Itsponsibilifn of fly .'Insane, 
HOMICIDE IN INSANITY. 
BY JOHN P. GRAY, M. D.. LL. D. 
[From the American Journal of Insanity, for -July. 1S75.] of the 
HOMICIDE IN INSANITY. 
JOHN P. GRAY, M. D., LL. D. 
[Read before the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Insti- 
tutions for the Insane, at Auburn, N. Y., May 1875.] 
One of the most perplexing problems in jurisprudence 
consists in determining what constitutes accountability. 
The moral element which enters into the question ren- 
ders it especially difficult. In criminal cases, the ques- 
tion, what constitutes responsibility, in the eye of the 
law, is of the highest consequence to the public as 
well as the individual. The conditions upon which 
the law excuses from responsibility are two. First, 
idiocy or imbecility to the degree of incapacitating 
the person from acquiring the elements of ordinary 
mental culture, so as to render him unable to dis- 
tinguish right and wrong, as ordinarily accepted 
among mankind. Second, insanity, a disease of the 
brain, by reason of which there is produced a change in 
the individual in his way of thinking, feeling and acting, 
[How far the education of idiots and imbeciles may influence the question 
of their responsibility, before the law, is a point that has not yet been 
brought before our courts, either in civil or criminal cases. It certainly is 
an important question in respect to this class.-] 
1 2 
and in consequence of which the judgment becomes so 
obscured that lie is unable to distinguish between right 
and wrong, or to realize the moral quality of any par- 
ticular act. By this, is not meant the ability to differ- 
entiate, merely between right and wrong in the absti act, 
(for the insane generally are able to do this, ) but to 
know the nature and quality of an act so as to be 
able to exercise a choice of action, under freedom of 
will. This implies a power of acting and thinking 
rightly, independently of any overshadowing effect of 
disease tending to disturb the operations of the mind. 
This constitutes the legal test of responsibility. 
The question, therefore, in a case of homicide, is not 
simply whether insanity exists and is ipso facto a bar 
to punishment, but whether there is insanity of such 
character ami degree as to render the person legally in- 
competent to commit a crime. The law undertakes, 
through the courts, to set forth what legal competency 
is. 
If any one should give, himself the labor of reading 
carefully the opinions of courts on this point for the 
past half century, he would settle down to the convic- 
tion that judges differ as well as doctors. However, 
courts have this great advantage that the latest decis- 
ion of the highest tribunal, however it may differ from 
preceding ones, and without reference to the eminence 
of the judges rendering the judgment, is the law until 
changed by further decisions. 
Indeed, a careful reader must be impressed with the 
fact that there has not been a satisfactory formulation 
of opinion on this question by courts. "While experts 
may be called to testify as to states of mind and con- 
ditions of health, it is for the court to declare whether 
such states and conditions constitute irresponsibility." 
Wharton and Stille, § 193. 3 
I have said the moral element renders the question dif- 
ficult. Two elements must enter into any attempt at 
elaborating a formula or definition, viz.: The ability to 
judge of the moral quality of an act, and the ability to 
control one's action in accordance therewith, in the par- 
ticular instance in regard to which the question of 
responsibility arises. It is plain that any inability of 
moral judgment or of control, to constitute such irrespons- 
ibility, must be the offspring of disease of the brain. 
There is a wide difference between such a condition 
and that kind of delinquency, which has its foundation 
in ignorance, in vice, or in any voluntary abandonment to 
irregular, dissipated or vicious habits of thought and 
living, where habitual indulgence in criminal thoughts 
and acts obscures or obliterates the moral sense and 
thus incapacitates for the true perception between right 
and wrong, and impairs the ability to properly choose 
or direct one's actions. ( 
"If the speculations of the school or closet lead us to the belief 
t hat insanity may sometimes occur through the dominating power 
of a mental habit, without the intervention of disease, such opin- 
ions will be found foreign to the practical questions to be decided 
in courts of criminal justice. However interesting it may be to 
the psychologist to trace the growtli of a vicious indulgence in 
some passion or instinct through all the gradations of mental habit, 
until he feels himself justified in denominating the result, a state 
of insanity; he must not forget that in the trials of criminal sup- 
posed to be insane, the question is not alone respecting the exist- 
ence of insanity, but respecting that of irresponsibility also. The 
man who would claim for a criminal, exemption from punishment 
on the plea of insanity, arising from the vicious and uncontrolled 
indulgence in some passion or emotion, would have to establish not 
oidy the existence of such a form of insanity, but to defend two 
other positions; namely, that a man is not responsible for conduct 
resulting from vicious habits of mind, provided the latter gain 
over him a complete mastery, and compel him, contrary to all dic- 
tates of prudence, to actions injurious to society and ruinous to 
himself. And secondly, that neither the fear, nor the infliction of 4 
punishment, will prove efficacious in preventing the repetition of 
such acts. 
It would bo a puerile employment to show the untenable nature 
of such positions, and it must suffice to express in this place our 
conviction, that insanity resulting solely from vicious habits of 
mind without disease, cannot confer irresponsibility for criminal 
acts; and that punishment, or more properly speaking, corrective 
discipline, is competent to restrain its mischievous manifestations. 
Cicero says, that all fools are insane; and Hale, that all crimi- 
nals are insane; and when folly and criminality have reached their 
climax and borne their fruits, it is not an edifying spectacle to be- 
hold the psychological physician stepping forward for the purpose 
of claiming immunity for the offender. 
The element of disease therefore in abnormal conditions of mind 
is the touchstone of irresponsibility, and the detection of its ex- 
istence or non-existence is the peculiar and oftentimes the difficult 
test of the psychopathist."-Bucknill Criminal Lunacy, pp. 20. 
This distinction between actual disease on the one 
hand, and mere demoralization on the other, should al- 
ways be kept in mind. So also a vicious education 
from childhood, or entire ignorance, can not, in law, 
excuse from the consequences of criminal acts, although 
their subjects may be able to distinguish but very 
imperfectly between right and wrong. There may be 
such a suppression or perversion of moral sense as to 
prevent or confuse the exercise of ordinary judgment, 
as to the rights of others. Such was probably the 
case in the boy Pomeroy, of Boston, who was recently 
tried and convicted of torturing, and finally mur- 
dering children. I recall a similiar case, that of 
Mike Ferguson, who was hung in Ithaca, a few vears 
ago, for murdering two persons, in the most brutal man- 
ner, and afterwards setting fire to the house. After 
sentence, an appeal was made for commutation to im- 
prisonment for life, and the Governor directed me to 
examine him. I found him weak-minded and incapaci- 
tated for the acquisition of the rudiments of education, 5 
to a marked degree, but lie was not an idiot and 
was not insane. lie knew the consequences of such a 
erime, and endeavored to conceal it by burning the 
buildings and escaping. He carried away the axe with 
which he committed the crime, and dropped it into the 
middle of the lake. lie was indifferent to his fate, said 
he should do the same thing again under similiar cir- 
eumstances. I considered him a pronounced imbecile, 
and recommended commutation, but the Governor did 
not deem it advisable to interfere with the course of 
the law, as the law, through the court, had already con- 
sidered the question of his condition. If the prisoner 
knew what the law was, and the consequences of his 
acts, and sought to evade these consequences, by con- 
cealment of the crime, and was neither an idiot nor 
insane, he ought to suffer the penalty of the law. 
There may be, and there doubtless are such cases, in 
which clemency is proper, and can be exercised in the 
interests of humanity and good government, but they 
represent no phase of insanity, since the element of dis- 
ease is not present. 
The character of an act, however atrocious, can not 
become an element or factor, in the question of irrespons- 
ibility, except as shown to be the offspring of disease 
of the brain. I use the words disease of the brain, as 
I do not wish to be understood, even by implication, as 
having any sympathy with the doctrines of a reflex or 
spinal-cord mind. Insanity consisting of a group of 
physical conditions, and mental manifestations, and be- 
ing a departure of the individual from his normal 
standard of physical and mental condition, a stand- 
point of judgment must be chosen for each individual 
ease. Insanity is not a given sum of mental weakness 
and aberration. It is variable as found in different indi- 
viduals. Furthermore, it can not be expressed in any 6 
fixed formula of language, by setting forth certain 
characteristics, as present or absent. Medical science 
has aimed to give such a formula or definition, as 
would embrace a central, universal, dominating charac- 
teristic, something pathognomonic, around which the 
peculiarities of individual cases might be grouped, but 
even this has not been successfully accomplished. In- 
deed, at the starting point we are met with the fact 
that doctors, and especially experts, are not agreed as 
to what insanity is, much less responsibility. Turning 
to works on insanity, and particularly to works on 
jurisprudence, one can not but be struck, not only with 
the failure to give a satisfactory definition of insanity, 
but with the positive disagreement as to its essential 
nature. Whether it affects the whole mind, or is partial, 
only affecting certain faculties, so-called; whether it is 
an actual disease of the mind, and may exist independ- 
ently of morbid conditions of body, or, whether the 
whole man, body and mind is not merely a physical 
thing, with only such responsibility as social law or 
expediency may give it. While doctors disagree, the 
courts assume all the responsibility. They lay down 
the test of right and wrong as heretofore stated, and 
reserve the right and power of saying what insanity be- 
fore the law is, and what responsibility is. They ask the 
intent of the crime ? From what it springs? The mov- 
ing incentive or motive ? These are all embraced in the 
power of seeing the right and wrong of a given act. 
'fhe legal test does not raise the question, as to whether 
the individual has or has not a general knowledge of 
right and wrong, but simply as to the act for which he 
stands charged, and makes excuse. It is no answer 
that the insane generally know right and wrong, and 
are largely governed by the same motives by which 
they were governed in health. Lawyers do often ask 7 
this question of experts, and it is generally answered 
in the affirmative. This test suggests no conflict be- 
tween law and medical science. The plea in defense, 
is incapacity, loss of direction of mind, loss of power 
over the will, insanity, a man not himself, really in 
essence the same as the legal test suggests or demands. 
To declare a man insane, would seem to be sufficient to 
cast a doubt on all his acts. However, it is claimed, 
as before suggested, by medical men, who are recognized 
as experts, that the whole judgment is not necessarily 
clouded, that parts of the mind are clear and untouched, 
that a man may have an unclouded intellect, but be in- 
sane in his moral nature. That obscuration and aberra- 
tion, are not so much questions of degree, as of kind; 
that insanity is of two kinds, one of the intellectual, and 
one of the moral man, or intellectual and moral insanity. 
Further, that these two kinds might be present in the 
same individual, in various forms and combinations, or 
that a man might have various forms of either kind; 
that only a part of the intellectual nature might be in- 
volved, or a pait of the moral nature, or a little of both. 
To those who believe in the absolute divisibility of 
mind, who are truly phrenologists, such a theory must 
be acceptable. By those who believe in the unity of 
mind, and hold that the mental being consists of a 
moral and intellectual nature indissolubly combined, 
such a theory could not be received or entertained. 
Now if insanity has a physical basis and is actually 
a disease of the brain, which is now generally admitted, 
it ought not to make any difference in determining as 
to responsibility, whether the individual is intellectu- 
ally or morally insane. In fact to be morally insane 
would be the worse of the two. Kight and wrong are 
moral considerations. Mere intellect can not take into 
consideration the moral quality of the act. Bucknill 
says: 8 
" The sense of duty, the feeling of right and wrong, is an innate 
principle of the human mind, implanted by the Almighty, and 
serving as a sure foundation for the responsibility of man for his 
actions; which is thus not left to chance development, but is ren- 
dered an essential and necessary part of human nature." (Crim. 
Lun. pp. 29.) 
If moral insanity exists, then the test of right and 
wrong is absolutely necessary, as it applies to the 
quality of the act. It would only remain then 
to diagnosticate the disease. One authority says, 
" without psychological knowledge, the most experi- 
enced superintendent of the insane is incompetent; 
for the question whether one function of the mind 
can become insane while the rest remain sane is to 
be decided, mainly on psychological grounds." ( ^Vhar- 
ton and Stille, §275.) The same authority says in 
another connection. "By almost all modern psycholo- 
gists, by all the governmental forensico-legal experts of 
Germany, by whom such great breadth and ability of 
diagnosis is exhibited, and by whom such unparalleled 
patience and compass of induction are exercised, by at 
least a preponderating weight of opinion among English 
and American alienists, the theory of distinct moral 
monomania, the mind remaining sane, is not only repu- 
diated but denounced." (§ 196.) 
It is in regard to crimes that the question of responsi- 
bility is most serious. The experience I have had in 
the observation and treatment of the insane leads me 
to the conclusion that differences in cases are due to de- 
gree and not to kind of insanity, modified by habits of 
thought, education, social influence, Ac. That cases of 
mania, melancholia and dementia are not to be di- 
vided into kinds, as moral and intellectual, but into 
degrees of intensity as to mental obscuration, breadth 
of delusions and enfeeblement of mental action. 9 
I do not, at this time, propose to discuss at length the 
question of the existence or non-existence of monomania, 
as claimed by certain writers. It is rather my purpose 
here to give a series of clinical cases, which have passed 
under my personal observation for a period of twenty- 
five years past, embracing a large number of cases of 
actual homicide, as w'ell as unsuccessful attempts at 
homicide, and threats looking to such a crime. 
One of the tendencies of the progress of physiology, 
in our day, unfortunately, has been to lower the esti- 
mate of our moral nature, by ascribing to it an exclu- 
sively physical basis. If this latter were true, as a 
postulate, then we should expect to find moral degra- 
dation, keeping pace uniformly with physical deteriora- 
tion ; since by no possibility could the moral nature, if 
a constant dependent upon the physical, stand at all 
when the latter was undermined. But what are the 
true facts ? What does the field of clinical medicine 
daily reveal to us ? Why simply this, that the major- 
ity of diseases, and among them the most wasting in 
their extent of blood and cell, as phthisis, cancer, 
marasmus, produce no corresponding deterioration of 
the moral nature. A man may indeed be depressed in 
dyspepsia and hopeful in consumption, but those states 
are only passing clouds or gleams of sunlight, upon his 
mental or moral horizon, which in no sense necessarily 
involve his moral affections. They do not impair or 
destroy his love of truth, his hatred of wrong, or essen- 
tially affect the manner in which he discharges his 
duties as a citizen to society. So that the argument 
from nature rather sustains the view that the moral 
nature is something intended to remain, as it was origi- 
nally placed, above the immediate reach of physical 
causes; and, therefore, whenever it is reached by them 
it is through changes which are not directly nor exclu- 10 
sively material, but by a surrender of the individual 
to excesses on the one hand and their consequences, or on 
the other to deteriorating popular errors in hygiene, in 
its broad sense. Thus, for example, in a circle of society 
where pallor and a certain valetudinarianism are consid- 
ered marks of high birth and culture, and in which these 
marks are sustained by certain conditions of life, robust- 
ness and ordinary sensibility would be looked upon as 
a declension in tone of blood. This actual and culti- 
vated physical deterioration is by no means necessarily 
marked by moral declension. 
Responsibility is not measured by any physical stand- 
ard, nor is crime. If crime be, as some assert, simply 
or possibly automatic, a something springing out 
of the physical nature, then all law, under social or- 
ganization, is a conspiracy against our nature, and 
men would have no more right to punish each other 
for infractions of law than they would have to punish 
each other for being born with bodily defects. All 
social order rests on either voluntary self-restraint, or 
forcible. The moment a man loses his capacity of self- 
control he becomes dangerous to the well-being of 
society, and in consequence should be restrained, either 
as a criminal or an insane person. But in neither of 
those conditions are his acts automatic. Automatism 
can not be predicated of thought occupied with external 
things as its originator or ultimate purpose. We are 
acted upon by things outside of ourselves before we 
return an act towards them. Hence, some conscious- 
ness and reflection accompany the initiatory stages of 
any human action. The error of a purely physiologi- 
cal view of mental action consists in giving it an exclu- 
sively physical origin and basis, regardless of the fact 
that mind has acted with great vigor in many condi- 
tions of bodily disease, involving various organs, and 11 
the nervous system, and even the brain. Thus men like 
Robert Hall and Heinrich Heine, the victims of spinal 
disease, unquestionably acting, by sympathy of contigu- 
ity at least, upon the brain, have produced immortal 
works in which nothing like impaired mental and moral 
power can be detected. Such examples, which experi- 
ence could multiply indefinitely, should make us wary 
of accepting theories of mental action, purely gratui- 
tous, as these illustrations show. On the other hand it 
is not safe to affirm absolute independence of mind on 
bodily influence, for all clinical experience teaches the 
contrarv. The golden mean lies in acknowledging a 
limit of the power of each over the other, though we 
may never be able to fix the exact line where physi- 
ology ends and psychology begins. But it is apparent 
enough that the mind is always the superior in endur- 
ance, and in consequence is not readily dethroned by 
causes, however material. It is nevertheless true that 
when mind does give way the evidences are generally 
first seen in the moral affections. Could we eliminate 
from human experience such dominant subjects as 
domestic life, religion and social law, all coming within 
our moral nature, the regions of the passions and affec- 
tions, the character of lunacy would itself be modified 
as well as our ideas of crime and responsibility. But 
we are constantly to take into consideration moral ideas 
either in the form of duty to God, to kindred, to society 
as w'ell as to self. Unless this is done, the moral na- 
ture, born of physically produced, and unrestrained 
tendencies, is swept away. To this extent, therefore, 
crime may have a physical basis for its execution, 
though not necessarily for its existence in man. M. 
