The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-09-29

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Thousands Of insane men and wo-
men, outwardly normal but in their
minds lurking hideous shadows that
any moment may send them on a
rampage of assaults and even MUIR
ders, or may turn them to seh-de-
struction, are at large in the United
States today.
Though the mental disorders of hum
dreds of these persons never have
been discovered, majority OF them
are on parole from institutions for the
insane. Daily scores more of them are
being sent back into society by these
institutions.
In the United States, according to
the latest census of the insane, there
are more than 265,000 mentally UNI
balanced men and women, Half a CEN
fury ago the total was only 37,432. In
proportion to the increase in the num-
Der of lunatics, statistics show, homi-
cides and suicides have been steadily
increasing, as such crimes accompany
disturbed mental states
Ali Potential Assassins.
In 1928, when census was taken,
there were 22,83e persons on parole
from the various insane asylums apd
hospitals of the country. Hospitals in
ten states had from 20 to 80 per cent
of their patients on parole or discharg-
cd
The effect upon the nation of this
freeing of thousands of potential as
sassins-for all are such-has become
a topic for grave consideration. Crimes
of all kinds are charged to the men
tally unbalanced.
Take, for instance, the case of Har-
rison Noel indicted recently in New
Jersey for the murder of little Mary
DAILY, whom he wantonly slew. Noel,
an insane asylum patient, had escaped,
and was later granted parole be-
cause the asylum was so crowded that
he could not be returned Noel killed
Mary Daley in fit of mental madness,
scientists have asserted.
Then there are Richard Loeb and
Nathan Leopold, slayers OF Robert
Franks in Chicago, Loeb and Leopold
were mentally unbalanced, a fact
which saved them from the gallows.
lust in the last few years there have
been scores of cases of murder, as
saults and suicides by insane persons.
And the list is growing.
Eager for Violent Crimes.
Most Of these slayers and other
criminals, records show, were suffer-
ing from disease science has named
dementia praecox, which has the larg-
est toll and produces the most muir
derers and suicides.
The sufferer from dementia praecox
hears voices bidding him to kill. He
may slay, himself he may kill be-
loved parent, or his gloomy thoughts
may cause hmi to kill an innocent per-
son, as in the case of Harrison Noel.
He delights in crimes that thrill All
his egotism and vanity come to the
front
That persons of this type are per-
mitted to go free is due largely to the
parole systems in asylums. Lunatics
who are not fully cured are permitted
to go free, under the system, after
promising to behave The maniac is
supposed to be in charge of a respon-
sible person, but the control seldom
is effective.
Parole for the inmates of insane asy-
lums is permitted in all but three
states OF the union, except for the
criminal lunatics in prisons.
Calls for a Preventive.
Much practical work is being done
along this lina, but meanwhile the
reign of terror of the paroled lunatics
continues to increase rather than abate.
There is still another angle, how
ever, Of the situation. 1t is estimated
that it costs the institutions of the
country at least $s0000O00 a year to
take care of demented ones, and that
the loss of their earnings isst$62, 900,-
900 for the men and Sl0,700,000 for
the women. A grand loss of $123600,
600 year, therefore, results from in
sanity alone.