In the past, being “crazed” was often used as an excuse for murder, implying that a person has no control over their actions. In the following ten news reports, all from roughly 100 years ago, we find numerous excuses for crazed behavior.
1. Heat Blamed
In the summer of 1911, a heat wave was blamed when a mother killed her children and then herself. As the article states:
“Crazed by the heat, Mrs. Maude McCrary, of Los Angeles, California, killed her three small children and ended her own life at Lockney Texas.”
[Source: Smyrna times. (Smyrna, Del.), 05 July 1911.]
2. Heat Crazed Father
Five years later, in 1916, another heat wave was blamed when a father killed his son and shot a woman three times in the chest.
“Crazed by the heat, Edgar Foster, a clerk, today shot and killed his son, Raymond, aged three, and then shot Miss Bertha Brown, aged 25, in the breast three times, according to police reports.
“Miss Brown is not expected to live.
“Foster was arrested.”
[Source: Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon), 29 July 1916.]
3. Drink Blamed
In West Virginia, 1910, drink was blamed when a crazed miner killed two men and wounded several others. The article reads:
“John Morris, a miner, maddened by drink, shot and killed two men, wounded several others and a woman, and later met death while trying to escape.”
[Source: The Wibaux pioneer. (Wibaux, Mont.), 05 May 1910.]
4. Jealousy
And then there is jealousy. Jealousy was a common reason given for crazed behavior, such as the following incident that happened in New York in 1922:
“Crazed by jealousy of the love of his wife and son for each other, George Krumpet, 48, today beheaded his 7-year-old son William, killed his wife by slashing her throat, then severed his own jugular vein and is dying in Bellevue Hospital.
“On the boy’s lips was a smile, indicating he did not know what happened when he was attacked while asleep. The mother apparently had been killed while defending her son.”
[South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.), 01 June 1922.]
5. Another Crazed Father
A similar incident happened in Michigan, 1907, when a father turned on his family and murdered his disabled son and wife.
“Henry Scutcheon, a farmer about 50 years of age, living near this village, yesterday ran amuck with an axe, killing his invalid son, his wife, and her foster father.
“Scutcheon was later shot by Henry McClellan, a neighbor, whom the crazed murderer had also attacked.”
[Source: Lewiston evening teller. (Lewiston, Idaho), 22 July 1907.]
6. Made Mad With Influenza
Influenza was also blamed for making people crazy, such as in the following news report from 1919:
“Peter Marrazo of Chicago, was committed to the Chester Asylum on a novel plea last week. Marazzo killed his wife and four children. His attorney plead that Marazzo was crazed with the influenza germ and has no cognizance of his doings. He was shown to be a kind and loving father in normal times.”
[Source: Grant County herald. (Lancaster, Wis.), 15 Jan. 1919.]
7. Distressing Infatuation
When a 25-year-old man’s advances on a 13-year-old girl were met with opposition, he decided to murder the entire family.
“Six corpses scarcely yet cold and but one living witness, a helpless infant, to the awful tragedy, is what met the horrified eyes of Mr. John Kellar as he stepped into the house of William Wilkerson this morning near Hastings, a thriving settlement eighteen miles from this city.
“Crazed by his infatuation for little Abitha McCullough, a lovely girl of little over 13, Austin killed the entire family because his advances were refused and his desire to wed the girl was opposed. The tragedy occurred at a lonely farm house at 3 o’clock this morning. Austin went to the house on Friday night and proposed marriage. He was rejected, and vowing he would yet marry her, hurried to this city and procured on Saturday a marriage license.
“He went to church on Saturday night and told everyone he met that he was to be married that night.
“About 3 o’clock in the morning, several pistol shots were heard but no one went to investigate until the next morning, when Wilkerson failed to turn up at a neighbor’s house, where he was engaged in harvesting a crop of potatoes. Mr. Kellar, a farm hand, was sent to Wilkerson’s house and he found the whole family murdered, and Austin with a bullet hole in his breast and revolver clutched in his hand.
“A wailing infant who had been unharmed, was found in bed beside its mother.”
[Source: The age-herald. (Birmingham, Ala.), 20 May 1902.]
8. Grief Made Him Do It
In Trinidad, Colorado, 1917, a man, so overcome with grief over the loss of his child and wife, shoots and kills his brother. The newspaper report said:
“Crazed by grief at the death of his wife and the subsequent suicide of his daughter, Elizabeth, Vince Anistista shot and killed his brother, Bartolo Anistista, and fled to the mountains, where searching parties expect to find him in an insane condition or killed by his own hand.”
[Source: The Keota news. (Keota, Weld County, Colo.), 23 March 1917.]
9. Domestic Troubles
In the summer of 1925, domestic troubles were cited as the cause of a man losing his mind and committing murder.
“Juan George last night shot and killed his wife and aged mother-in-law, Mrs. Argia Ghiraldine, and then sent the last bullet in his pistol through his own head, dying half an hour later.
“The shooting was witnessed by Joseph Allesandrini, at whose home Mrs. George and her mother were guests. George and his wife, who has seven children, had been separated several months, and Mrs. George was suing for divorce. The authorities expressed the opinion that George had lost his mind through worry over his domestic troubles.”
[Source: Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 15 June 1925.]
10. Slept Beside Her Mutilated Corpse
And finally, I have saved the best (worst) for last. The following was reported in 1915:
“Charles Lawrence was found asleep this morning beside the body of his murdered wife. He was placed under arrest. Mrs. Lawrence left her husband weeks ago because he had been drinking heavily. Lawrence attempted suicide after his wife left him. The woman’s skull was crushed with an axe.
“Lawrence is remorseful and confessed today. He said: ‘I want to hang as soon as possible.’ In his statement to the police he said he went to the house with the idea of getting her to return to him, but had made up his mind to kill her if she refused.”
[Source: Carson City daily appeal. (Carson City, Nev.), 15 Dec. 1915.]
