and burn.
ed to death his two sisters. Though
those closest to him in human rela-
ton were dead he showed no sor-
row, did not even simulate such a
feeling and was much more concern
ed about his own personal appear
ance than he was about the deed
he had done.
With the electric chair at least in
prospect and with his parents dead
by his own hands, Frank willingly
posed for pictures in the Jail and
again on the way to Clearwater and
was much concerned about the APP,
pearance Of his tie and hair. John
Lodwick, publicity man for the
chamber of commerce, took the first
picture of Mcdowell in his cell in
the city jail. The youth posed in
a way that he thought would bring
out to the best advantage his appear.
anCe.
On the way to Clearwater, a news.
paper reporter with a camera asked
for pictures. Frank hoped out OF
the automobile in which deputy sher.
ifs were escorting him to the coun.
ty prison, arranged his tie, smoothed
his hair and then assumed what he
meant for a graceful pose. He
| IL