Publication information

Source:
Milwaukee Journal
Source type: newspaper
Document type: article
Document title: “Czolgosz Would Do It Again Says Dr. W. F. Becker, Expert”
Author(s): anonymous
City of publication: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date of publication: 9 September 1901
Volume number: 19
Issue number: none
Pagination: 1

 
Citation
“Czolgosz Would Do It Again Says Dr. W. F. Becker, Expert.” Milwaukee Journal 9 Sept. 1901 v19: p. 1.
 
Transcription
full text
 
Keywords
W. F. Becker (public statements); Leon Czolgosz (mental health); Leon Czolgosz (physiognomical examination).
 
Named persons
H. E. Allison; W. F. Becker; Leon Czolgosz.
 
Document


Czolgosz Would Do It Again Says Dr. W. F. Becker, Expert

     “I think that man Czolgosz, who attempted the life of the president, is a proper criminal asylum subject. From what has been told of his history it appears to me that he is more a subject for the hospital for the criminal insane than for the statutory penalty for the offense.”
     In this way Dr. W. F. Becker, a leading alienist of Milwaukee, spoke this morning. He said: “The man appears to be insane, his mother’s statements indicating that. Physically he was unable for a long time to work and she said that he was feeble minded. His act would rather indicate that. From his picture, as you show it to me, I am unable to determine much. A bust would give greater opportunities. He has the square and prominent jaw and high cheek bones and appears to have the large head of the criminal, but it is impossible to tell anything about his appearance. To determine whether he is a degenerate one would have to examine him personally, to watch his eyes, see his palate and in other ways make an investigation of the subject. Symmetry of the sides of the face and head and a number of other things enter into it. The Italians, who appear to lead in the study of criminology, hold that murderers and men of that class have the largest heads and that the petty thieves are usually the small-headed ones, being frequently feeble minded.
     “With the data we have here I would say that Czolgosz is the kind of man who would repeat his act. If the president recovers and the prisoner gets the statutory sentence, he will be in prison for about seven years and will be still under 40 when released. He would repeat his crime. The asylum for the criminal insane at Mattawan, which is under the care of Dr. Allison, would appear to be the proper place for him.”