Despine in his attempt to unfold the etiology of crime 
has treated it mainly as a problem in physiology which 
view if logically carried out would undermine all re- 12 
sponsibility and establish for absolute truth and justice 
a doctrine of expediency, and necessitate the most ab- 
solute despotism to save society from drifting into 
anarchy. 
In reality it is not a problem of either physics or 
metaphysics, exclusively, but of both, and the factors 
which enter into it, are as manifold as those which go 
to make up character, as parentage, sex, temperament, 
education, habits of body and mind all of which must 
be considered. A diagnosis in criminal cases, requires 
searching into all the past, as well as the present circum- 
stances of the individual's life. In this way alone can 
we differentiate between the sane, and the insane man. 
Thus we ascertain his original and normal standard, and 
aie able to mark the departure from it, whether by dis- 
ease or demoralization. 
And since neither physics nor metaphysics alone, can 
decide the question, apart from the personal characteris- 
tics of the individual case, so we are reminded that it 
is by keeping constantly in view the original dual 
nature of man, that we can resolve with any approxi- 
mation to correctness and justice, problems of criminal 
responsibility. 
A striking characteristic of the criminal class, as a 
whole, is not an enfeebled physical condition, recognized 
at a glance, as in the insane, but on the contrary, a 
state of robustness of health, with power of endurance 
of the vicissitudes of season and exposure, interruption 
of sleep and irregular diet, and all without apparent 
affect. Many of this class, make good soldiers and 
sailors, and conquer circumstances under pressure. 
Surely then the physical sensations, which are assumed 
to prove the invariable basis of crime, must be tonify- 
ing, rather than debilitating agents, since they so closely 
simulate health, and but for the crime, would be called 
perfection of functions. 13 
Iii order to reconcile these patent contradictions in the 
premises, it is then assumed that such persons are psy- 
chologically insane, although they present this high 
type of physical life, and present no higher symptoms 
than belong to the ordinary exercise of free will. Kill- 
ing, certainly, is not to be taken as a proof of insanity 
or disease, and neithei are stealing or lying any more 
than levity out of place, or any other oddity of 
behavior. 
However, in the case of Mrs. McCarthy, tried in 
Utica, a few years ago, for shooting at a man and kill- 
ing another person in a street car, which she had de- 
liberately watched and entered, two doctors, one of whom 
had had an experience of some years with the insane, 
testified to the instantaneous character of insanitv, and 
one of them that the purpose to kill, was the essence 
of the insanity, and the shooting, both the culmination 
and cure of the disease, as it relieved the morbid feeling. 
The case of Sickles, that of General Cole, and that 
of McFarland, were of the same type. 
I see no ground on which to rest an hypothesis of an 
impulsive insanity, or to justify an incorporation in our 
medical jurisprudence of such a form. I can not 
conceive of a homicidal act, impulsive, without 
motive, delusion, or passion, simply a so-called impulse 
to kill, and a careful analysis of clinical cases, under 
my own observation, as well as a large experience in 
the examination of criminals, sustains this view. Impul- 
sive disease can not exist. The term impulse used to 
describe certain acts of the insane, executed suddenly, 
and without apparent premeditation, may be proper 
enough, as qualifying a mental state during an act, as 
impulsive homicide, but this does not justify the trans 
position into homicidal impulse. Such transposition 
would show, not that the acts were apparently unpre- 14 
meditated and sudden, but that in the mind there was 
suddenly generated a murderous impulse, an irresistible 
power, which, without the intervention of reason, or 
any intellectual act or motive, suddenly impels to the 
physical act. Man is not the prey of blind impulse. 
In presenting actual cases of insanity,in which crimes 
were committed, I desire to determine, as far as possi- 
ble, what the influencing motives or conditions are, as 
by clinical cases only, can the problem be solved. I 
present them under a slight modification of the divis- 
ions, suggested by Dr. Bucknill, some years ago, in his 
most admirable monograph, on " Criminal Lunacy." 
His classification was as follows: 
"I. Those wherein the crime has been occasioned by 
delusion, and no reasonable person can doubt or object 
to the irresponsibility of the offender. 
II. Wherein the offender, though suffering from 
7 o o 
mental disease, has committed the crime under the in- 
fluence of some motive, not ot a delusive character. 
III. Where with general symptoms of cerebro- 
mental disease, neither delusion, nor motive for the 
clime, are discoverable." 
The fifty-eight cases of homicide here presented, may 
he classified wilder the following divisions: 
1. Those in which the crime was the direct offspring 
of delusion. 
II. Those in which the crime was committed during 
a paroxysm of insanity. 
III. Those in which the crime was committed by 
manifestly insane persons, from motives and conditions 
which might influence a sane mind, as anger, revenge, 
O '070' 
mistaken identity, drunkenness, <kc. 15 
IV. Cases of epilepsy, in which the crime was com- 
mitted while the persons were in the epileptic circle, or 
changed mental condition, following the fit. 
V. Cases of mania a potu. 
VI. Cases of delirium tremens. 
VII. Not insane. 
MOTIVE OR DELUSION UNDER WHICH THE HOMICIDE WAS 
COMMITTED. 
In thirty-nine cases the patients were laboring under 
definite delusions which apparently controlled their ac- 
tion. In eight cases the homicide was committed during 
a paroxysm of insanity. Of the three cases of the 
third division, one committed the homicide from per- 
sonal hatred and revenge, one from mistaken identity 
and one while intoxicated. There were five cases of 
epilepsy; two of them committed the homicide in a 
maniacal paroxysm, and three in the condition of mental 
disturbance, following the fit. Of the latter number, 
two acted from delusions, and one denied all recollec- 
tion of having committed the alleged crime. One case 
of mania A potu, committed the crime, during a parox- 
ysm, and had no recollection of it. Of the two cases of 
delirium tremens, one feigned dementia after recovery, 
and the other, though said to have had the disease, as- 
serted he was merely drunk at the time; manifested 
no evidence of the disease when committed to the 
Asylum. Four were not insane, of these one feigned 
acute mania, and one was an intemperate imbecile. 16 
Dementia, 
Men. 
10 
Women. 
2 
Total. 
12 
Melancholia, 
4 
8 
12 
Chronic Mania, 
8 
1 
9 
Epilepsy, 
3 
2 
5 
Acute Mania, 
5 
Sub-Acute Mania, 
3 
1 
4 
Paroxysmal Mania, 
1 
1 
2 
Paresis, 
2 
2 
Delirium Tremens, 
2 
o 
Mania a Potu, 
1 
1 
Xot Insane, 
4 
4 
58 
FORM OF INSANITY. 
The preponderance of cases of dementia among the 
mon, and of melancholia among the women, is noticeable. 
By Shooting, 12 
By Beating with Stone, Chair, Plank, Club, Ac., .... 11 
By Stabbing, 8 
By Blows from Axe, 8 
By Cutting Throat, 6 
By Choking, Smothering, Strangling, 5 
By Cutting with Knife, Kazor, Hoe, Handsaw, 4 
By Throwing Victim out of Window, 1 
By Drowning, I 
By Poisoning, 1 
By Roasting, 1 
Total, 58 
The whole number of persons killed was sixty-eiglit 
and several were more or less severely wounded. 
Sex.-Of the fifty-eight persons who committed hom- 
icide, forty-three were men, and fifteen were women. 
Age.-Under twenty years two men and one woman. 
Between twenty and thirty, seven men and two 
women. 
Between thirty and forty, fourteen men and seven 
women. 
mode of committing homicide. TABULATION OF FACTS 
Relating to Fifty-eight Cases of Homicide, committed by persons subsequently admitted to the N. Y. S. L. A., at 
Utica, N. Y., from 1843 to 
6 
SEX. 
AGE. 
ADMIT- 
TED. 
HABITS. 
HEREDITARY 
TENDENCY. 
FORM OF 
INSANITY. 
MODE OF 
HOMICIDE. 
MOTIVE OR DELUSION. 
INJURIES TO SELF * 
SUICIDAL ATTEMPTS. 
PARTICULARS REGARD- 
ING CRIMES-TIME, Ac. 
REMARKS. 
RESULT. 
i 
Man. 
32 
May, 1843. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed boy by repeat- 
ed stabs with pitch- 
fork and knife. 
Personal hatred and revenge. 
None. 
In daytime, murder premedi- 
tated, plans of concealment 
arranged, weapons washed. 
Had Reputation of being a 
bad man. 
Demented removed to Co» 
Asylum, after 19 years. 
2 
Woman. 
44 
Sept., 1843. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Paroxysmal 
Mania. 
Killed two children 
by cutting throat. 
In maniacal paroxysm. 
Suicidal. 
In daytime. 
Attempted to kill husband. 
Discharged Recovered. 
3 
Man. 
40 
May, 1S45. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Killed neighbor's 
wife by stabbing 
and burning. 
Delusion, that he was the ob- 
ject of plots and evil de- 
signs. 
None. 
In d*ytime. 
Afterward a dangerous man. 
Reported in Journal of In- 
sanity, January, 1846. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
4 
Man. 
25 
Aug., 1846. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Epilepsy. 
Killed a man on 
canal boat with 
pike pole. 
In paroxysm following fit. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Made violent attacks after 
epileptic fits. 
Died in Asylum. 
5 
Man. 
40 
Oct., 1843. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Acute Mania. 
Killed a man in the 
street by stabbing. 
Delusion, he was following 
him to rob him. 
None. 
In daytime 
A violent, suspicious and 
revengeful man. 
Recovered. 
6 
Man. 
50 
Jan., 1850. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed neighbor by 
stabbing. 
Delusion, man was unkindly 
disposed toward him. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Dangerous man, made and se- 
creted instruments to kill 
those whom he disliked. 
After three years eloped, 
and died on way home. 
7 
Man. 
30 
Oct., 1359. 
Temperate. 
Yes. 
Acute Mania. 
Killed two men on 
deck of steamboat 
by stabbing. 
Delusion, they were about to 
murder him. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Afterwardjumped overboard. 
Recovered. 
8 
Man. 
SO 
Nov., 1850. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Acute Mania. 
Killed two men by 
stabbing, wounded 
several others. 
In maniacal paroxysm. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Was shot and captured. 
Recovered. 
9 
Man. 
51 
June, 1851. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Melancholia. 
Killed a neighbor by 
shooting. 
Delusion, he was plotting 
against him. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Gave himself up, evinced no 
sorrow or regret. 
Recovered. 
10 
Woman. 
53 
Mar., 1852. 
Temperate. 
Insane parentage. 
Sub-Acute 
Mania. 
Killed neighbor's 
child, dashed 
head against wall. 
In maniacal paroxysm. 
Attempted Suicide. 
In daytime. 
An excellent Christian woman. 
Recovered. 
11 
Man. 
32 
April, 1852. 
Temperate. 
Father Insane. 
Acute Mania. 
Killed mistress by 
stabbing. 
Delusion, she was plotting 
against him. 
None. 
In daytime. 
A dangerous man. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
12 
Man. 
35 
April, 1852. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
General 
Paresis. 
Knocked down and 
stamped to death a 
kinsman. 
Delusion, that he was inimical 
to him. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Deliberately. 
Died within a year in 
Asylum. 
13 
Man. 
29 
Mar., 1853. 
Intemperate. 
Insane parentage. 
Dementia fol- 
lowing Mel- 
ancholia. 
Killed father by sin- 
gle blow from club. 
Suddenly awakened, mistook 
him for person endeavoring 
to injure father. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Had been insane some months. 
Recovered. 
14 
Man. 
42 
Jun?, 1S53. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Killed a man plough- 
ing in neighboring 
field by shooting. 
Delusion, obeying command 
of God* 
Very Suicidal. 
In daytime. 
Loaded gun. shot 
deliberately. 
Died in Asylum. 
13 
Man. 
33 
Aug., 1853. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Not Insane. 
Killed brother-in-law 
with an ax. 
Family Troubles. 
None. 
In evening. 
Acquitted on second trial on 
ground of insanity. 
Discharged by order of 
Court; not insane. 
16 
Man. 
42 
Mar., 1854. 
Temperate. 
Yes. 
Melancholia. 
Killed wife by cut- 
itng throat, also at- 
t aoked daughter. 
Delusion, under Divine 
command. 
None. 
Deliberately; immediately 
passed into profound stupor. 
Refused food, emaciated and 
demented when admitted. 
Had no recollection of 
homicide. Recovered. 
17 
Man. 
56 
May, 1854. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Cut off wife's head 
with ax. 
Delusion, jealous of wife. 
None. 
In daytime, deliberately. 
Gave himself up, and desired 
to be hung. 
Had perfect recollection of 
homicide. Recovered. 
18 
Man. 
40 
May, 1851. 
Intemperate. 
Insane parentage. 
General 
Paresis. 
Killed neighbor by 
shooting. 
Delusion, neighbor was trying 
to get his supposed wealth 
from him. 
None. 
In daytime, deliberately. 
Was pale and emaciated. 
Died in a few months, in 
Asylum. 
19 
Woman. 
35 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia fol- 
lowing Mel- 
ancholia. 
Killed child by dasn- 
ing head against 
wall. 
In a paroxysm. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Had for two years been jeal- 
of husband, without cause. 
Transferred to County 
Asylum. 
20 
Man. 
45 
Feb., 1855. 
Intemperate. 
Insane parentage. 
Dei'm tremens 
afterward 
feign'd dem'a. 
Killed one child and 
wounded others, 
with a razor. 
Paroxysm of frenzy. 
None. 
In evening. 
Was tried; jury disagreed; 
was sent to asylum, where 
he feigned dementia. 
Eloped; not insane. 
21 
Man. 
so 
May, 1855. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Killed wife and three 
children with knife. 
Delusions existing, but con 
cealed. . 
None. 
In daytime, said lie had rea- 
sons, but would not tell 
them. 
Wm imprisoned a long time 
before sent to asylum. 
Died in Asylum. 
22 
Woman. 
S5 
Oct., 1355. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia fol- 
lowing child 
birth. 
Cut off husband's 
head with a hoe. 
Delusion, husband was not 
legally married to her. 
None. 
In daytime; husband taking 
nap after dinner. 
Of gentle disposition. 
Discharged by Court. 
23 
Woman. 
27 
Mar., 1858. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Melancholia. 
Killed four children 
with an ax. 
Delusion, to send them to 
Heaven. 
Cut her throat. 
lu daytime, depressed from 
intemperance of husband, 
poverty and disappointment. 
Of great evenness and gentle- 
ness of temper. 
Transferred to County 
Asylum. 
24 
Man. 
22 
April, 1857. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Killed stranger by 
shooting, and robbed 
him. 
Delusion, Influenced by 
spirits. 
None. 
In daytime, on the road, 
deliberately. 
Reported in full; Journal of 
Insanity, January, 1853. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
25 
Man. 
53 
May, 1857. 
Temperate. 
No. 
Not Insane. 
Killed a man by 
shooting twice in 
the groin. 
Ill feeling toward the man; 
revenge. 
None. 
In daytime, on the road delib- 
erately. 
Said he had been induced to 
plead insanity by counsel. 
Discharged after fourteen 
months, not insane. 
26 
Man. 
52 
April, 1858. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Not Insane. 
Killed a man by 
Bhootingr. 
Man owed patient money. 
None. 
Was tried, condemned to be 
hung, feigned insanity. 
Feigned Acuto Mania. 
Returned to Prison. Died 
soon after. 
27 
Man. 
48 
Feb., 1859. 
Unknown. 
Unknown. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed his'wife by 
snooting. 
Delusion, mandate from the 
Lord. 
None. 
Made no effort to escape. 
Attacked otners, saying they 
were instrumental in killing 
his wife. 
Discharged, 
by order of Court. 
28 
Man. 
32 
June, 1359. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Killed brother by 
choking. 
