The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-09-24
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Worcester (yMs.) Eg,s.
DE A TIL OF A LUN ATTIC

Capt Seth Bradley OF Fair Haven, died at the
| lunatic hospital, in Worcester, on the llth OF
Aug. 1887, aged "a years.
The life of this man has been one of singular
delusion and suffering. In early life he an
enterprsing ship master, and accumulated n
comfortable estate with which he purchased a
farm, having determined to change his business.
He found great difficulty in establishing the
boundaries of his farm which led TO alterations
and resulted in Insanity in 1904.
The first indication of alteration Of mind was
in September of that year, when he was drawn
as juror and went to the county court to do
his duty in this new appointment. This was
day of great confusion to him every thing ap
peared 'strange to him, and every body acted
strange He repeatedly became blind in the
peared to be devils twice he rushed from the
court room in great agitation, and the last time
made directly for his home, distance of twelve
or fourteen miles. According to his own ac-
count he was in state of the utmost confusion,
and proceeded at rapid rate, till he became
completely exhausted, when he lay down on the
ground and had a trance or fell asleep when he
awoke he found himself in burying ground,
with young man well dressed by his side .
they proceeded on some miles together, talking
by the way, when suddenly the young man van
ished and was seen no more
On arriving home, he appeared greatly agitat-
ed and went early to bed the Mi ht was one of
great confusion, suffering and watchfulness. In
the morning he committed the fatal homicide
which deprived him of n kind and atfectionate
wife, and his children of a guardian and protcc
tor. From this time till his removal TO the state
lunatic ASYLUM in 1888, he was in close confine-
ment i'm the Jail of the county of Bristol, pc
Rod of more than twenty eight years. From
this time to the day of his death he believed
himself to be the "true God, and the owner and
maker of all things"
At his trial insanity was fully proved. 1t has
probably fallen TO the lot of few individuals to
suffer as lhis man suffered during his long con-
finement. To the idle and vicious he was the
object of'great curiosity, and they frequented the
window OF his gloomy dungeon TO provoke him
and see an exhibition of his rage.
In this solitary and miserable abode, accord
ing TO his own representation, he suffered every
thing humanity can bear, and that too without
breaking down the energies of his mind, de-
stroyng his memory, obIiterating the feelings
of Kindness and sympathy from his heart. He
frequently stated that for many winters he did
not feel the influence of fire, and that for many
nights, and sometimes three or four in success
sion he walked the whole night to keep him
self from freezing
He used to say that in summer, he suffered
hardly less from the damp and vitiated atmos
phere of his cell, and the herd of vermin that
| infested his room and bunk Of straw, which pre-
vented his sleep, and kept him in busy employ
ment night and day. During his long confine-
ment he was rarely never shaved, or had n
change of apparel.
A year or two before he came to the hospital
he formed an attachment to a cat which occa-
sionaly visited his cell he ted and carressed it
SO successfully. that he won it's confidence, and
il became the constant companion of his solitude
this cat attended him to the hospital, and always
received its meal of the dainty bits of his food
before he would partakc himself
When he came to the hospital, he was com
fortably dressed, shaved and made clean he
was introduced into his neat little room with a
comfortable bed, which he ever after kept in the
neatest manner possible.
| His appearance and conduct were truly
strange. AT first he seemed like a wild man,
who had known nothing of associates or the
comforts of civilized life he had neither sat at
table to take his meals nor used knife and fork
for the twenty eight years Of his Imprisonment /;
he soon, however, learned the use OF these I'M
plements, and ever after took his meals at the
table with his associates, in Il quiet and regular
manner.
Since he came to the hospital he has been
allowed many indulgencies-h been permitted
to walk upon the ground and about the village
to look after and feed the poultry. which be-
came quite a favorite employment. He uniform
ly attended chapel on the Sabbath, carrying f's
chair for seat, on the bottom of which ne had
written with chalk, "True God, owner
! To the officers of the hospital, and to stran-