The Misunderstood Drunk
A Seattle man is arrested as a 'desperate criminal,' only for the court to find he is suffering from delirium tremens.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Tommy Pace, who formerly worked for Janeck and was fired for getting on a spree, was brought to the police court at Seattle the other day in an express-wagon with begrimed countenance, disordered clothing, worn-out shoes, with his elbows pinioned by a half-inch rope, and all the indications that he was a desperate criminal. The officer in charge said he was insane, but the judge found out that he was suffering from delirium tremens, and released him as soon as he recovered, on the promise that he would never drink again.
“The officer in charge said he was insane, but the judge found out that he was suffering from delirium tremens.”
This story highlights the 19th-century habit of criminalizing mental health and addiction crises. The 'desperate criminal' framing contrasts sharply with the judge's compassionate, if simplistic, resolution.
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