In a quarrel, both drunk. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Had been in an Asylum. 
Transfered to Criminal 
Asylum. 
29 
Woman. 
49 
Sept., 1859. 
Temperate. 
No. 
Melancholia. 
Killed her son with a 
stone. 
Delusion, she and her children 
were coming to want. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Had been depressed for two 
years. 
Recovered. 
33 
Man. 
40 
Sept., 1859. 
Intemperate. 
No. 
Dementia. 
Killed his wife with 
a chair. 
In a paroxysm. 
Had fracture of skull. 
In daytime. 
No recollection of the homi- 
cide. 
Eloped and died. 
31 
Woman. 
30 
July, 1859. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Melancholia. 
Killed child by 
choking. 
Delusion, that it might go to 
heaven. 
Cut her throat. 
In daytime. 
Had complained much of 
headache and depres- 
sion. 
Committed suicide by sus- 
pension in Asylum. 
32 
Man. 
IS 
Jan. 1361. 
Temperate. 
No. 
Epilepsy. 
Killed a woman with 
a hatchet. 
In paroxysm following fit. 
None. 
In daytime, arrested in street, 
hands and clothes bloody. 
Served in the army, after- 
wards married. 
Improved and Eloped. 
33 
Man. 
31 
Dec., 1861. 
Intemperate. 
No. 
Acute Mania. 
Killed his mother bj' 
throwing her out 
of a window. 
Delusion, he was the third per- 
son of the Trinity. 
None. 
Denied any recollection of 
homicide. 
Had same delusion in subse- 
quent paroxysms. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
31 
Man. 
50 
Oct., 1852. 
Temperate. 
Pat. aunt and sis- 
ter Insane. 
Melancholia. 
Killed mother, cut 
her throat. 
Delusion, heard voice of God 
commanding him to make a 
sacrifice. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Recollected and regretted 
homicide. 
Recovered. 
35 
Woman. 
40 
April, 1361. 
Temperate. 
Mother and Bister 
insane. 
Melancholia. 
Kilted child struck it 
with a stick, choked 
it, cut its throat. 
Delusion, her milk would poi- 
son the child and she ought 
to kill it. 
Attempted suicide by 
taking arsenic. 
In daytime. 
Expressed great sorrow 
for act. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
36 
Man. 
39 
Sept., 1861. 
Temperate. 
Maternal aunt 
insane. 
Sub-Acute 
Mania. 
Killed wife by chok- 
ing. 
Delusion, she ruined his health 
by witchcraft. 
None. 
In daytime, on the road. 
Was maniacal and violent 
to others. 
Recovered. 
37 
Man. 
S3 
Oct., 1864. 
Unknown. 
Unknown. 
Melancholia. 
Killed wife and child 
with an ax. 
Delusion, they were coming 
to want. 
Suicidal. 
In night-time in bed. 
Had served in army. 
Recovered. 
38 
Woman. 
38 
Dec., 186-1, 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Cut husband up with 
an ax. while he was 
intoxicated. 
Delusion, that he was 
the Devil. 
None. 
Unknown. 
Was sentenced and remained 
in prison a year. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
89 
Man. 
22 
Dec., 1861. 
Temperate. 
Father and 4 pat. 
cousins insane, 2 
sisters mutes. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed his father with 
a butcher knife. 
Delusion, that he was com- 
manded by Moses who was 
present. 
Attempted suicide. 
In night-time. 
A deaf mute. 
Transferred to County 
Asylum. 
40 
Man. 
47 
Nov., 1865. 
Intemperate. 
No. 
Paroxysmal 
Mania. 
Killed a man with a 
piece of plank. 
In maniacal paroxysm. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Mistook identity of persons; 
a dangerous man. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
41 
Man. 
85 
Feb., 1S67. 
Temperate. 
Paternal cousin 
insane. 
Dementia. 
Killed wife by boat- 
ing her. 
Delusion, he was Jehovah. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Very suicidal in Asylum. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
42 
Woman. 
22 
Feb., 1867. 
Temperate. 
No. 
Melancholia. 
Drowned child in a 
boiler of water. 
Delusion, had committed un- 
pardonable sm, and could 
not take care of it. 
Attempted suicide, by 
taking paregoric. 
In night time. 
Had thrown child into the 
enow before. 
Recovered. 
43 
Woman. 
18 
June, 1867. 
Temperate. 
Father insane. 
Melancholia. 
Killed child by 
smothering. 
Delusion, to put it out of 
misery. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Called all children her own, 
justified the killing. 
Recovered. 
44 
Man. 
43 
Aug., 1867. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Sub-Acute 
Mania. 
Killed wife by strang- 
ling her with whip- 
lash. 
Delusion, she had drugged 
him. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Sent son to order a coffin 
for her. 
Discharged Unimproved, 
in Charge of Friends. 
43 
Man. 
20 
Oct., 1867. 
Intemperate. 
Father Insane. 
Not Insane. 
Killed his mother by 
shooting. 
Intoxicated. 
Shot himself same time. 
In daytime. 
Imbecile ; whe,n a boy was 
shot in dorsal vertebras. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
18 
W oman. 
31 
April, 1870. 
Temperate. 
Unknown. 
Melancholia. 
Killed child, cut 
throat. 
Delusion, to save it from 
Buffering. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Very Suicidal in asylum. 
Eloped. 
47 
Man. 
64 
Jan., 1871. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Dementia. 
Killed wife with ax. 
Delusion, saw face of God in 
the ax, heard command of 
God. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Expressed no sorrow, and did 
not think he had done any 
wrong. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
48 
Man. 
36 
April, 1871. 
Intemperate. 
Mother Insane. 
Epilepsy. 
Killed stranger in a 
bar-room by shoot- 
ing. 
Delusions of fear and sus- 
picion. 
None. 
In evening. 
Denied any recollection of 
occurrence. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
49 
Man. 
42 
Mar., 1871. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Mania a Potu. 
Killed wife by beat- 
ing her. 
In maniacal paroxysm. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Had previous attacks of 
delirium tremens. 
Recovered. 
50 
Woman. 
39 
Mar., 1871. 
Temperate. 
Paternal grand- 
uncle. 
Melancholia. 
Killed two men by 
shooting. 
Delusion, she had been raped. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Seldom speaks. 
Still in Asylum. 
51 
Haq. 
27 
Jan., 1872. 
Unknown. 
Pat. uncle & mat. 
grandmother 
and aunt, insane. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed child by cut- 
ting throat and at- 
tempted to killwife. 
Delusion of supernatural 
power, had hallucina- 
tions of sight. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Shiftless and unkind in family. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
52 
Man. 
43 
July, 1372. 
Intemperate. 
Pat. uncle Insane. 
Said to have 
had Delirium 
Tremens. 
Killed man in a sa- 
loon by shooting. 
To avoid exposure of his 
conduct. 
None. 
In evening. 
Had been Deputy Sheriff, and 
was City Marshal. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
;c3 
Woman. 
49 
Sept., 1872. 
Temperate. 
No. 
Epilepsy. 
Killed husband by 
poisoning. 
Persistently denied crime. 
Nono. 
Asserted husband poisoned 
self because he had syphilis. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
51 
Man, 
40 
Feb., 1873. 
Unknown. 
No. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed a man with a 
shovel. 
Delusion, he was God and 
man was anti-Christ. 
None. 
In night-time. 
Went to a Justice and report- 
ed the crime. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
55 
Man. 
25 
July, 1872. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Sub-Acute 
Mania. 
Killed mother, shot 
her. 
1 Delusions of fear and suspic- 
ion, ordered by God. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Shot a man in arm. 
Died in Asylum. 
56 
Man. 
57 
July, 1873. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed wife, with 
hand saw. 
Delusion, that he was to be 
killed. 
Suicidal. 
In daytime. 
Injured daughter severely. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
57 
Man. 
88 
Sept., 1873. 
Intemperate. 
Unknown. 
Chronic 
Mania. 
Killed stranger, with 
ax. 
Delusion, under direction of 
God. 
None. 
In daytime. 
Suddenly, without premed- 
itation. 
Transferred to Criminal 
Asylum. 
58 
Woman. 
35 
Jan., 1875. 
Intemperate. 
No. 
Epilepsy. 
Killed child by roast- 
ing on stove. 
In condition following fit. 
None. 
In daytime. 
No recollection of it. 
Reported in Journal of Insan- 
v ity, April, 1875. 
Still in Asylum. 
k - - - - ■-- - - - ; -- «--»■ -r r- ' J-*- 1 " 17 
Between forty and fifty, thirteen men and four women. 
Between fifty and sixty, seven men and one woman. 
Between sixty and seventy, one man. 
The youngest was a boy of eighteen, and the oldest 
a man of sixty-four years. 
The great majority, thirty-seven in number, were 
between thirty and fifty years of age following the usual 
rule, regarding the time of the occurrence of insanity. 
Habits.-Fourteen men and thirteen women were 
reported as being of temperate habits; twenty-five men 
and two women were intemperate; while in four men 
the habits were unascertained. 
Heredity.-Fourteen men and four women were said 
to have had an hereditary tendency. This is nearly 
thirty-three per cent, of the whole number. 
Time.-In thirty-eight cases, the homicide was com- 
mitted in the daytime; in ten cases in the night time; in 
four cases in the evening, and in six cases the time was 
unascertained. In ten cases there were evidences of 
preparation and deliberation in the commission of the 
act. 
Suicidal.-Seven men and four women attempted 
suicide after the commission of the crime. 
Results.-Eighteen were transferred to the Criminal 
Asylum at Auburn ; sixteen w'ere discharged recovered; 
six died in the Asylum; four were removed to County 
Asylums, profoundly demented; three were discharged 
by order of a Court; five eloped; two were removed 
by friends; one committed suicide; one was returned to 
prison for sentence, and two remain in the Asylum. 
We give the histories of the preceding cases with 
such detail of facts as we have been able to obtain. 
2 18 
Case I.-Admitted May, 1843. Male, aged 32, laborer, no ed- 
ucation, no religious belief, a man of bad habits; chronic mania 
following prolonged ill-health; killed the adopted son of his 
brother-in-law by repeated stabs with a pitch-fork and knife. 
The murder was premeditated, well-arranged plans of conceal- 
ment were laid and carried out, the instruments were carefully 
washed, and the body buried under the barn. His motives were 
grounded in personal hatred and revenge. He had always borne 
the reputation of being a bad man. The act was committed in 
the daytime. Demented, and after nineteen years was removed 
to the County Asylum. 
Case II.-Admitted September, 1843. Female, mother of a 
family, aged 44, of common education, good habits, and even tem- 
per. Paroxysmal mania, commencing at climacteric period. Dur- 
ing one of her paroxysms, while in a furiously maniacal state, she 
cut the throats of two of her children, and attempted the life of 
her husband. When homicidal was always suicidal. The act was 
committed in the daytime. Discharged, recovered. 
Case III.-Admitted May, 1845. Male, aged 40, a cabinet- 
maker, of intemperate habits. Under the delusion that he was 
the object of plots and evil designs, he killed a neighbor's wife by 
stabbing and burning. It was early in the morning, and she was 
in bed with her child. He set the only door of the house on fire, 
and on her attempting to escape, struck and stabbed her with a 
stick, in the end of which a piece of iron was inserted. She had 
three ribs broken and received a punctured wound of the thigh, 
was severely burned and died soon after. The patient barricaded 
himself in his shanty which was entered through the roof by the 
officers. Transferred to Asylum for Insane Criminals. Case reported, 
with evidence, in American Journal of Insanity-January, 1846. 
Case IV.-Admitted August, 1846. Male, aged 25, a boatman, 
no education or religious belief, but of fair morals and an industri- 
ous man. The hereditary tendencies in the case arc not known. In 
a paroxysm of violence and insanity, killed a man in daytime on 
a canal boat, with a pike pole. Was tried and sent to the State 
prison, where he was found to be insane. Had there frequent par- 
oxysms of insanity, in which he made desperate assaults upon sev- 
eral persons, and was a very violent and dangerous man. His 
epileptic paroxysms succeeded each other at brief intervals, and 
marked his periods of violence. Died in the Asylum. 19 
Case V.-Admitted October, 1848. Male, aged 40, a wealthy 
land speculator, of intemperate habits; was a violent, revengeful, 
suspicious man. At the first outbreak of an attack of acute mania, 
stabbed a man in the street, in the daytime, under the delusion 
that he was following his footsteps to rob him. Recovered, and 
eloped from the Asylum. 
Case VI.-Admitted January, 1850. Male, aged 50, farmer, of 
violent and ungoverned temper, a drunkard; was laboring under 
chronic mania, caused by his prolonged intemperance. One morn- 
ing openly stabbed a neighbor, under the delusion that he was un- 
kindly disposed to him. Was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 
prison for life. Was there found to be insane, and sent to Asylum. 
Was a very dangerous man, constantly secreting and making in- 
struments with which to kill those whom he disliked. After three 
years he escaped, and died on his way home. 
Case VII.-Admitted October, 1850. Male, aged 30, a laborer, 
of good habits, of hereditary taint. Had an attack of acute mania, 
induced by fatigue and anxiety; the first indication of which was 
a maniacal frenzy, during which, as a matter of resistance, under 
the delusion that he was about to be murdered, he stabbed two 
men on the deck of a steamboat, and then jumped overboard. 
Act was committed in the daytime. Discharged, recovered. 
Case VIII.-Admitted November, 1850. Male, Sandwich Is- 
lander, aged 30, a sailor, of good habits, educated. His purse was 
stolen by the steward of the vessel while in port; and under the 
impression that he was doing right, he stabbed the steward, when 
an attempt was made to arrest him. In maniacal frenzy he killed 
two men by stabbing, and wounded several others : was finally 
shot down and captured. Acute mania continued for some time. 
Was acquitted on the ground of insanity. Discharged, recovered. 
Case IX.-Admitted June, 1851- Male, aged 51, of intemper- 
ate habits; had an attack of melancholia, induced by his vicious 
indulgences. One morning, after breakfast, shot a neighbor, un- 
der the delusion that he was plotting against him. Gave himself 
up to the authorities, evincing no regret or sorrow. Discharged, 
recovered. 
Case X.-Admitted March, 1852. Female, aged 58, of insane 
parentage, a worthy member of the Baptist church. Had an at- 
tack of sub-acute mania, caused by domestic trouble. In a par- 20 
oxysm of maniacal passion she killed a neighbor's child by dash- 
ing its head against the wall. She was also suicidal. Discharged, 
recovered. 
Case XI.-Admitted April, 1852. Male, aged 32, a gardener, of 
good habits, inherited insanity from his father. He had deserted 
his wife in Ireland, and was living with another woman. Had an 
attack of acute mania and was sent to Blackwell's Island; alter a 
time became quiet, and his mistress was allowed to take him out 
on pass. The same night, he killed her by stabbing, under the 
delusion she was plotting against him. Continued a very danger- 
ous man, and after some years was transferred to the Asylum 
for Insane Criminals. 
Case XII-Admitted April, 1852. Male, aged 35, a laborer, 
was an intemperate man, and of intemperate ancestry. W as for 
some time depressed and suspicious. One morning he went forth 
deliberately and knocked down and stamped upon a kinsman 
until he was dead, under the delusion that he was inimical to 
him. The following day he passed into an acutely maniacal state, 
demented rapidly, and died of general paralysis before the end of 
the year. 
Case XIII.-Admitted March, 1853. Male, aged 29, a boatman, 
of intemperate habits, and of insane parentage; had been in a 
melancholy state for some months. His father went to his room 
one evening to ascertain whether his son was at home. Having 
no light, he repeated his name several times. Patient, who was 
dozing upon his bed, sprang up, thinking his father was shouting 
for help, seized a club, and encountering him in the dark, killed 
him by a single blow. Was demented when admitted to Asylum. 
Discharged, recovered. 
Case XIV.-Admitted June, 1853. Male, aged 42, a peddler, of 
intemperate habits; was demented from long continued dissipation. 
He loaded a gun one morning, and under the delusion that he was 
obeying a command of God, shot a man who was plowing in a 
neighboring field. Was very suicidal. Died in the Asylum. 
Case XV.-Admitted August, 1853. Male, aged 33, a cabinet- 
maker, of good habits, a Swedenborgian; killed his brother-in-law 
with an axe. The act was committed in the evening and in con- 
nection with some family difference. On second trial, after pro- 
longed imprisonment, was acquitted on the ground of insanity. 
