Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1848-05-04
Inflammation Of a Man Of Wealth.

AnldtudlAOA Va q NA~N y"
A lady of Cincinnati has brought SUIT
in the Superior Court thereto secure the
appointment of guardians of her husband
Paschal B. Smith, formerly respectable
merchant of New York: } who is alleged TO be
the victim of a strange delusion. and there's
fore inca pable Of taking care of his proper
ty. A letter of the 10th.inst 10 the Tri-
bune-when the case was in progress-thus
states the case:
About two years and half since, Pas
chal B. Smith, of the firm of Smith, STRAIT
don g. Co., merchants Of your city, moved
from New York to the West, and purcha-
sed beautiful residence in Mount Auburn,
about one mile from this city. 1t appears
that he brought with him, or then had in
his possession between $4,000 and 1905
600, which, when he retired from business,
he had determined, as he expressed it,
"should be expended for God and Humans
ty." Some time previous to his removal, a
movement haL been made III our city, at
the head OF which was prominent member
Of the Cincinnati Bar, to establish cons
manity called the "True Brotherhood" of
which the Herald of Truth is now the Or
Gan. II was not long before Mr.. Smith fell
in with the doctrines promulgated by this
;sBrotherhood," and became leading men, :
Der. They pretended that through an cor
ola ,ba thssu rip
they could hold communication with the
Spiritual world ..-
In this " Oracle" Mr.. smith had th one ~. Isl
est confidence, aud felt himself tnper
.,, .,a,,,, ~, ,$ss.>SsssssAss"'ouhd 10 re-
oeiVe INC "'e''"s b he delivered as Divine
commands 'eleP Yfaphed in this manner to
him from the Etc ,nsn Thrors One If tho
"orao'es is Young man of questionable
character by Che name of NOLAN, who was
I'D hT c,n, arber on steamboat command
Gu ~ oaP(t. Ross, which ran between this
''' 40 New Orleans. 1t appears that
I'D of joint stock company had been
Organized by the "Bro!herhood - for H.,
Y prosecution of certain specnlations, which
required funds, and with but one exception,
Mr., Smith being the only wealthy MAJ
among them, heavy drafts were made upon
his purse, all of which, on account of his
confidence in the "oracle," who, while in
the meSmeric state, made known the sums
necessary, he felt obliged to meet At one
time $500, at another $500, at another
300, at another $l,50O, and al one time
$l5,O0O, were demanded and given over.
until it appears that $46,0COof Mr.. Smiths
money had been used up, and he has not for
1t even claim upon the property purport.
ing to belong to the brotherhood
The "oracle'' Mahan, with. several ac-
completes, has lived for some time past ia
the grandest style, in one of Mr.. Smiths
houses, and has figured as gu tie a dashing
fellow at Mr.. Smiths expense. The honse
is furnished in the most extravaganza STYLE.
and the gentleman keeps his fasf he rises and
hne carriages, and has his table furnished
with silver plate,-as though he had an in>
Mr.. niths admission t ttae d5ess ee9 tE that
in order to keep him with them, they have
been obliged to give him about about So
600 year, Many individuals remonst1a-
ted with Mr. Smith, and expressed astonish>
ment that. while he lived so economically
himself, he should be keeping up this young
man in idleness, dissipation and extrava-
gance. He remarked that "These were
mere foibles in which the young man had (
to be indulged-that God had chesen him
as medium of communication with this
world, and they must give him these. things
in order that they might reap the benefit OF
his peculiar connections-that he wasscon-
fi0ent Mahan transmitted intelligence from
heaven. and that if he could have ii no
other way, he was willing to pay 800
day for it,"
solomon P. Chase and William Birney
are attorneys for the plaintiff; Chaplin and !
Woodruff for the defendant, ChapTh'is one 1
of The fraternity.
Gal4a@ ---~<->->og-.-e~~l~~