The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1866-01-13 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

MURDER AND IN SANITY.  The question has been often asked whether a man who is guilty of the crime of self-destruction was insane at the time. Some aver that it is self-evident and requires no proof beyond the fact that suicide has been committed. Then if this be so, ought we not to argue that he who murders his fellow-man is also insane at the time of the commission of the crime? If the first is an act of insanity, why may not the second be considered so. But we do not coincide with the opinion that suicide is of necessity a proof of insanity, and therefore We are not necessitated to admit that murder is. We are fully aware of the fact that the old verdict of felo-de-se is almost obsolete, but that arises more from its uselessness than from its correctness, for a jury hesitate before returning such a verdict, feeling that they would be inflicting a serious outrage upon the feelings, and a lasting disgrace upon surviving relatives: hence they smooth matters over by satisfying their consciences with the belief that the defunct was labouring under temporary insanity when he took away his own life. Tivre can be little doubt, however, that in many cases suicide is committed in moments of the most perfect sanity by persons who have well-calculated the issue, and who have wished to flee the present life at whatever cost. Take, for example, the rifle volunteer, Eli Sykes, who in a moment of temporary insanity murdered his sweetheart, and in a moment of sanity murdered himself. This only goes to prove that suicide may be adeliberate act, and murder may be an act of frenzy. But while admitting this, there is another side to the question. Murder may be a deliberate act, and while Admitting the good intentions of those who desire to abolish capital punishment, we protest against their attempts to prove that murderers are all insane at the time they commit the .deed. In almost every case of conviction for murder, and they are not few now-a-days, some people are found who are ever ready to set UP the plea of insanity, and memoralize the Home Office for a respite upon that plea. One of the latest instances was that of the murderer Forwood, who was executed on Thursday last, at Maidstone. So strong and inilmmtial were the representations made to Sir George Gtey, that he directed the criminal to be examined, but that examination only proved that he was quite sane. His career in crime has been a long and black one, •and it culminated in one of the most appalling crimes it has ever been our duty to record. He deserted his wife in consequence of his having embezzled £l3OO. We then . find him playing at billiards for a large sum, which he says he won from the Honourable Dudley Ward, and for which that gentleman was dunned by the wretched nian's paramour, Mrs. White. Having lived a life of the greatest profligacy, he comes to po-verty—the natural consequence of such a life,—and then his mind is made up to become notorious by a series of horrible murders and affected lunacy. After he had committed the terrible deeds, he goes to claim the reward offered for his apprehension, but he was taken into custody, and his friend had a narrow escape. His whole career has been one of duplicity and crime. First he became a thief, then deserted his wife, afterwards lived in adultery, became a gambler, a; black-leg, and when he had out-run all .his 'evil professions, he deliberately committed the greatest crime of all—murdered his wife and children. What sympathy can e ven.the most tender hearted feel for such a fiend? Even the most conscientious and strenuous advocates for the abolition of capital punishments must remain silent as the "law takes its course." So . long as punishment by death for murder, is the law, let us not endeavour to render it inoperative by the plea of insanity, for if ever man deserved to undergo the extreme penalty of the law, that man was ForWobd or Southey, as he called himself. On Thursday, in the midst of a storm of snow, he was launched from time into eternity, where he will meet the.unoffending victims of his murderous designs at the bar of judgment, where no plea of insanity will be admitted.  The last moments of this extraordinary criminal do not contradict the above remarks, for every act shows his perfect sanity. When the chaplain left him on Wednesday night about half-past ten o'clock, he commenced writing, and was so engaged up to midnight, when he was compelled by the authorities to desist. fie had written a long letter to his paramour, L)lrs• White, which he requested might be given to her if she ever returned from Antra to this country. During the last few days of la e2C" istence all the self-conceit that had been previously exhibited by the culprit, entirely left him, and he must, undoubtedly, under any circumstances, be regarded as a most extraordinary criminal. It appears that the only education he ever received was at a penny-aweek school, and it appears surprising how he should have obtained the acquirements which he undoubtedly possessed. The opinion •of evety one who has come into communication with him appears to be, that if he had had the benefit of a good ethic ttion his talents would have been something extraordnary.--We append the following description of the last sad scene.—" As he was proceeding to the scaffold the prisoner prayed audibly, and just before he was placed upon the drop he shook hands with Maiir Bannister and also with the chaplain, and requested the latter, as a favour, when he was upon the scaffold,  .(//