Was subsequently discharged by the Court as not insane. 21 
Case XVI.-Admitted March, 1854. Male, aged 42, farmer 
sober and industrious, of a kind and amiable disposition. Hered- 
itary taint in family. Had twice suffered from insanity. Sud- 
denly, and without assigned cause, became gloomy and depressed; 
talked much about his soul, and the earthly and future welfare of 
his family. Read his bible a great deal, finally secluded him- 
self, and on one occasion prayed for thirty hours in succession, 
without rising from his knees. Thought he could look directly 
into heaven, and converse with the Saviour. Suddenly became 
composed, took his razor very deliberately, and cut his wife's 
throat to the vertebrae, producing instant death. He then made a 
similar attack upon his daughter, who, however, escaped from him 
with the remainder of the family. Patient at once sank into pro- 
found stupor, refused food, rapidly emaciated, and was brought to 
the Asylum demented. Subsequently retained only a dreamy 
recollection of the homicide. Discharged, recovered. 
Case XVII.-Admitted May, 1854. Male, aged 56, a quiet, in- 
dustrious man, the father of ten children. Was slightly intem- 
perate, rather reserved in disposition, but kind to his family. 
Began to complain of intense headache, became jealous of his 
aged wife, and cross to his children. One morning walked out to 
the woodpile, procured an axe, returned to the house, knocked 
down his wife, dragged her to the door, and deliberately cut off her 
head. The children fled and aroused the neighbors. Patient gave 
himself up and desired to be hung. On opening of the Court he 
was so evidently insane that he was sent to the Asylum with- 
out trial. When admitted, was laboring under dementia. Seldom 
spoke of the act, of which, however, he had a perfect recol- 
lection. Discharged, recovered. 
Case XVIII.-Admitted May, 1854. Male, aged 40, shiftless 
and uneducated, abjectly poor, lived with and was supported by 
his sisters. Was addicted to the free use of intoxicating drinks; 
was of insane parentage. Became silent, pale and emaciated; 
soon imagined that he was possessed of great wealth, which his 
neighbors were trying to get away from him, and under this de- 
lusion procured a gun and shot one of them. Was brought to 
the Asylum, and in a few months died of general paralysis. 
Case XIX.-Admitted August, 1854. Female, aged 36, of an 
even temper and gentle disposition. While nursing hex- child, and iix 
rather delicate health, contracted an ungrounded jealousy of her 
husband. This continued for two years. At times she was also 22 
suspicious of and violent toward others. One morning locked her- 
. self in the house and barricaded the windows and doors. Attempts 
were made to gain admission, when, in a paroxysm of maniacal 
passion, she seized her children by the feet and dashed their heads 
against the wall, fracturing the skulls of two, one of whom died. 
She was brought to the institution in a state of dementia, and was 
subsequently removed to the County Asylum. Discharged, unim- 
proved. 
Case XX.-Admitted February, 1855. Male, aged 45, a- 
clergyman, of academic education: of insane parentage, of intem- 
perate habits, and violent, ungovernable disposition. Had an 
attack of mania d potu, during which he made a murderous as- 
sault upon his family with a razor. He killed one child, and 
wounded others. After a trial, in which the jury could not agree, 
and pending a second, was sent to the Asylum on order of Judge. 
Feigned dementia. He eloped in 1855. Not insane. 
Case XXI.-Admitted May, 1855. A laborer, of temperate 
habits, but of violent, passionate disposition. Became very angry 
with his wife on account of her refusing to sign a deed of convey- 
ance. Subsequently killed her and three children with a knife. 
Committed the act in the daytime. Did not deny it, but said he 
had his reasons for it. Was demented when admitted. Was long 
imprisoned before being sent to the Asylum. Had a large scrof- 
ulous tumor upon his neck; said that he had always had it. Died. 
Case XXII.-Admitted October, 1855. Female, aged 35, Ger- 
man, religiously educated, and of gentle disposition; had de- 
mentia following child birth. Had a delusion that her husband was 
not really married to her-that he was an adulterer. On his re 
turning from his work at noon, one day, he lay down to rest while 
his dinner was preparing. Falling into a light sleep, the wife, 
seized the opportunity to cut off his head with a hoe. Became 
profoundly demented, and was discharged by order of Court. 
Case XXIII.-Admitted March, 1856. Female, aged 27, of in- 
sane parentage, religiously educated, member of Episcopal church, 
of great evenness and gentleness of disposition ; was subject to 
periods of depression, owing to the intemperance of her husband, 
poverty, disappointment, and home-sickness. Had attempted 
suicide. One Sabbath morning, and while she was laboring under 
depression, her husband left to go fishing. In his absence she 
seized an axe, killed four of her children, and cut her own throat.. 
Demented, and was transferred to County Asylum. 23 
Case XXIV.-Admitted April, 1857. Male, aged 22, a shoe- 
maker, unmarried, habit of self abuse. Procured a pistol, went to 
a road which farmers, returning from market, were accustomed 
to travel; was invited by a man, whom he supposed to be a farmer 
with money, to ride with him; rode some distance, then got be- 
hind him, shot and robbed him, and threw the body out of the 
wagon; drove into Jersey City, and offered the team for sale, 
claimed he had purchased the pistol to defend himself against 
enemies; heard voices threatening him; was so manifestly insane 
that on preliminary examination at trial was sent to Asylum, 
whence he was transferred to Asylum for Insane Criminals. Case 
reported, with evidence, in American Journal of Insanity, Jan- 
uary 1858. 
Case XXV.-Admitted May, 1857. Man, aged 53, married, 
five children, farmer, good habits, native New York. Patient had 
been a hard-working man, and had by his labor acquired possession 
of a large and valuable farm. He was on bad terms with neigh- 
bor whom he shot, and had not spoken to him for twelve years. 
This neighbor had done many things to irritate and annoy him, 
and patient suspected that he had injured his stock, as breaking 
the legs and ribs of his pigs, stabbing his horse, &c., an instance 
of which occurred the day before; annoyances had angered him; 
he had been moody and suspicious, a condition which was after- 
ward on trial, attributed to insanity; this was the state of feeling 
between the parties when the homicide was committed. On this oc- 
casion the murdered man drove by his house several times, and pur- 
posely attracted his attention; the man took a double barrelled gun, 
advanced to within six feet, and without uttering a word, dis- 
charged the contents of one barrel into his groin; a struggle then 
ensued, in which the second barrel was discharged into the other 
groin. The victim lingered for eighteen hours. The man was 
sent to jail, after some two months was tried, acquitted on the 
ground of insanity, and sent to the Asylum. He remained four- 
teen months, but gave no indications of insanity, disclaimed the 
idea of being insane, and said he was-induced to make this plea 
by his counsel, with a view of escaping the consequences of his 
crime. Not insane. 
Case XXVI.-Admitted April, 1858. Man, aged 52, married, 
butcher, intemperate, Catholic, native of Ireland, reads and writes, 
heredity unknown. Two years before admission, he shot a man 
who owed him money. The act was committed on the Suspension 
Bridge, American side, but the wounded man died in Canada. 24 
After about one year, the prisoner was tried and though the plea 
of insanity was interposed as a defense, he was convicted of mur- 
der in the first degree. The question of jurisdiction was then 
raised, and immediately after its settlement, or about two months 
before his admission to the Asylum, he showed, as was supposed, 
symptoms of acute mania. An inquisition de lunatico was held, 
the prisoner was declared insane, and sent by the County Judge 
to the Asylum. On admission he was noisy, talkative, called phy- 
sician the Pope, uttered oaths, which he called his prayers. He, 
however, presented no physical signs of mental disorder. His sim- 
ulation was at once detected, and in two days he dropped all at- 
tempts at feigning. He was kept in the Asylum for seven months, 
and upon repeated careful examinations and the absence of any 
signs of insanity during the whole period, he was returned to the 
county authorities as a case of simulated insanity, and was within 
three days sentenced to be hung. Immediately thereafter he be- 
came again noisy and restless, and in about a month died in jail, 
from erysipelas. Not insane. 
Case XXVII.-Admitted February, 1859. Man, aged 48, wid- 
ower, cooper, common education, Catholic, hereditary and previous 
habits unknown. Patient had for two years had periods of vio- 
lence, and during one of these shot his wife with a gun, under the 
delusion that he " had a mandate from the Lord.''' He made no 
effort to escape, was arrested and indicted for murder in the first 
degree. He was so manifestly insane, that he was sent to the Asy- 
lum upon the order of the Court. During the whole time he was 
under observation, he maintained he was commanded to commit 
the act. In the periods of excitement to which he was subject, he 
attacked others under the delusion, that they were instrumental 
in his killing his wife. At intervals he employed himself, and ex- 
pressed great regret for violence committed when under excite- 
ment. He gradually became quiet and demented, and after seven 
years was discharged by the Court, as a harmless lunatic. 
Case XXVIII.-Admitted June, 1859. Man, aged 32, single, 
longshoreman, intemperate, Catholic, no education, native of Ire- 
land, heredity unknown. He was arraigned on the charge of 
manslaughter, for having killed his brother. They were both in- 
temperate men, but lived together on good terms. The testi- 
mony shows that upon the night of the homicide, the brother was 
intoxicated and boisterous, and that the patient took him to the 
room to keep him quiet, and prevent his being arrested by the 25 
police. The witness who with his wife lived in a room near by 
was aroused by a scuffle between the brothers. On knocking at the 
door, the brother asserted patient was choking him, but he denied 
it, and said he was trying to keep his brother in. On being 
again disturbed, witness said he found patient talking but the 
brother made no reply. On going a third time to the door, wit- 
ness was told by patient not to come again, as they were not 
making any noise. Soon after twelve o'clock, witness was awak- 
ened by patient who desired some matches. The request was 
refused, but in a short time, he came again, and said his 
brother was dying, witness said you choked your brother, he re- 
qdied "he wanted to choke me but I was the better man." Wit- 
ness went in, there was no light, and found the brother lying 
across the bed, dead. The tick was torn and the straw was 
scattered about the room. The wife of the witness confirmed the 
foregoing statements. To the policeman who was summoned, and 
who accused him of the murder, he answered, " I did not mean to do 
it, he struck me first." Dr. Moses H. Ranney, Superintendent of 
the City Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island, testified, that 
he had been an inmate of the Institution for some sixteen 
months, and left there two years before. That while there he 
" fancied certain persons attempted to poison him," and that at 
time of present examination patient told him " that within a few 
days an attempt had been made by a fellow prisoner on his life, 
who tried to choke him, he resisted, and a fight was the result." 
A verdict of not guilty, on the ground of insanity was ren- 
dered, and the he was sent to the Asylum. For a period he 
was quiet, walked up and down the ward, talking to himself, but 
was irritable if in any way disturbed. At length he became in- 
terested in the stock, especially the pigs, which he claimed as his 
own, and helped in their care. He often demanded wages for his 
labor, and presented accounts for thousands of dollars. He was 
transferred to the Asylum for Insane Criminals. 
Case XXIX.-Admitted September, 1859. Woman, aged 49, 
married, two children, common education, member Presbyterian 
church, good habits, native of Scotland, not hereditary. For two 
years she had been melancholic, lost all interest in her household 
affairs, and at intervals was much depressed. At those periods 
asserted that she and her children were coming to want, spoke of 
killing her children because they were not respected as they had been, 
and it was better for them to die than to live. About two months 26 
before admission, she got up in the night, and having put a stone 
in a stocking, killed her son with it. Armed with a similiar 
weapon, she walked twelve miles to the house in which her 
daughter was stopping, intending to kill her, but was arrested be- 
fore she could accomplish the act. She was sent to the Asylum by 
order of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. After about fourteen 
months she recovered and was discharged by the Court. 
Case XXX.--Admitted September, 1859. Man, aged 40, wid- 
ower, eight children, iron workei, no education, uses liquor and 
tobacco, native of England, not hereditary. About a year before 
the homicide, he had his skull fractured by the fall of some 
bricks, lie was treated in the New York Hospital, and discharged 
from there six months before his admission to the Asylum. 
Previous to the injury he had borne a good character and was a 
mild and inoffensive man. After leaving the Hospital he suffered 
much from headache, of a severe character, situated near point of 
fracture. He lost memory and became excessively irritable and 
violent if crossed or opposed in any way, and was sleepless. 
Three months before his admission, he killed his wife during a par- 
oxysm of excitement, by striking her repeatedly with a chair. He 
was arrested and lodged in jail, but denied any knowledge or rec- 
ollection of the crime. He did not manifest any realization of the 
occurrence until sometime after, and when it had been frequently 
told him. He was sent from jail to the Asylum, on the'order of 
the County Judge. For a long period he suffered from headache 
and was at times irritable, but manifested no tendency to commit 
violence. He was emotional and sensitive to the remarks of other 
patients; although able to do light work, any unusual exertion or 
exposure, brought on a return of the headache. He became more 
equable in his feelings, and feeble-minded, remained in the 
Asylum four years, when he eloped. He has since died. 
Case XXXI.-Admitted July, 1860. Woman, aged 30, mar- 
ried, had one child, wife of a small farmer, not a church member, 
reads and writes, good habits, native of Saxony, heredity unknown. 
Since the age of puberty, patient complained much of headache 
and depression of spirits, and at irregular intervals had been quite 
melancholic, refused to see any one, was inclined to wander away, 
and threatened to commit suicide. The paroxysms occurred at 
menstrual periods, which were never regular or normal. Four 
years before the homicide she gave birth to her only child, after 
which she was in more feeble health, and the periods of depression 27 
recurred more frequently. She had been suffering from one of 
these attacks some ten days, when early one morning she went 
into the fields, and told her husband, the little boy was lost, but 
insisted he should not leave his work to look for him. After about 
a half an hour, the father becoming anxious at the absence of both 
mother and child, went to the house in search of them. It was 
deserted, but he found the child on the bed, and a note in the 
handwriting of the mother, across the forehead, which read, "the 
child died an easy death." She could not be found, but sometime 
after made her appearance. She denied having killed it, but 
stated that while engaged in praying with the child it suddenly 
died. The following night she with others watched with the body, 
and appeared to them quite rational. The next morning at about 
six o'clock, she went out but nothing was thought of it until her 
husband's razor case was found upon the table, empty. She was 
discovered in the barn with her throat cut; neither artery was in- 
jured, but the trachea was partly divided. The examination at 
the coroner's inquest showed that the child died of asphyxia, as- 
the lungs were deeply congested, and in places ruptured. Some 
ten days after the commission of the homicide she was brought to 
the Asylum upon the order of the County Judge. She had eaten 
little for a week and was emaciated, seemed to have a partial reali- 
zation of her condition, said she strangled hex- child "that it might 
go to heaven." After admission she was quiet, taciturn, seclusive, 
took food reluctantly and sparingly and slept little, on the six- 
teenth day she succeeded in hanging herself. 
Case XXXII.-Admitted January, 1861. Man, single, aged 18, 
reads and writes, smokes, temperate, native New York, not hered- 
itary. Was subject to attacks of epilepsy, from the age of twelve 
years. The fits varied in frequency from one a month to several 
daily, and their duration from five to fifteen minutes. After the 
occurrence of the disease, he made little progress in his studies. 
There was also a marked change in his character, he lost self-con- 
trol, had periods of excitement, and was at times ugly, was emo- 
tional and governed by his passions. lie had been sent on two 
occasions to a hospital, fox* treatmnnt, without any benefit. His 
father was a carpenter, axid though he was not capable of learning 
the trade, he acquired some manual skill, and occasionally did 
work for a widow who kept a variety store near his residence. 
He was fixing some shelving for her, wheix about midday she was 
found murdered ixx her store ; hex- body was much mangled by hav- 
ing been cut with a hatchet. Search was made and the patient 28 
was arrested as he was walking the street, his hands and clothes 
stained with blood. His epileptic and irresponsible condition was 
proved, and he was sent to the Asylum by order of the Court, 
lie remained some twenty months and during this time improved 
materially. His seizures were infrequent and he gained in mental 
strength. At this time he eloped from the Asylum through the 
connivance of his friends and enlisted in the army. He returned 
from the service, and subsequently married. 
Case XXXII.-Admitted December, 1861. Man, aged 31, 
laborer, common education, Catholic, intemperate, not hereditary. 
