The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-11-10
INsAN1TY.5
singalar Freak Of Man who Leses
His Mind.
.(From the St. Paul Press, Nov. al

HE Mind.
- '[From the St. Paul Press, Nov. 81
A remarkable case of alteration of
mind came to the notice of Justice E..
C. Lambert yesterday. About eight
months ago, the wife Of Mr.. Roger
Eagan, O worthy, Industrious and re-
spectable stOne-cutter, of the first
ward, died, leaving him with a family
of tiyo children. Mr.; Eagan has since
toiled on for the support Of his children,
but has never recovered from his grlet
st the loss be sustained in the death Of
his wife. On tho contrary, he has been
gloomy aud downcast, often after re-
turning from his labors spending hours
at his home In melancholy musings,
and In serious conversation with his
children about their mother. His eldest
child is a bright girl of fourteen, who
has been the housekeeper; his next is
an industrious boy of twelve, who earns
his living upon steamboat, while the
other three arp still younger, ana nave
remained at home.
From facts derived from the daughter
it appears that on Thursday evening
Mr.. Eagan came home from his work
unusually respondent, refusing to eat,
and giving unmistakable signs OF men
tai distress. III eharts 70 aYefeesms his
depression were unayailing, ana az zen
o'clock. the last of the children retired
to sleep, leaving the sad father sitting
up in moody meditation. At three or
four o'clock his daughter awoke and
found that sometime during the night
the father had left tho house and disap-
reared. she knew not whittier.
Other evidence then goes to show
that Eagan had entirely lost his mind;
He feared some dreadful calamity, and
securing the money which he possessed,
he started out into the darkness, and
rushed frantically to the residence of
Bishop Grace, where he rang the bell
at about / o'clock yesterday morning.
Not gaining admittanee soon enough,
though Father ireland came to the door,
he deposited under the door mat peck
ct book, containing $500 in bank notes,
and wallet, in which was found Sll III
silver, and then ran in the direction of
the City Hail. Seeing q light In house
on Sixth street, Eagan raped loudly ana
as SOOu uS tne uooi uPohcui hS tuoASN -
saving cxcitedly: "Save me-they are
irving to kill mel" and other express
sions To the same effect. He soon re-
covered from his excitement, Gained
down and talked nationally, begging to
DO allowed to repain until the danger
was passed. 1t was found, however,
the moment he was left alon0, his fears
took possession of him. A policeman
was then called in, and the unfortunate
man quietly taken to the city lock up.
Here he stated that.he had Sl7O in gold
andS24 in bank bills in his pocket, which
yas found to be the case. rE- ".er ,T-@
In tM morning the case came before
Judge Lambert; Eagan was examined,
and found to have recovered his reason
sufficiently to give q tolersbly connect
ed account of his movements, mention
ing among other things that ho had
hidden some money under door-mat,
but knew not precisely where. Judge
Lambert Mt once sent policeman along
with Eagan's daughter to the bishops
where, sure enough, the five
aud eleven dollars were found.
Eagan is in temporary care OF the Sis,
tiers of st. Joseph's hospital, and placed
his money-seveu hundred and five dol
lars in, all-in the hands of Father Ire
land for safe keeping. Eagan's children,
to whom he is much attached, will be
sent to him, and it is hoped that under
proper treatment lie may yet recover
the use of his mental faculties.