Spitzka and spitzka on the brains of the assassins of presidents

Abstract

Although four American Presidents have been assassinated (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy), only the assassins of Garfield (Charles Julius Guiteau) and McKinley (Leon Franz Czolgosz) were tried, convicted, and executed for their crime. In 1882 Edward Charles Spitzka, a young New York neurologist with a growing reputation as an alienist, testified at the trial of Guiteau. He was the only expert witness who was asked, based on his personal examination of the prisoner, a direct question concerning the mental state of Guiteau. Spitzka maintained the unpopular view that Guiteau was insane. In spite of aggressive and spirited testimony on Spitzka's part, Guiteau was convicted and hanged. However, even before the execution it was acknowledged, by some experts, that Spitzka was undoubtedly right. About 20 years later, in 1901, Edward Anthony Spitzka, the son of Edward Charles Spitzka, was invited to conduct the autopsy on Czologsz, the assassin of McKinley. At the time Spitzka the younger, who had just published a detailed series of papers on the human brain, was in the fourth year of his medical training. It was an unusual series of fortuitous events that presumably led to Edward A. Spitzka conducting the autopsy on the assassin of the President of the United States while still a medical student. This, in light of the fact that other experts were available. Each Spitzka went on to a career of note and each made a number of contributions in their respective fields. It is however, their participation in the 'neurology', as broadly defined, of the assassins of Presidents Garfield and McKinley that remains unique in neuroscience history. Not only were father and son participants in these important events, but these were the only times that assassins of US Presidents were tried and executed.

Head, Examined: Clarence Darrow's X-Ray Vision of Criminal Responsibility

“…Ironically, Guiteau's autopsy revealed findings consistent with syphilis (Paulson, 2006), which he had acquired from a prostitute (Haines, 1995). Though we do not know how Judge Cox would have regarded scientific evidence, say, of syphilis (the offending spirochete was not identified until 1905), one can speculate whether he would not have considered it significant in the analysis of Guiteau's understanding of his actions.…”

“…Similarly in 1901, there was no in vivo imaging of the brain of Leon Czolgosz, President McKinley's assassin; following his death by electrocution, his brain showed no gross pathology (Haines, 1995). The examination was conducted by Edward A. Spitzka, a medical student and son of Edward C. Spitzka, who had been a defense witness for Guiteau.…”

“…If the brain, as a mind proxy, had been subject to in vivo ocular inspection, perhaps the judge would have backed off his strictly folk-psychological jury charge. Ironically, Guiteau's autopsy revealed findings consistent with syphilis (Paulson, 2006), which he had acquired from a prostitute (Haines, 1995 (Haines, 1995). The examination was conducted by Edward A. Spitzka, a medical student and son of Edward C. Spitzka, who had been a defense witness for Guiteau.…”