Was a bright, active boy, and at the age of nine came to America 
with his mother. He afterward lived with, and supported her by 
his earnings. She indulged in the use of stimulants, and he had 
an occasional spree. His first attack of insanity occurred in 1854, 
immediately after, an unusual indulgence in drinking, while cele- 
brating the fourth of July. He was then suspicious of people, 
and had the delusion that there was a conspiracy against him, but 
soon recovered his ordinary health. Just prior to the attack in 
which the homicide was committed, he had been working and lift- 
ing quite hard, was engaged to be married and was interested in 
an amateur theatrical company. As he expressed it, "I got 
money, Shakespeare, negro minstrels, and matrimony, all mixed 
up," and afterwards became acutely maniacal. He was again sus- 
picious, and had the delusion of conspiracy against him, and that 
he was the third person of the Trinity. This was his condition on 
Saturday, the day before the homicide. On Sunday he threw his 
mother from a fifth story window of the room they occupied, and 
killed her. Of the circumstances immediately attending the oc- 
currence we have no knowledge, and he persistently denied any 
recollection of them. He was arrested and continued violent 
and maniacal. Tn the prison he was very talkative, obscene 
and profane, and struck the physician who had care of him. Af- 
ter some three weeks he was examined, declared insane and sent 
to the Asylum by order of the Court. For a few months he was 
abusive in speech, irritable and indolent, then became quiet and 
industrious. In September, 1862, he had another severe maniacal 
attack, was suspicious, refused food under delusion of being pois- 
oned, and had the same delusion that he was the third person of 
the Trinity, and was dangerous and violent. He continued in this 
condition some two months. In 1863 during the months of July 
and August, he was irritable and depressed. In 1864 and 1865, 29 
he had a recurrence of maniacal attacks, characterized as before. 
In a letter written after his recovery from the attack in '64, he 
says, " that I conceived T was the third person of the Trinity is a 
positive fact, and the same conception came into my head, the first 
time I was sick here and the last time; now it is singular that it is 
only while the attack lasts that I believe this. I do feel ashamed 
when I come to myself and think it over." From this time he was 
quiet and industrious, though somewhat feeble-minded until late 
in 1869, when he again became maniacal. The attack was marked 
by same delusions as were before given. He was transferred to 
the Asylum for Insane Criminals. 
Case XXXIII.-Admitted October, 1862. Man, aged 50, wid- 
ower, three children, farmer, common education, Baptist, temperate, 
native of Connecticut, paternal aunt and sister insane. At the 
age of twenty-five, was thought to have phthisis pulmonalis. He, 
however, subsequently married, and improved in health, though he 
has since been somewhat of an invalid. About a year before the 
homicide, he became depressed and despondent, was restless, 
timid, suspicious of his neighbors, worried much about the state of 
the nation, and lost interest in his business. He continued 
gloomy and melancholic until about three days before, when he 
became noisy, restless, sleepless and suffered much mental agony. 
Being left alone with his mother, he killed her by cutting her 
throat with a razor, he then fell on the floor, frothed at the mouth, 
had muscular twitchings of the face, and remained insensible for an 
hour. After his return to a state of consciousness he remembered 
the occurrence, and asserted that he did it under the belief, that 
to prevent the destruction of the world, a sacrifice was demanded 
of him, and he heard the voice of God commanding him to com- 
mit the act. He was so manifestly insane, that he was not tried, 
but was admitted to the Asylum a week afterward, on a bond as a 
private patient. He was then sleeping little, had a variable appe- 
tite, and was much emaciated,; continued sleepless and depressed, 
had headache and was confused in speech. After five months in 
the Asylum, he writes to his friends, " it seems as if I had been 
handled by some unaccountable and irresistable power, you can 
imagine my feelings, I can not express them. The last days I 
spent at home, seem like a dream, nearly extinct at first, but made 
plainer by thinking of it." He also expressed delusions in regard 
to his neighbors and friends, which he retained for some ten 
months. He gradually improved in health, gave up his delusions, 
and after some eighteen months was discharged recovered. 30 
Case XXXIV.-Admitted April, 1864. Woman, aged 40, 
married, three children, good habits, common education, not a 
•church member, native of New York, mother and sister have been 
insane. Had been married some twelve years, but during the 
whole time had not enjoyed good health, was subject to "nervous 
spells.'"' Her third child was born nine months before the infanti- 
cide, and she was after that time in more feeble health. Two 
weeks before, she attempted suicide by taking a teaspoonful of 
arsenic in molasses. This proved an overdose, and she vomited it. 
In killing the child, she first beat its head with a stick, fracturing 
the skull, choked it, and afterwards cut its throat with a razor. 
After the deed she carried it around in her arms in a frantic man- 
ner. She did it she said, because she thought it was poisoned by 
nursing her after she had taken the arsenic. An examination was 
held, and she was acquitted on the ground of insanity, and sent to 
the Asylum on the order of the Court. She was thin in flesh, 
sleepless and depressed, and had no realization of her condition. 
She. asserted that she could not die, but wished some one could get 
her out of the way. She also gave the same reason, already nar- 
rated for killing her child. During her residence in the Asylum, 
a period of seven years, she was depressed and gloomy, had de- 
lusions that her food did not nourish her, but passed directly 
to her bones, and on this account at times refused it alto- 
gether. She was for a period strongly suicidal, and again noisy 
and maniacal. During the latter part of the time, she was com- 
posed, quiet and interested herself in sewing, but had occasional 
paroxysms. She was transferred to the Asylum for Insane 
Criminals. 
Case XXXV.-Admitted September, 1864. Man, aged 30, 
widower, farmer, common education, Methodist, temperate, native of 
New York, maternal aunt insane. About eighteen months before 
the commission of the homicide, he became insane, asserted he had 
a revelation from Heaven, and that by laying hands upon the sick 
they would recover, visited from house to house, giving warning 
to people to flee from the wrath to come, lie became incoherent 
in speech, threw his food away, and on one occasion threw his 
wife's shoes in the fire and choked her. He was restless and sleep- 
less. After some two months he became natural, and was thought, 
to have recovered his ordinary mental condition, though physi- 
cally debilitated. A month before the homicide, he became ex- 
hausted by his labor and was said to have suffered from an attack 
of fever, (probably sub-acute mania,) of some two weeks duration ; 31 
during convalescence he was irritable, restless and sleepless, was 
suspicious of people, that they were plotting against him, broke 
dishes at the table, and induced fear in his family. At this time 
he went out to drive with his wife ; they had been gone but a short 
time when she was heard to cry murder, by neighbors who were 
following them ; was found by them with his knee upon her breast, 
and his lingers upon her throat; she was lying on the ground dead. 
He was highly excited, incoherent and violent, toward those who 
approached him, and this condition lasted two hours. He then 
became calm, and on being informed of what he had done, was greatly 
affected. A few days thereafter he was brought to the Asylum on 
bond of friends; he was quiet, coherent in conversation, but mani- 
fested mental enfeeblement. lie recollected the affair, said he was 
unwell at the time, and entertained the delusion that his wife and 
others, by witchcraft, had affected his health, that on the morning 
of the murder, he had determined to ride out with her, and talk 
the matter over pleasantly, but as soon as he commenced conversa- 
tion he became frantic and could not control himself. He slowly 
gained in mental and physical condition, and after six months was 
removed by friends contrary to advice, as he was considered a 
dangerous man. He was not arraigned or tried. 
Case XXXVI.-Admitted October, 1864. Man, aged 33, mar- 
ried, one child, farmer, Lutheran, native of Germany. He was 
drafted in 1863, and soon after became insane; he was sent to the 
Government Hospital for Insane at Washington, whence he was 
discharged after a few months, and returned home. Was unwell 
for some time, and finding himself unable to work for his family, 
became depressed and melancholic, said they would all come to 
want, and that it was best to kill his family and himself to avoid 
the impending danger. He killed his wife and child while they 
were in bed, with an axe, but was prevented from killing himself 
, by the intervention of the neighbors. He was arrested and tried 
on an indictment for murder. The jury under charge of the Court 
declared the prisoner not guilty, on the ground of insanity. Ho 
was sent by order of the Court to the Asylum. He improved fav- 
orably, and after nine months was discharged recovered. 
Case XXXVH.-Admitted December, 1864. Woman, aged 38, 
widow, two children, native of Ireland, Catholic, no education, in- 
temperate, heredity unknown. She was an intemperate woman, 
and with her husband kept a low drinking house. She killed him 
by cutting him up with an axe, while he was in a state of beastly 32 
intoxication. She was tried and sentenced to be hung, but the 
sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life, and she was sent 
to Sing Sing where she remained for a year. For a few months 
she was quiet and worked industriously, but for the last six months 
in prison was noisy, maniacal, and made dangerous attacks 
upon others, had hallucinations of sight and hearing, declared she 
saw her husband and talked to him, also that she had a child in 
bed with her, and called people to see it. At times she pounded 
the wall, saying she was striking her husband. To prevent injury 
to others she was secluded, and finally brought to the Asylum 
upon the order of the Prison Inspectors. She was much of the 
time noisy, boisterous, profane, obscene, violent, insisted her hus- 
band was here, and was hungry, and demanded he should be fed. 
At times she was dangerous to those who had charge of her, from 
her violence. She retained her hallucinations of sight and hearing, 
especially regarding her husband; she had no realization of hav- 
ing killed him, and if the matter was referred to, constantly 
asserted she "cut the Devil up." She continued in the institu- 
tion for six and a half years, when she was sent to the Asylum for 
Insane Criminals. 
Case XXXVIII.-Admitted December, 1864. Man, aged 22, 
single, farm laborer, Baptist, deaf mute, temperate, native New 
York. Father insane and four paternal cousins. Parents are 
cousins, two sisters are mutes. He was a stout healthy boy, and 
at the age of ten years was sent to the school for deaf mutes, where 
he made good progress and showed considerable aptitude for 
learning. After returning home he worked upon a farm. In July, 
1862, after a period of revival meetings he joined a church, and 
then began to complain of God's injustice to him for making him 
a mute; considered it a visitation of Providence for the sins of 
his ancestors. At times he thought himself very wicked, and 
once attempted suicide. He was afterward in June, 1864, taken to 
the County Asylum, and after two months was discharged as well. 
He was quiet, worked faithfully, but entertained exalted religious 
delusions, and was incoherent. In November, 1864, he claimed to 
be the brother of Moses, often looked out the window as if expect- 
ing some one, and informed his friends at whose house he was 
staying, he was looking for Moses who had promised to come and 
burn Rochester, New York and Washington, for their wickedness. 
When laughed at he became angry, claimed that God would pun- 
ish those acting thus, and requested a friend to write to President 
Lincoln for permission to kill three men whom he knew had 33 
cohabited with sheep. The same night he was restless, went to 
the front door, and seemed to be welcoming persons whom lie in- 
dicated were Moses, Christ and God. The next day his parents 
were informed of his condition, and the day following came for 
him. He received them pleasantly and remained with them during 
the evening. About midnight he went to the door and again wel- 
comed God to the house. At this time he communicated to a 
friend who was watching him, that God had pardoned his father 
and mother for the night, as he did not wish to shed blood in his 
friend's house. The next morning he desired to go to church, and 
when his father opposed it, threatened to cut his throat, and made 
an effort to seize him. Owing to his violent condition, application 
was made for his admission to the County Asylum, but was re- 
fused, and he was taken home. At nine o'clock he retired, but 
finding the bolt removed from his door, went down and ordered 
his mother to make a bed in another room, but as she refused he did 
it himself. At half past ten he went to his parent's bed-room, 
armed with a butcher knife, which he had obtained from the 
pantry. His father hearing him coming down stairs had arisen 
and was lighting a candle. lie stabbed his father in the thorax 
cutting down through into his abdomen, and then endeavored to 
reach his mother, but was prevented by his father, although so 
severely wounded that he died the next morning. He was ar- 
rested and afterwards sent to the Asylum on the order of the 
County Judge. After remaining quiet and comfortable some two 
months, became violent, destructive and incoherent. He subse- 
quently grew feeble-minded and silly in his actions, and after a resi- 
dence here of some years was removed to the County Asylum as a 
harmless lunatic, by order of a Court. 
Case LX.-Admitted November 22, 1865. Man, aged 47, 
married, four children, mason, common education, intemperate, 
native New York, not hereditary. Was first admitted to the 
Asylum in 1863 ; had lor years led an intemperate and vicious 
life, and for a few weeks had been acutely maniacal, violent 
and dangerous; was lodged in jail, and thence sent to the 
Asylum. He passed through an ordinary attack of acute mania, 
and after six months was discharged, recovered. He continued 
well some fifteen months, though keeping up his intemperate hab 
its; when he became again insane, accused people of having 
robbed him, was boisterous, kicked down a door of a hotel where 
he demanded admission late at night, was arrested, lodged in jail, 
3 34 
and thence transferred to the County House. Being noisy, violent, 
and maniacal, he was confined in a'cell. On the second day he 
broke through the side cf the cell which was of two inch plank, by 
jumping against it. With a piece of the planking thus obtained 
he furiously attacked a fellow patient whom he met, and beat his 
brains out. He mistook the identity of persons and insisted that 
he had killed the keeper who, he asserted, had killed him four or 
five times. He was tried on indictment for murder, declared in- 
sane, and sent to the Asylum. The maniacal excitement and vio- 
lence continued; had delusions that he was under the direct 
guidance of the Almighty, and that he had killed the keeper ot 
the Asylum. After about six months he became quiet, talked 
coherently and was in a comfortable condition, but retained his delu- 
sions; was a treacherous, dangerous man, and had several maniacal 
paroxysms. After some four years he was transferred to the Asy- 
lum for Insane Criminals. 
Case XLI-Admitted February, 1867. Man,aged 35,widower, 
five children, farmer, common education, member Methodist 
Church, temperate, paternal cousin insane. He served for three 
years in the army, and returned in the fall of 1865. From his 
friends we obtained the following history. That after his return 
from the army he did not seem natural, at times acted stupid 
and foolish, and did many strange things. Among them he un- 
dressed his children and pretended to baptize them, put them 
naked under the bed, and said they were in Hell, that on one occa- 
sion he pursued his sister with a scythe, and that one rainy night 
he compelled her to carry a lantern all night in the woods, while 
he said he was chasing the Devil. During several months he con- 
ducted thus, but again seemed rational. Three weeks before 
the homicide he was at times raving, and on several occasions 
went to his mother's who lived near him and prayed for hours as 
loud as he could talk. His mother and sister became afraid of 
him and locked the house against him. During his absence in the 
army, his wife proved unfaithful to him, and confessed her infidel- 
ity. He laid her on the floor, walked over her and whipped her 
with a strap to drive the Devil out of her. He also killed a cat, 
six geese and his horse; the latter he took into the house and cov- 
ered with the bedding, while himself and wife lay on the bed cords, 
lie then urinated upon the floor, and having washed the blood 
from his feet, drank of it, compelled his wife to do so, and then 
pronounced them clean and pure. He took excrements from his 
wife's bowels and ate of them. While naked he chased his wife 35 
around the house also naked, saying he was driving the Devil out 
of her, and in this condition they danced before the children. A 
complaint was entered against him for beating his wife, but at the 
trial she refused to testify against him, saying she had deserved it 
all, and it was just. The complaint was dismissed. At this time, 
in the court room he sprinkled the floor and chairs with water, and 
called them pure. Two days before the homicide he went to a 
neighboring village with his wife'; she drove the horse, but he 
went on foot, and part of the time on the top of stone fences, on 
all fours like an animal. Tn the village he stopped people and 
announced himself as Jesus Christ. On the way homo he attracted 
the attention of the sheriff, who met him walking arm in arm 
with his wife; he did not talk or answer any questions. The 
second night after this he murdered his wife, beating her with 
savage cruelty in sight of his children, who were deterred by his 
threats from rendering assistance. In the morning, the wife was 
found dead in bed, with her leg broken and put up in a po Itice by 
a brother-in-law. He was arrested and taken to jail, where he was 
in a dull and stupid state most of the time. He ate well, was at 
times noisy at night. After a few weeks he was sent to the Asy- 
lum by order of the Court. He was much demented, could 
rarely be induced to talk, laughed foolishly without cause, and 
made many peculiar motions and gesticulations. His extrem- 
ities were cold and congested, skin greasy, and facial lines greatly 
obliterated. Occasionally he was excited and talkative, and then 
asserted that he stood in the place of God; that his name after 
leaving the earth would be Jah, Jehovah; that he was God in full 
till he married, and then parted with a portion of his power. He 
gradually became more demented, and was sometimes filthy in his 
habits. He remained in the Asylum for nearly three years, when 
he was transferred to the Asylum for Insane Criminals. 
Case XLH.-Admitted February, 1867. Woman, age 22, mar- 
ried, one child, housekeeper, Methodist, good habits, native of 
New A ork, not hereditary. She enjoyed good health in early life. 
