after you would find one or the other of your friends
killed while you escaped. Everyone of us is confronted at once in life
with a grave trial which requires all the good in you to overcome
temptation and find the right way out of it, is not this the secret
assistance of God the Almighty when you appeal to Him and He weighs
your deeds and either enlightens you or punishes Science discoveries.
When then in cases of dire national needs should not God appear to one
of us in vision the greatest injustice.

(Schrank's copy is followed closely in all presented here from his pen.)

ALIENISTS' CONCLUSIONS.

Our conclusions are as follows:

First--John Schrank is suffering from insane delusions, grandiose
in character, and of the systematized variety.

Second--In our opinion he is insane at the present time.

Third--On account of the connection existing between his delusions
and the act with which he stands charged, we are of the opinion
that he is unable to confer intelligently with counsel or to
conduct his defense.

Dated, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Nov. 22nd, 1912.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard Dewey, M. D.,
_Chairman_.

W. F. Becker, M. D.
D. W. Harrington, M. D.
Frank Studley, M. D.
Wm. F. Wegge, M. D.
_Commissioners._

CHAPTER XX.

SCHRANK'S DEFENSE.

John Flammang Schrank expected to conduct his own defense before a
jury, if tried for his assault upon ex-President Roosevelt.

This is demonstrated by the fact that he had prepared a defense to be
read to the jury. In this defense he alluded to the fact that he "is
not represented by counsel."

This defense is remarkable in that it shows clearly the thought which
overcame his mental strength.

Schrank's defense is presented as he wrote it, with the exception of
two or three corrections to enable readers to realize what Schrank is
trying to say. The defense was prepared by Schrank in the county jail.
He was writing it when it was reported that he was writing verse. The
defense follows:

Gentlemen of the jury: I appeal to you as men of honor. I greet you
Americans and countrymen and fathers of sons and daughters. I wish to
apologize to the community of Milwaukee for having caused on October 14
last great excitement, most bitter feeling and expenses. I wish to
apologize to you honorable men of the jury that I am causing to you
this day unpleasantness in asking you to pass a