The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-12

---xNGLLSH BAST1LLES FOR THE INSANE
Late English papers contain the following extraordi-
nary narrative. from the pen Of Charles Reade the
well known author. 1t is to be hoped that the active TO
sstnce to the vile system OF private mad Will be
successful 1t would that nothing Is easier than
declare relative insane and then to defmud him of
his property We have heard serious complaints Of the
private insane hospitals side Of the Atlantic
There is nothing SO fearful 10 contemplate that may
be declared insane and thus really made 80. The fol-
Loving is Mr.. Reade's statement
On Friday last tale brought To me that a
prisoner had escaped from private mad house. had
just baiied mad attempt to rccapture him by violent
entry into dwelling house, and hiding in the
suburbs.
The was grave the motives alleged for his in
carccraon sinister but the interpreters were wo-
men, and consequent artsans and some Of though not
ALL the parties concerted the other side, bear fair
character Humanity said, look into the case 4
Prudence said, 'Iook at it on both sides. insisted
therefore, a personal interview with Mr. 1870 This
was conceded aud we spent two hours together all Of
which time was Of course, testing his mind to the best
of my ability. aa
found him a young gentleman Of healthy complex
ion, manner vi, but not what ono would call excited
notcui however that he liked to iidget string and
other txiss between his finger and thumb ut times Ho
toA his history for years past specifying the
dates Of several events He also let know that he
had been subject years fits which he described
to me n full recognised the character Of these fits
His conversation sober and reasonable But had
touched the exciting themef We all know there is
class Of pancn who sober and sensible till the one
false chord Is srucko came therefore, to that deiu-
sion which the original ground of --s incarcera
ton his notion that certain of his relations keeping
money from him that is his due. ~
This the substance OF his hallucnation he
veaied it TO His father member of firm with
his uncle and Others Shortly before his death his father
nude will leaving him certain personalities, the inter
est Of $1,000, and should he live to be twenty four the
principal OF ditto and the reverson, after his mother s.
death, of another considerable sum.
Early last year he began to inquire why the principal
due to him not paid His uncle then told him there
assets to his fathers credit aud had been
On this, he admits, he wrote abominaby passionate
letters and demanded to inspect the books This
refused him, but balancesheet sent to him, which
evidence to his mind and did not bear the test of
addition being f4O 900 out the evidence OF its
figures This his tale, which might be all bosh for
aught could tell.
Not being clever enough to distinguish truth from
fancy by divnaton took cab and went off to Doctors
Commons, determined to bring Of the above to
book.
Well, gentlemen, found the WILL and discovered
that my maniac had undestated the interest he takes
der it, also found, he told should his unclcs
down Of thu witnesses to the will Item L
made little private discovery Of my own-viz that
$500 is rcsduary legatee subject to his mothers life in
tercst and that all his interest under the will goes to five
relations Of the generation above him. should he die in
testate.
Inow came to this conclusion, which think you will
share with me, that 's dcusion may may not be
error but cannot be haliucination since ii is simply
good logic founded attested facts For which side
lies the balance of credibilty The father makes sol
statement that he has thousands of pounds to be-
queath The uncle ssent in writing while the father is
alive, but gives the father and himself the lie when the
father longer earth to contradict him. They say
in law, Anegans oopfrdyia aadiendss
Being satisfied that the sol dsat deuson might be
error but could not DO alteration of Judgment sub
jected him to class of proofs. / asked him if he
would face medical of real eminence and not in
league with mad house doctors He would with pleas
it was his desire. We went first to Dr. Dickson
who has great experience and has effected remark
BILE Of mania DR.. Dickson, may we'll be sup
posed, did not take many seconds 1 had taken
hours He laughed to the very notion that the
mad s'Ho is are, said DIR. Dickson
From Bolton street ell three go to Ruttedge Hano
Square, and the road Dr. Dickson and agree to
apply test to DIR. Rutledge, which it would have
been many accounts unwse to apply to man of
ordinary skill DIR. Dickson introduced and me
thus I. One of these is Unsuccessful to be. Which
is it n Dr. Ruttledge took the problem mighty coolly
sat down by me first, with eye like diamond it
went slap into my marrow-bonc Asked me catching
questions touched my wrist, my tongue, and said
quietly "Ths one is sane. Then he went and sat down
by and drove an eye into him. asked him catching
questions, made him tell in order all he had done since
O'clock felt pulse tongue-s'This is sane
too DR. Dickson then left the room, after telling him
what --s supposed delusion, and begged him to
examine him upon it. The examination lasted nearly
half an hour, during which related the circumstances
MISUNDERSTANDING,
with minpeness The result of all this a
tifcae Of sanity, copy Of which suboin. The original
can be at my house by any lady gentleman
nected with literature or the press
We hereby certify that have this day, both
jointly and separately, examined Mr. , and we find
m to be in every respect of sound mind and laborng
under no deluson whatever. Moreover, entertain
very strong opinion that the said Mr. - has at Pc
Rod Of his life labored under insanity
He has occasionally had epileptic fits.
JAMES RUTILEDGE, NJ. d.
IS DICKSON, M. ID.
g 10 ciEoRGE STREET, HANOVER SQUARx,
- 9th August, 1853"
This man, whose word have reason to doubt,
go out of it, This true implies the absence of
all intention to cure him. He was a customer not pa
tient he not in hospital, but in jail condemned
to imprisonment for life-a sentence awful that
English Judge has yet had the heart to pronounce 1t
upon fcdon. - is an orphan.
The law is too silly, and ones sided and slow, to pro-
tect him against the prompt and daring who are
even now hunting him. But while those friends the God
Of the fathercss has raised him concert his defence
you can aid justice by letting daylight in.
In second letter Mr.. keade writes : ] am now in
structe by him who has been called mad but whose
tclgence may prove match for theirs to propose to his
enemies to join him in proving 10 the public that their
nvictions are sincere bis The wording of the
challenge being left me- invite them to issue thus
My lads you to enter dwellng-house kept
by women and proposed to break open womans cham
Der door, till standing on the other side with n
cudpe threatened ssto split skulls and that chilled