At the age of sixteen ran away from home and married, but lived 
unpleasantly with her husband. Four months before admission 
she was delivered of her only child. She had complained much of 
headache, which returned after child birth. She then became 
gloomy and depressed, and three weeks before the infanticide 
threw her child from the window into the snow, and then took par- 
egoric to kill herself. The child was rescued by its grand-pa- 
rents. Although closely watched she secretly got out of bed- 36 
drowned her child in a boiler of water and returned without awak- 
ening her husband. She was so manifestly insane that no inquest 
was held, and she was sent to the Asylum on the order of the Super- 
intendent of the Poor. She was thin and pale, slept irregularly, 
was strongly suicidal, had the delusion that she had com- 
mitted the unpardonable sin, and also asserted that she had 
killed her child from a sense of duty, as it could not be like other 
children, and- she could never take care of it. She continued de- 
pressed and melancholic, complained of severe pain in the head, 
and made many unsuccessful attempts to strangle and hang herself. 
After some months she improved in health and strength, and real- 
ized her condition. She remained in the Asylum fourteen months 
and was then discharged, recovered. 
Case XLIII.-Admitted June, 1867. Woman, aged 18, married, 
one child, good habits, common education, native of New York, 
hereditary, father insane. She has usually enjoyed good health ; 
was married about two years ago against the wishes of her 
parents; moved west with her husband, but lived unhappily 
with him. She soon became unmanageable, wandered away from 
home, was strange in her conduct and incoherent in speech. Iler 
condition was recognized and she was returned to her father's 
house. During the winter she was more disturbed and violent, 
and in the early spring smothered her child,then two months old; 
asserted that she did it in desperation at the treatment she had 
received, and to put it out of misery, and justified the act. At the 
same time she maintained that her child was not dead, and called 
every child she saw her own. She was committed to the County 
Asylum where she was noisy, maniacal, and destructive, and slept 
poorly. After some two weeks she became quiet, and seemed ra- 
tional. She was, however, sent to the State Asylum by order of 
the county judge. On admission she asserted that her friends 
had tried to poison her, and feared she was Jo be taken away and 
hung. She gradually improved in both mental and physical con- 
dition, and after six months was discharged recovered. 
Case XLIV.-Admitted August 1867. Man, aged 43, wid- 
ower, four children, farmer, common education, not a church 
member, good habits, native of Gemany, heredity unknown. Uis 
insanity was first noticed in December, prior to the homicide. lie 
then neglected his business, went often to the village, and spent 
whole days there. Was restless and sleepless; had hallucinations 
of hearing; said he heard threats of burning his barn at night, and 37 
therefore slept near the door; he got up frequently and looked out, 
keeping watch. He also went to neighbors houses at night, and 
on one occasion started at midnight for the village with cattle to 
sell, that he might get by his neighbors; asserted that the mer- 
chants with whom he dealt were suspicious that his money was 
counterfeit. lie accused his wife of infidelity, and of giving him 
poison in his food, and keeping him under the influence of it. This 
he said made his head feel stupid and caused dizziness and loss of 
memory. He also asserted that he had been poisoned by some 
pork sent him by a neighbor. In March he applied to a lawyer to 
get a divorce from his wife on the ground of her infidelity, but he 
could bring no evidence of members of his family to sustain the 
charge. On the morning of the 17th of April his wife was found 
dead with a whip lash tied about her neck, and he is said to have 
sent to the village and ordered a coffin for her. He was arrested, 
declared insane and put under charge of a committee; was re- 
tained in jail till August, when he was brought to the Asylum on 
a bond as a private patient. On admission he maintained the 
same delusions as are given above, but made further statements, 
asserted that on the night of April 10th his wife gave him a drink 
of poison which made him sleep heavily ; that in the night he 
awoke and found his wife's hand upon his throat, and she was try- 
ing to choke him. In the morning his stomach felt as if he had eaten 
nothing for a long time. She gave him some Hostetter's bitters, 
to drink, which she had poisoned, that this produced a violent head- 
ache, made him sick and took away his mind. On the night of the 
homicide, although he claimed he was drugged, he awoke and saw 
his wife in the kitchen standing by the stove; that he went out 
there, found the whip lash on the floor, and does not know any 
other particulars, but supposes he must have choked her. That 
he then went to bed, was restless during the night, but got up at 
dawn and told the children that mother was dead; that he put his 
boy on a horse and sent him to the village to bring some one up ; 
that he went to the justice's, reported the death of his wife, re- 
mained there during the afternoon and then went home. He also 
states that he was taken to jail that evening, and that after he had 
been there some three weeks, the remembrance of the occurrences 
returned to him. In speaking of the murder of his wife, he says: 
God will not punish him, that he did not do wrong, that it was a 
matter of right, necessity, and self-defence, and that he was not re- 
sponsible as he was under the influence of the drug given him by 
his wife. He was quiet and orderly, but in about a month became 38 
maniacal and violent for a short time. He then developed the de- 
lusions that food and air were poisoned, that medicine was given 
him to make him insane, and that his blood had stopped circula- 
ting and been drawn off. He remained quiet, peculiar in his man- 
ner but retained his delusions, during his stay in the Asylum, 
nearly two years, lie was then removed by his committee. 
Case XLV.-Admitted October, 1807. Man, aged 20, single, 
no education, no occupation, not a church member, intemperate, 
father died insane. lie was a bright, intelligent boy, at the age of 
eight years, was injured by the accidental discharge of a pistol in 
the hands of his brother. The charge consisting of a ball and two 
slugs entered the arm just below the shoulder, passed across the 
back, and is asserted to have lodged in the spinal column. Com- 
plete paralysis of the right side took place and continued for six 
months. The power of articulation was lost for the same time, 
and when about a year afterward he returned to school, he was 
found to have lost all knowledge previously acquired from books. 
At the age of seven he learned to chew tobacco, and at nine, after 
he had recovered from the immediate effect of the wound, he began 
to use liquor. Naturally of a mild and kind disposition, when un- 
der the influence of liquor, which he drank to excess whenever he 
could obtain it, he was irritable and violent. His mind was feeble 
and did not develop normally after receipt of the injury. Heat- 
tended school part of the time, and studied with his brother and 
sister at home, but did not learn to read. When he was 14 years 
of age the family removed to the country, and from this time when 
not in school he drove cows and did other chores. He continued 
the excessive use of liquor and tobacco, and had periods when he 
was melancholic, and threatened his own life and the lives of others. 
On the 25th of .lune, 1867, he obtained and drank two glasses of 
liquor. He then went home and having taken a pistol from his 
brother's bed, went down stairs and without saying a word or hav- 
ing had any altercation with her, shot his mother in the head. A 
second shot missed the body, and a third took effect in her side. 
The patient then shot himself, fell, and became unconscious. After 
a half hour had elapsed his brother entered and found both lying 
on the floor. His mother was dead, and patient was seriously 
wounded. The ball entered the right eye, and passed out of the 
right ear. The sight was destroyed, but the hearing was not 
affected. He was arrested, confined in jail, and in October tried. 
He was found insane and sent to the Asylum upon the order of the 
Court. On admission he was quiet and well behaved, ami gave his 39 
own history. Regarding the homicide lie said, that as he entered 
the house in the morning after drinking, the idea of suicide entered 
his mind, and because of his affection for her, he wanted his mother 
to die with him. His general health was fair, his right side was 
paralyzed, and the extremities were atrophied. The right hand was 
much deformed, the palm being turned outward and the fingers 
permanently fixed. The right foot dragged in walking and there 
were choreic movements of the muscles of the face, which was dis- 
figured by the injury, and also of the leg. It will be observed that 
the paralysis was on the same side as the injury. He remained in 
the Asylum for nearly four years, and was a quiet, harmless, and 
tractable imbecile, and was then transferred to the Asylum for 
Insane Criminals. > 
Case XLVL-Admitted April, 1870. Woman, age 31, married, 
two children, good habits, common education, not a church member, 
native of New York, heredity unknown. At birth of eldest 
child, now ten years of age, she had a difficult labor, lost much 
blood and has not been in as good health since. About two years 
ago gave birth to a second child and was still further reduced. 
She soon became excessively irritable, and was at times violent to- 
wards her husband. Two months before her admission, as appears 
f rom the evidence, she had some trouble with her husband. After 
he left the house for Jiis work, she told her little boy she must kill 
the baby to save it from suffering as she had, and then sent him on 
an errand to a neighbors to borrow something. On his return she 
told him she had killed the baby, and directed him to call the 
neighbors to see it. They found it on the floor with its throat cut 
and a piece of rag lying over the wound. She was removed to jail, 
where she ate sparingly, slept irregularly and at times moaned 
and groaned, and again sat silent and moody, denied having killed 
her child, and said her husband would bring it back. She was 
sent to the Asylum upon the order of the Court. After admission 
she was gloomy and depressed, thin in flesh, and most of the time 
silent and seelusive. She complained of pain in head and back, 
refused food, which was administered by stomach tube, and 
was very suicidal, trying to get knives or some instrument with 
which she could accomplish her purpose. In a few months she 
gained in flesh and strength, and was inclined to employ herself. 
She still, however, complained of pain, and of an uncomfortable 
sensation in the head. A year after admission she had some real- 
ization of her condition, and made the following statement : that 
when she killed the child, she wanted to die, and felt they were all 40 
going to hell, and she feared the child would come into the same 
state she was in, and it was better for it and for her that it should 
die. That she had very vague and confused notions of things, 
that every thing seemed in a whirl of sin and wickedness, that she 
acted conscientiously, and thought she was doing right, that she 
used to get up in the night and think she would kill the child, and 
that some evil spirit urged her to do it. She also said that for a 
long time she prayed earnestly to be saved from the sin of murder, 
and that her little boy kept her from killing herself. She gained 
both physically and mentally, and after about fourteen months 
eloped from the Asylum by picking a lock. A short time after 
this she broke her limb by being thrown from a carriage. She was 
so much injured that her friends assumed the charge of her, and 
she is still with them. 
Case XLVH.-Admitted January, 1871. Man, aged 64, wid- 
ower, eight children, farmer, intemperate, not a church member, 
no education, native of New York, heredity unknown. He had 
been an ordinarily healthy man, worked hard at his occupation of 
a farmer, was intemperate in his habits, and often abused his wife. 
Two years before the homicide he had a severe attack of rheu- 
matism, followed by valvular disease of the heart, large deposits 
about the joints, atheromatous arteries, and oedema of the legs. 
He complained of dizziness and disturbance of vision, became sus- 
picious of his wife and son, whom he said were plotting to get his 
property, and left home for longer or shorter periods. At times 
took his clothes to a neighbors to be washed; tied them up in a 
handkerchief and threw them out of the window. Insisted on sell- 
ing his farm to his son, and taking a mortgage for the paltry sum 
of 8100. Before the homicide he went away from home and staid 
all summer with another son, and never mentioned his wife or bus- 
iness while there. After his return went on to a piece of wild land 
adjoining his farm, built a shanty on it and lived there alone for a 
time, but returned to his home because he had " fainting fits " 
there, which he said were brought on by his wife and son. Made 
foolish bargains, and when one of these was broken up, became 
enraged, and afterward refused to do any thing. One morning 
after breakfast, and his sons had gone out to work, nothing un- 
pleasant having occurred, he came out of the house holding up an 
axe, and told his youngest son to tell his oldest brother, who was 
ploughing, that he had killed mother. The eldest son came in and 
found his mother on the floor with her head cut open, and his 
father smoking a pipe. He stated to his son that he had killed 41 
her, that he had seen a face in the axe, that he must go and get 
some women to fix up the body before the girls came home, as 
they would feel badly. He then got up and refilled his pipe, was 
obliged to step over the body to reach the tobacco, and said he 
would watch the body till his son got the women. lie made a 
similar statement on examination in the jail, in October, 1871, and 
asserted that he and his wife were talking together after the boys 
went out, and she thought he ought to do something. He said it 
seemed to him that he got very large, and every thing about him 
was very large; that he himself was as large as a barn, that the 
axe stood near and he could see a large face shining in it, which 
he thought was the face of God. The next thing she screamed, 
and he saw what he had done, and then struck her again with the 
axe to prevent her from suffering. He described these fainting- 
fits as first a dizziness, and then he did not know anything till he 
came out of them, that he had often had them, and believed his 
wife and son brought them on by some influence they had over 
him. He expressed no feeling, did not think he had done any 
thing wrong, and had been very happy since. Said he had been 
converted, and God made him feel it was all right. He was in a 
condition of dementia, hands and feet were oedematous, joints much 
enlarged by deposits, and fingers purplish. Skin was clay colored, 
cold and greasy, and facial lines were partially obliterated. After 
the examination he was sent to the Asylum without a trial on the 
order of the County Judge. While in the Asylum was silent unless 
addressed, serene in countenance, never spoke of family or friends. 
After some six months he was transferred to the Asylum for Insane 
Criminals. 
Case XLVHI.-Admitted April, 1871. Man, aged 36, single, 
picture frame dealer, Catholic, common education, intemperate, 
native of Ireland, mother insane. He had been in America some 
eighteen years, and employed in various capacities, as a laborer on 
railroads, a bar-tender, a peddler, a waiter in hotels, in the commis- 
sary department of the army, and for past two years as a picture 
frame dealer. He had been an habitual drinker, and at times be- 
came intoxicated. On Sunday in which the homicide was com- 
mitted, he went to visit an acquaintance, took tea with him, and 
afterwards a drink of whisky. They then visited a saloon, where 
he met the man whom he killed. They drank together, and soon 
he and his friend left the saloon and started home, on the way they 
quarreled, and he returned to the saloon ; a number of persons 
stood at the bar drinking, and for some ten minutes he listened 
but did not speak; a remark was made by the murdered man that 42 
the name of McClellan was one he respected, and was one of 
Scotch origin, with an oath and the assertion that he was as good 
as any man in the room, he drew a pistol and shot him. He was 
arrested, lodged in jail, and in about two months brought to trial. 
The line of defense adopted, was that patient had epilepsy with 
attacks of insanity. It was in evidence that for four or five years 
he had accused people of spitting at him, and asserted that the 
government and individuals were watching and following him 
about, that some fifteen months before he had attracted a crowd of 
people for striking a man who spit in his presence, that a few 
months before he had been knocked down and robbed, and after 
this had purchased a pistol, with which he said he was going to 
settle some parties, that he had been turned away from his board- 
ing place, because he had used threatening language to his landlady 
and the other boarders, that he was worse when in liquor, ami that 
when he had periods of disturbance, the blood would rush to his 
face, and he would clinch his fists, lie was examined by several 
experts, who testified to his epilepsy ami insanity, among them was 
Dr. M. G. Eccheverria. The proscecution abandoned the ease 
during the trial, the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty be- 
cause of insanity, and he was sent to the Asylum by order of the 
Court. On admission he asserted that for four or five years he had 
imagined people spat at him, and were watching him, that he used 
to hear people around the house talking about him, though he 
could not hear what they said, that he had been knocked down 
and robbed some two months before the homicide, and was laid 
up a few days by the injury, That after this he had dizziness and 
pain in the head, that his vision was affected, and he had the sen- 
sation of balls of fire before his eyes, says he was afraid because 
of the rough character of people about his store, and bought the 
pistol to protect himself, and fired it off in bis store to let them 
know he was armed. Regarding the homicide he recollected going 
to the saloon with his friend and drinking a bottle of champagne, 
did not drink any more because he had a headache and felt dejected, 
and feared liquor would make him worse. After leaving the sa- 
loon, and having the quarrel with his friend, he remembered 
nothing until the next morning, when he awoke in the station house. 
While in the Asylum he was morose and reticent, but at times 
threatening in language, lie manifested enmity to the judge who 
committed him to the Asylum, and said he would be willing to be 
hung if he could kill two of the physicians who had charge of him. 
After some fourteen months he was transferred to the Asylum for 
Insane Criminals. 43 
Case XLIX.-Admitted March, 1871. Man, aged 42, wid- 
ower, no children, physician, academic education, intemperate, 
native of New York, heredity unknown. Ue was usually in good 
health, of a passionate disposition, and for some years had been at 
times very intemperate. He had had three attacks of delirium 
tremens before the present one. A week before the homicide 
he began to drink immoderately, and on the evening before, a 
physician was called to attend him. A lady friend remained in 
the room with patient and wife until twelve o'clock, but as he was 
then sleeping quietly, she went to bed in room below. Toward 
morning she heard a noise in the room occupied by patient, tried 
the door and found it locked. She obtained a key, and on entering- 
found the wife on the floor dead. She had been beaten to death by 
her husband; when an officer arrived, the patient was washing him- 
self, and was much excited. When asked why he killed her, lie re- 
plied that she was going to China, and bethought she had better go 
to Heaven first. On being taken to jail he was noisy, excited, and 
violent, and saw animals in his cell. The grand jury refused to 
indict him because of his insanity, and he was sent to the Asylum, 
by order of the County Judge. For a short time he was tremu- 
lous in action and incoherent in speech, but gradually improved, 
and after seven months was discharged by order of the Court. 
He subsequently removed to the west, and afterward commmitted 
suicide. 
Case L.-Admitted March, 1874. Woman, age 39, widow, 
one child, housekeeper, common education, Baptist, good habits, 
native of New York, paternal grand uncle insane. She was never in 
robust health ; was married to a physician at the age of 21. At 
birth of child some four years afterward she had a milk leg, which 
has since given her more or less trouble. Her husband died about 
twelve years before the homicide. She was gloomy and depressed, 
and lost sleep and flesh at that time. She remained on the farm 
where her husband died, some four years, and because of her loneli- 
ness went to live with her brother in a village near by. During 
the whole period she constantly complained of ill health, of pain 
in her back, head, chest, and of uterine troubles. Her brother 
noticed a marked change in her for two years. She became ab- 
sent minded and forgetful in conversation, and during the past 
year lost interest in her affairs, and said she was not going to live 
long. From about July, 1870, she was more feeble minded and 
forgetful and gradually became gloomy and depressed, uterine 
difficulties became more aggravated. Soon after she consulted 44 
a physician and asserted to him that she was pregnant; that in 
June she had an attack of dysentery, for which she took some 
opium and camphor, and then went into the garden, sat down and 
soon fell asleep; that while sleeping a man came along and had 
intercourse with her. This story she repeated to the physician in 
her visits and correspondence. In November she remained a week 
under care of her physician. He made an examination but could 
detect no signs of pregnancy. She was menstruating regularly. 
On the 30th of November she visited him again and asserted she 
could feel the movements of the child in her womb. In the per- 
sistent denial of the physician that she was pregnant, she would 
for a time acquiesce, and say, " Doctor, I guess you are right, I 
am not pregnant, but in a few moments would return to the 
subject and re-assert her pregnancy. She continued her visits, and 
as late as January 10, 1870, when he made another examination, 
strongly asserted the same delusion. She was then thin, aneemic, 
complained of a pain in her head, talked of little beside her condi- 
tion and was much depressed. During the fall of 1870, this 
changed mental state was especially noticed, and was the subject 
of conversation between her brothers. In October she was thrown 
from a wagon, complained of being much jarred and injured in her 
back. One leg was much bruised and swelled. She manifested 
unusual indecision and many peculiarities, and during the few 
weeks preceding the homicide was very restless, walked much in 
the house and on the street; kept a light burning all night in her 
room. A few days before, when one of her brothers went away on 
business, she acted very strangely, did not bid him good by, but 
told him he would never come back alive, and when he handed her 
an insurance policy and told her it should be her's and her son's 
if he was killed, she spoke complainingly that every thing was 
heaped on her and her son." The day before she visited a neighbor, 
was very restless, talked about her brothers and some trouble 
which existed between them regarding pecuniary matters, rocked 
to and fro, repeating, "I shall die, I can't live; I can't live; it all 
rests on my shoulders." This she did most of the time of the visit. 
She complained much of headache, and when she went out, passed 
her hand to her head, remarking: " 1 shall soon be where this ach- 
ing head will be at rest." The neighbor testified that she looked 
wretchedly, her eyes were sunken and she was thin and pale. She 
had for some time been losing flesh, and had many boils upon her 
person. In the afternoon of the same day a traveling insurance 
agent stopped at the house and talked to her of getting her life in- 45 
sured. In the evening she drove with the agent to the doctor's. 
It was a cold night, and she had on a thin shawl, no furs or rub- 
bers. She took a policy for three thousand dollars for six months, 
and paid a premium of eighty dollars, and returned home at 8 p. m. 
She then was probably up all night, as some notes were found 
which showed she had been writing, and was under great mental 
distress. One of these directed to the agent at Bath, was evidently 
addressed to her son. Early in the morning of January 19, 1871, 
she went across the street, slipped a note under the door of the 
person whom she accused of seducing her, requesting him to come 
over as she wished to settle matters with him. He went over, and 
immediately thereafter, the report of two pistol shots was heard. 
Persons going in at once found the man dead, shot through each 
side of the head. She ran immediately by the shortest way, to 
the house of a brother, half a mile distant, and following him 
into a bed room, shot him. He died the same day. She was ar- 
rested and kept in the house while an inquest was held, but mani- 
fested no concern regarding the homicide, though moving about, 
talking, and expressing a desire to see her son. While going 
with the sheriff to the jail she talked incessantly and incoherently. 
I was called to examine her and found her in the following condi- 
tion: She was at times silent, at others talkative, picked her 
dresses, took down her hair, was dressed by compulsion, refused 
food ; threw things at the person bringing it, laughed and talked to 
herself in a muttering way, had an attendant constantly with her. 
One night she got out of bed; attendant said she awoke, missed 
her, found her sitting on the floor nude. Once attempted to throw 
herself headlong from the window, and gave no reason for any of 
her conduct. She ate voraciously, and with her fingers, steadily lost 
flesh, was sallow, skin cold and greasy, had a number of carbunc- 
ulous boils on her head and body, which she would not allow to 
be dressed, but kept picking with her fingers. There was convul- 
sive action of the eyelids without movement of the eyes. The 
glands of the eye were dry, and the conjunctivae pearly white. The 
emotions could not be aroused by any reference to subjects of in- 
terest to her. Her features were most of the time fixed and im- 
movable. Her fingers were in almost constant motion, and she 
rocked to and fro in her chair. When she gave answers to ques 
tions they were not responsive. Every attempt to awaken any 
sense of responsibility, or of right or wrong, by reference to the 
crimes she had committed, failed. In speaking of the men whom 
she had killed, she smiled and said, " They were not hurt," " Their 46 
heads will grow on again," and then the idea thus awakened would 
seem to drift away and she would become silent. Again she re- 
plied, "She had nipped their ears and they would be around." At 
times her face would light up, and in answer to a question she 
would say, "I will tell you," and then stop. I finally ascertained 
that in committing the homicides she labored under 1he delusion 
that the neighbor had effected a rape upon her person, and that her 
brother was reporting her disgrace. After a judicial investigation 
in which the preceding facts were brought out, substantially as 
given above, she was sent to the Asylum upon an order of the 
Court. She was much demented, restless, walking up and down 
the ward, was usually silent, careless in dress, muttered to self, to 
questions persistently put replied in monosyllables, tied a black 
string around wrist, and wore a white patch on forehead, slept 
poorly, and ate sparingly. After a time appetite improved and she 
gained in flesh and strength. In October following she was walk- 
ing out with other patients, when she suddenly mounted a ladder, 
placed against a verandah which was being painted, and reaching 
to the third story, a distance of about thirty-five feet. When she 
had gained the roof, as she saw some one approaching, she jumped 
to the ground. The fall occasioned a fracture of the right thigh, 
at the middle third, and a severe contusion of the neighboring 
tissues, as also of the face and neck. She complained of severe 
pain in the chest and back, though there was no fracture of the 
ribs or apparent injury. She became talkative, but was incohe- 
rent, repeated many times, " turn the organ round ; " talked of be- 
ing pregnant and said "let it be born." During the treat- 
ment for fracture she asserted she was pregnant, that the child had 
grown to her body, that she felt it move, that she sat down on the 
ground and felt bad. She made a good recovery from the injury, 
with a slight degree of shortening. Since then she has continued 
in much the same state as before described, at times somewhat 
disturbed, but usually quiet and indifferent to surroundings, and 
talking little and incoherently. Her general health has somewhat 
improved since admission. She is still in the Asylum, is silent 
and manifests no interest in any thing. 
Case LI.-Admitted January, 1872. Man, aged 27, married, 
two children living, picture frame maker, common education, 
Methodist, native of Wisconsin, maternal aunt and grandmother 
and paternal uncle insane. He served during the war in the cav- 
alry, and married upon his return. Has had three children, the 47 
oldest about five years of age. Was reputed to be a shiftless fel- 
low, and to have abused his wife, though she never made any pub- 
lic complaint against him. They lived in a small village, the wife 
kept a millinery store, and he rendered her some assistance. Upon 
the examination it was in evidence, that he had shown signs of 
mental disturbance for a year or two. Some six months before 
the homicide he started from home to walk to Philadelphia, af- 
ter going some miles became foot sore and weary, and returned 
home. A week before the occurrence the wife had called her 
friends to see him because of his strange conduct. He was lying 
on the bed, and there expressed delusions of suspicion and fear, 
said he had enemies, and to his friends seemed " out of his head." 
On Saturday an uncle called to see him, and patient told him that 
the evening before he had been at work to get the devil out of his 
boy, arid that he was getting into him again, and went to rubbing 
the boy, and wished the uncle to see if the boy's eyes stuck out, 
and if there was a clammy sweat on him, said he had had a vision 
and it was all made plain to him. On Monday evening, December 
18, 1871, the family retired about 10 p. m., he did not undress, and 
about one o'clock, got up and said he would build the fire. His 
wife says in a letter to him, while in the Asylum, "the next thing 
I knew you were standing over me with the razor in your hand 
trying to cut my throat, I wrenched the razor from you, how I did 
it I never knew, for you worked pretty hard, then you started for 
the axe, I tried, oh so hard, to get that away from you, but finally 
I was compelled to give up and let you kill me, then the blows 
came thick and fast on my head, and I fell to the floor, feeling 
nothing, but hearing our 'boy begging you not to hurt ma so. 
How easy I could have died, no pain, nothing but a consciousness 
of failing strength, and then all was dark." The child's throat 
was found cut, and its head nearly severed from its body. The 
testimony shows that patient went to a neighbor's house, a little 
after one o'clock in his stocking feet, with shirt and pants on, and 
without a hat. Having aroused the neighbors he inquired, " where 
are the boy s, where are the rest of them ?" On being answered " in 
bed," he replied " all right," then jumped the fence and ran away. 
" He was then wild and excited and seemed crazy." He went to 
another neighbor's and having asked him to take him to the city 
in the morning, went to bed. After breakfast they went out and 
neighbor then heard of the homicide. He was arrested, and an 
inquest was held, at which he was present, some one remarked tc 
him : " This is a sad thing for your family," he replied, " Jt is God's 48 
doings, the Bible says : ' vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the 
Lord,' that's all." lie then relapsed into silence, replying to ques- 
tions in monosyllables. He was indicted, and in about two weeks 
declared insane by an inquisition. At this time he was thought 
by the physicians to have been insane for from one to two years, 
he was incoherent, at times moody and reticent, and seemed to 
have no realization of having killed his child. He expressed the 
delusion that he had had a vision, that he had died, and his spirit 
had left his body, and when it returned his body was cold. He 
was in good flesh, and in fair general health. He was sent to the 
Asylum by order of the court. On admission, he was reticent, 
and presented the following physical signs, extremities cold and 
congested, facial lines partially obliterated, lips everted and a blue 
line along edges, he ate and slept well and was quiet. He soon be- 
came more talkative, would answer a few questions correctly, and 
was then incoherent, talked much of belonging to the army, as- 
serted that the government would soon send a force and release 
him. At times denied the killing of his child, and again declared 
after that, two darkies did it, said "he had visions that he was 
full of gas, and was brought into trouble, because the minister 
preached the colors red, white and blue," says "God is the brain, 
God is woman, and the beasts are Jesus Christ, that they are to 
be knocked down and man is not." He made frequent attempts 
to escape, as he denied his insanity, and also that he ought to be 
in the Asylum. After some ten months he was transferred to the 
Criminal Asylum. 
Case LIL-Admitted July, 1872. Man, aged 43, married, one 
child, ship carpenter, common education, Catholic, native New 
York, intemperate, heredity unknown. He was robust, and appar- 
ently a healthy man, served in the army, and while there asserts 
he had a severe attack of acute rheumatism, was accustomed to 
use liquor and at times drank to excess. In April he shot a man 
in a bar room, was arrested and placed on trial. The defense of 
insanity was raised, the evidence was to the effect, that some five 
or six years before on one occasion, he acted strangely, came to 
the house of witness in the night, and asked to stay, seemed con- 
fused and suspicious, said enemies were following him, but could 
not name them or give any reason for suspicions, and again that 
within a week of same occurrence, while walking in the street, he 
talked strangely, said to friend, " our lives are in danger," and 
that he saw a man with a stone and seemed fearful. A physician 
also testified that some eleven years before, he had treated him for 49 
mental aberration from drink, and had seen him two or three times 
since laboring under dementia. His family friends said he had 
acted strangely for some years. He was acquitted on the ground of 
insanity and sent to the Asylum. When admitted gave his own his- 
tory, that he had been drinking to excess, and was drunk for some 
days, denied all recollection of going into the bar room, of having 
a pistol, of the shooting, and in fact of all events from four days 
before until the day after the shooting, when he was told in jail 
what had taken place; that he was then getting sober. This state- 
ment was made in the presence of the officers who accompanied 
him to the Asylum, and was the account he had given before. 
After their departure, he stated he remembered all about it, that it 
was a put up job for him to play insane, as well as to shoot the man. 
That he shot him because the man had seen him come cut of the 
house of a woman of doubtful character, and had black mailed 
him several times, that he was determined to put an end to it, and 
shot him. That he had taken some liquor but was*not drunk, that 
the man was a bad fellow and people were well pleased, that 
every one knew he was not insane, and said he had done the proper 
thing in shooting the man. Of the testimony regarding his in- 
sanity he says, that, although the doctor swore he had been insane 
five years and had treated him for it, " if the doctor did treat me 
for insanity, I never knew it," and that his friends never said any- 
thing about his acting strangely until after the murder. In the 
Asylum, the patient gave no evidence of insanity, was in good 
flesh, stout and robust. After he had been some six weeks in the 
the Asylum, a writ of habeas corpus was issued in answer to which 
he was taken before the Court; after hearing the case he was re- 
manded to the Asylum by Justice Leonard, who in his order said : 
" The office of the writ of habeas corpus, is for the purpose of in- 
quiry into the cause of the detention of any person, and if it ap- 
pears to be illegal, of granting a discharge. Ordinarily the 
regularity of the process of commitment terminates all further 
inquiry, and the prisoner is to be remanded into custody. The 
court can not on habeas corpus inquire into the justice of the sen- 
tence or judgment, that has been pronounced by another tribunal, 
which can be renewed only in some other manner by a higher 
Court, but not upon habeas corpus. It is entirely clear that the 
judgment and process in the case of Burns, are regular and suffi- 
cient. The general habeas corpus act, provides that a prisoner 
confined on a judgment or sentence of a court of competent juris- 
diction, is not entitled to that writ. The prisoner must show 
4 50 
preliminarily that he is not so confined when he applies for the 
writ." A month after he escaped by picking a lock, bnt was re- 
taken in a few days. He was then transferred to the Asylum for 
Insane Criminals. 
Case LIII.-Admitted September, 1872. Woman, aged 49, 
widow, three children, housekeeper, common education, not a 
church member, smokes, native of Vermont, not hereditary. 
She was in good health in early life, but some twenty years ago 
injured her back, and at the time was confined to the bed, and 
has since when over-worked or fatigued, suffered much pain. Some 
four years ago she passed the climacteric. During this time she 
lost in flesh and strength, became restless and disturbed, and ate 
and slept poorly. She also suffered from a sensation, as if her head 
or certain parts of it had been cut away and were removed from 
the body. She also seemed to see them in front of her, but when 
she applied her attention to it was able to correct the impression. 
She had an attack lasting some four months, in which she was ap- 
parently maniacal, preached, prayed, and sang, tipped over the 
furniture, was untidy in dress, and careless in habits, restless 
and inclined to wander away. She then improved, but has had 
attacks of same kind at irregular intervals, and of variable length. 
In August last her husband died from poisoning, and she with a 
neighbor, with whom she is said to have been improperly intimate, 
were indicted for the crime. He was sick at the time, and died 
soon after. She was lodged in jail, and afterward declared insane, 
but was at the time too feeble to be conveyed to the Asylum. 
She complained of same sensations in the head as have been given 
and also had much pain in the back, was thin in flesh, ate little 
and at times did not recognize her own children. On admission 
she was still very feeble, could not get up from chair or walk with- 
out assistance, skin sallow, eyes prominent, pupils dilated, and con- 
junctivae pearly, when she talked, turned head toward right 
shoulder, spoke slowly, and with much hesitation. The sensation 
of bursting, and of a removal of a portion of the brain, with pain 
and dizziness continued. Her head was in almost constant motion, 
and there was great twitching of facial muscles, and also pain in 
back with tenderness opposite sixth dorsal vertebrae; she was 
feeble minded, emotional and depressed. She denied poisoning 
her husband, and having any improper relations with her neighbor, 
though she said her conduct had been injudicious; that the neigh- 
bor put poison on the tansy, of which her husband made his bit- 
ters, and wanted her to leave her husband and live with him. 51 
She gradually gained in flesh and strength, but after a few weeks 
had an attack of facial erysipelas, when she thought she was going 
to die, at this time she stated that her husband poisoned himself 
with fox glove, because "he had the bad disorder." She, however, 
recovered from this attack, and was in a greatly improved mental 
and physical condition. The pain and abnormal sensation in the 
head continued to recur, with increased redness of face, a sensation 
of bursting, and attacks of neuralgia at frequent intervals. About 
a year after her admission she had a severe epileptic fit. This was 
subsequently followed by others. From careful inquiry we ascer- 
tained that she had been subject to epileptic seizures for years. 
She became quite feeble, walked with difficulty, was dizzy, 
and staggered like a drunken person. The debility became more 
marked, and she became entirely helpless, was in bed, incoherent 
in speech, and speaking with difficulty from paralysis of the 
tongue. She gradually gained in strength, and aftei' some twenty 
months was transferred to the Asylum for Insane Criminals. 
Case LIV.-Admitted February, 1873. Man, aged 40, single, 
laborer, reads and writes, Catholic, native of Ireland, not hered- 
itary. He was in the army and served fourteen months, received 
a wound in left leg and was honorably discharged. Had worked 
faithfully at same place for past two years. Some two months ago 
he murdered an old man with whom he was keeping house, by 
striking him on the head with a shovel. He then went to a jus- 
tice and told him he had killed the old man. The justice did not 
believe him and sent him home. The patient washed the body 
and laid it out, and the next day went again and told him he was 
sure the old man was dead. He was arrested, and on examination 
found insane and sent to the Asylum by the County Judge. On 
admission he was quiet, acknowledged the killing, but asserted 
that "he was the true and living God, and the man he killed was 
anti-Christ, that it was his duty to multiply and increase, but that 
anti-Christ prevented him by masturbating him, that they slept to- 
gether in the same bed, and that when he awoke in the night the 
seed was coming from him, that this enraged him and he told the 
old man he would get the axe and kill him. He came to the 
shovel first, and anti-Christ did not forbid it. That as anti-Christ 
came from the hell of the damned and gave three knocks, he gave 
him three knocks, those weights down on him by command of 
God." He was incoherent in speech, but persistent in the assertion 
of his delusions, claimed to be the true God, John the Baptist, 
and Jesus Christ, that if he should be retained in penitentiaries 52 
and prisons and be hung, he should put his curse upon the world, 
and it would come to an end, he continued quiet though at times 
threatened others, had a pale anaemic look, characteristic of his 
chronic insane state. After about a year was transferred to the 
Asylum for Insane Criminals. 
Case LV.-Man, aged twenty-five, intemperate in his habits, 
Father and mother had for years kept a low drinking saloon and 
house of ill-fame, and both had served sentences in State Prison as 
receivers of stolen goods. After their release, the husband ob- 
tained a divorce from his wife and lived with another woman, to 
whom he claimed to be married. With her he resumed his former 
occupation. The place was well-known to the police as a resort of 
criminals and abandoned characters. The patient had received a 
common education, and been employed as clerk in various offices, 
and on the canal. From his own statement he had led a dissolute 
life, and had contracted venereal disease, which his condition, on 
admission, verified. His health having failed, he came home, 
boarded with his father, and engaged in the insurance business, 
but without success. He continued his evil associations, and gave 
himself up largely to drinking and dissipation. During this time 
he often threatened the life of his father and stepmother, secluded 
himself in his room, and shortly before admission had symptoms of 
fever, was described as delirious, out of bed and around the house 
with only his underclothes on, drank freely of liquor, became abu- 
sive, threatening and violent. The police were called in at times 
to quell the disturbances. One day a boarder in the house hearing 
a noise in the room occupied by patient, went up stairs and found 
him seated at the head, with a pistol in his hand. The patient dis- 
charged it at him, and the bullet passed through the right forearm. 
The injured man retired and soon after heard three pistol shots 
fired in quick succession. The police, summoned by the noise, 
went into the patient's room and found the stepmother lying dead 
on the floor. A ball had penetrated the chest, passed through the 
right lung, removed a portion of the wall of the aorta, and lodged 
in the left lung. The patient was seated upon the side of the bed 
reloading the pistol. He was removed to the jail, and on the in- 
quest gave a contradictory, confused statement of the affair; said, 
" the woman was trying to get into the room to kill me; I cocked 
the pistol when I saw she was going to kill me; I shot the bullet 
and it went plumb through her heart." He also made other states 
ments giving a different version of the affair. An investigation 
was made before the County Judge; he was declared insane and 53 
sent to the Asylum. On admission he gave a very long history of 
his case, justified the shooting on the ground " that his stepmother 
had attempted to poison him, and that God had ordered him to 
send her to hell without a moment's warning; " that he had shot the 
man " because he had brought him bad water to drink." He was 
thin in flesh; conjunctivae pearly, tongue heavily coated, features 
sharp, and skin pale. He had two sinuses opening into palm of left 
hand, one between ring and fourth finger of right hand, one on left 
foot near big toe, and one in same position on right foot. For the 
first few days he was about the ward, talked incessantly, main- 
tained his assertions as to the killing, and its justification, then be- 
came more feeble; was complaining, fault-finding, whining in 
speech and childish, asked for changes in room, in bed, in diet, ate 
and slept well, though he asserted he did not. After some two 
weeks there appeared an extensive swelling of the left leg and 
foot, resembling somewhat phlegmonous erysipelas. The skin was 
raised in large patches, and blood and serum were effused beneath. 
There were some ten or more sinuses in region of buttocks dis- 
charging a purulent serum. The patient grew more feeble, and 
was evidently failing. Three days afterward, at about midnight, 
he had an extensive hemorrhage; when physician reached the bed- 
side the bleeding had ceased. He was pale and cold, complained 
of chilliness, and teeth were chattering. Under the buttocks was 
a large pool of blood, and the abdomen was swelled and painful. 
He seemed perfectly conscious that he was sinking, and died at six 
o'clock in the morning. 
Autopsy.-External appearances. Abdomen tympanitic. Left 
leg much swelled by infiltration of serum, and had large gangren- 
ous ulcer eight by four inches. Another ulcer extended over arch 
of left foot toward internal malleolus. A deep sinus existed near 
head of left fibula. On the right were two sinuses, one opening 
between great and second toes, and another more superficial near 
ankle joint. On right knee was an inflamed spot two inches in 
diameter, the skin was elevated by dark colored effusion beneath. 
A deep sinus opened between thumb and index finger of left hand, 
and another between ring and little finger of same hand. There 
was also one corresponding to this on the right hand. The sinuses 
opening in sacral and gluteal region, some ten in number, were 
found to communicate with each other, and formed a common ab- 
scess. Some of them were filled with thick yellow pus, and others 
with partly disorganized blood-clotst 54 
Head.-Calvarium thin and soft; slight adhesion between dura 
mater and arachnoid; small amount of serous effusion under arach- 
noid ; more abundant about medulla and base of brain. Brain 
tissue pale. 
Thorax.-Small quantity of serum in pleuritic cavities. Lower 
lobe of left lung hepatized. Pericardial sac distended with about 
three ounces of a greenish fluid. 
Heart.-Substance pale; right ventricle filled with frothy, wat- 
er y blood; leftventricle empty; valves normal. 
Abdomen.-Whole cavity distended with pus and serum, of a 
greenish color. Omentum firmly bound to intestines, and these to 
each other by adhesions. On attempting to remove the omentum, 
the intestines were torn through. The ileum was gangrenous near 
caecal valve, and other portions of it were deeply congested and 
softened. Transverse colon highly inflamed; mesentery deeply 
congested, and the glands much enlarged and filled with cheesy 
material. Peyers' patches enlarged and ulcerated; pelvic cavity 
filled with a very offensive yellow pus; pancreas soft and of a yel- 
low color; spleen contracted. Both kidneys were enlarged, and 
capsules easily detached. 
Liver.-'Convex surface covered with a thin layer of pus and 
lymph; tissue pale and fatty. 
Microscopic examination of liver showed extensive fatty degen- 
eration. In fresh specimens, treated with ether, fat was dissolved. 
The tubuli-uriniferi were enlarged and contained either an entire 
cast, or a portion of one, and transverse sections showed them 
choked up with debris of epithelium. Connective tissue was gran- 
ular, particularly about the Malpighian bodies. The pancreas was 
in a state of fatty degeneration. 
Case LVI.-Admitted July, 1873. Man, aged 57, widower, two 
children, intemperate, native of Ireland. Was a case of chronic 
mania, had been insane for an unknown length of time, and a year 
before admission had been declared so by a commission. Then had 
hallucinations of hearing, and was suspicious that persons had 
formed a scheme to take his life. Was sent to Ward's Island Asy- 
lum. After being there about two weeks, his wife finding him 
quiet and comfortable, took him home on a pass. He had been home 
about a week when he attacked his wife and daughter with a hand- 
saw. He killed his wife, injured his daughter severely, and then 
tried to cut bis own throat with a razor. This attempt was frus- 55 
trated by his daughter, who called a policeman who took charge of 
him. lie remained in the Tombs for some nine months; when on 
trial he was declared insane and sent to the Asylum. While here 
he continued quiet; always denied that his wife was dead, and 
asserted that "she would be to see him some fine day." Was indif- 
ferent, incoherent and foolish in speech. After about a year he 
was transferred to the Asylum for Insane Criminals. 
Case LVH.-Admitted May, 1873. Man, aged 38, married, 
butcher, Lutheran, intemperate, native of Germany. He com- 
mitted the homicide in Chautauqua County, N. Y., where he 
appeared as a tramp, went from house to house begging food and 
lodgings. He applied at a farmer's house at breakfast time; at 
the suggestion of the wife the husband told him to split wood in the 
shed until they were through eating when he should be fed. The 
farmer went into the wood-shed with him, the patient felled him at 
once with a single blow with an axe. Death followed within a 
short time. He was arrested the same day, in May, 1873. The 
circumstances attending the murder, the utter indifference of the 
prisoner to his fate, and even to the preparations for defense, sug- 
gested the propriety of an examination into his mental condition* 
I was sent for by the District Attorney, to conduct such an 
examination. He was found to be insane and to entertain a 
variety of delusions, which affected' especially his relations with 
others, asserted that his wife entered into other women, and that 
a little girl in the prison yard was his wife, that he owned all tu'5 
whore houses in the world, and controlled their inmates, that he 
could do anything, as God had given him power, that he could not 
be killed by all the people in the world, that he hit a man with an 
axe but he was not dead but was in the air, that the man asked 
him to chop wood, and that no man had a right to ask him to do 
anything, that a voice told him he had a right to go to every place 
and ask for everything, and everybody must give it. He was 
filthy in his habits, washed his person in his urine, and said he 
kept himself clean in this way ; he was incoherent in his ideas, was 
easily excited and as readily controlled. A commission appointed 
declared him insane, and he was sent to the Asylum, at Utica, 
while here he was quiet, indifferent, incoherent, careless in his 
habits, ate voraciously, occasionally manifested irritability, but 
was not violent. History subsequently obtained showed he had 
been insane a long time. After a few months he was transferred 
to the Asylum for Insane Criminals. 56 
Case LVIII.-Admitted January, 1875. Woman, married, two 
children, age 35, common education, drinks, native of Ireland, not 
hereditary. She had lived happily with her husband who was a 
laboring man, engaged in cleaning the street cars. lie went early 
to his work and returned about seven o'clock for his breakfast. 
She was in the habit of drinking, taking mostly ale, and rarely if 
ever becoming intoxicated. For some nine years had been sub- 
ject to attacks of epilepsy, occurring at irregular and infrequent 
intervals. The day before the homicide had moved, doing much 
of the lifting, and carrying up and down stairs of her furniture. 
On the morning she arose at six o'clock and went down stairs for 
fuel with which to make the fire. Her two children, a boy of six 
and a girl of four were asleep in the adjoining room. As she went 
up stairs with the wood in her arms, she felt one of her fainting 
fits coming on, and calling for assistance upon her neighbor hurried 
to her room. At this point her recollection of subsequent events 
ceased. It is in evidence before the commission, by the neighbor, 
that she went in and found the woman in an epileptic fit, but un- 
fortunately went out before she recovered. At a little before seven 
a violent pounding was heard upon the inside of the door, accom- 
panied by cries of help from the little boy saying, "Mamma is 
putting the baby upon the stove." The person aroused finding the 
door locked went into the hall and climbing up by the fire escape 
saw the mother holding her little girl upon the stove, and heard 
her-say, "Take me off the stove Mamma and I'll not tell Papa." 
r?Ue witness saw neither fire nor smoke. The father returned with 
his brother; he found the room filled with smoke and steam, and 
his wife standing by the stove trying to put a rimmer on. The 
central piece and the other two were afterward found at the bot- 
tom of the grate, covered with the wood and coal. She had such 
a dazed, vacant stare, that his first exclamation was " wife are you 
drunk?" She made no reply to this or any subsequent question. 
On looking for the children, he found the little girl in bed and 
she had on a clean night gown. She cried out piteously that her 
mother had burnt her on the stove. He took her up and found 
the night gown unsoiled by black or smoke. On raising this 
he found the short undershirt tinged a deep yellow hue, and that 
it emitted the smell of burning wood. The nates, posterior, 
aspect of the thighs and calves, and the soles of the feet were 
burned in varying degrees, from a destruction of the skin, to a 
roasting of the tissue, till it could be best compared to the rind of 
roasted pork. A physician was summoned. The mother continued 57 
dazed and insensible, and to repeated questions from the brother- 
in-law, as to the meaning of what had transpired, replied, " I don't 
know, I feel sick." She went immediately to bed, and slept heavi- 
ly till late in the forenoon, when she was aroused by the physician, 
and urged to get up. The child lived thirty-six hours, and though 
in the same room, the mother manifested no interest in its suffer- 
ings, took no notice of its cries, and had to be compelled, by com- 
mand, to give it a drink of water. She did not speak unless 
spoken to; appeared listless and apathetic, and moved about as if 
asleep. She was indicted for the murder of her child, and her 
counsel, assigned by the Court, pleaded insanity as her sole an- 
swer. The Court then appointed a commission to report upon the 
fact of her mental sanity at the date of the offense. The conclu- 
sion of the Commissioners was that she had long suffered from 
epilepsy, that on the day of the homicide, November 20, 1874, she 
was attacked by a seizure, from the consequences of which she 
was not freed for the space of thirty-six hours; that while within 
the shadow of the epileptic circle she did not know the nature, nor 
intend the consequences of the act she was performing, by reason 
of mental aberration, the product of disease, and was in conse- 
quence within the intent and meaning of the statute, insane and 
irresponsible. The presiding justice, Josiah Sutherland, l aving 
approved the finding of the Commission, an order was rm de for 
her commitment to the Asylum, where she now is. I havb con- 
densed the preceding history from the report of the case, by Dr. 
John Ordronaux, State Commissioner in Lunacy, and one of the 
Commissioners, in the American Journal of Insanity, April, 
1875. THE 
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INSANITY. 
The American Journal of Insanity is published quarterly, at the 
State Lunatic Asylum, Utica, N. Y. The first number of each volume 
is issued in July. 
Editor, 
JOHN P. GRAY, M. D., LL. D., Medical Superintendent. 
Associate Editors, 
JUDSON B. ANDREWS, M. D., ] 
WILLIS E.'FORD, M. D., I 
ALFRED T. LIVINGSTON, M. D., f A^tant Physicians. 
EDWIN E. SMITH, M. D., j 
THEODORE DEECKE, Special Pathologist. 
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION, 
Five Dollars per Annum, in Audvai ( ' 
Exchanges, Books for Review, and Bc^ness Communication 
may be sent to the Editor, directed as Hows: " Journal 
Insanity, State Lunatic Asylum, Utica, Y." 
The Journal is now in its thirty-second ar. It was establish 
by the late Dr. Brigham, the first Superint* ident of the New Y 
State Lunatic Asylum, and after his death edited by Dr. T. Ror 
Beck, author of "Beck's Medical Jurisprudence;" and since 18f 
Dr. John P. Gray and the Medical Staff of the Asylum. It 
oldest journal devoted especially to Insanity, its Treatment 
prudence, &c., and is particularly valuable to the medical ? 
professions, and to all interested in the subject of Insanity 
chological Science.