The Placer herald., 1870-06-04
NUMBER Al,
Henry Clay's Insane Son.

About ten days ago The Eastern telegrams
informed us that Theodore Clay, the insane
son Of the great American Statesman, had
died in an Insane A.y lum, al lexington,
kentucky. alter confinement of 80 years.
The Cincinnati Enquirer gives the following
sketch of the blasted life of Theodore Clay ?:
! 81 AT thirty years of age Theodore Clay was
a prominent lawyer. lie WAS the image and
hope OF tas statesman whose fame WAS on
every tongue. | is true that there was whis.
pers Of wild living and of Indifferent morals,
that somewhat tnged the fair repus and
even daikened the future prospects Of this
scion Of a noble bouse. Still it was hoped
that these were but the result Of youth. and
would be cast aside when circumstances call.
ed upon the matured man to assert himself,
and make BIS talent felt in the community.
II was at this turning point in bis life that
lheodois Clay began to pursue, with an IN
weared perseverance that caused bis triepds
great uneasness, young lady of Lexington,
whom he had long loved hopelessly. The
object OF his attachment, who is at the pre-
ent moment one of the brightest ornatpen,s
of Kentucky society, repused, firmly but
|
a,ed youug man, after his meaning bad be-
coms manifest. Il was Of 90 use, he would
not be refused, and followed his fair face to
the streels by day and wandered 10 the neigh
borhood OF her home BY night, in An annoy
ing manner, uoil at last it become evident
that he"wss not all right there" TO use a soft
phase by which kindly peasantry express
insanity, Subsequent violent demonstrations
tended to confirm the impression, it being
even related that he went to tue house Of
Mr.. - and demanded his daughter at the
| pistols point, until a. last the wretched truth
could no longer be Ignored, and confinement
| IN the asylu became necessity. This was
therefore done (in 1882, we belleve)bis father
! providing for his support at that lime, aud
eaving $40 900 in bis will, the income from
whlch was secured to Theodore for lfe--
lhs, life, after thiry-eight years of impris--
enmert III what in The earlier days Of his
con fuement be was wont 10 call "a gpod
! boarding house, but having some Of The big.
gest fools he ever saw as boarders," has just
closed. For nearly thirty yepns he was one
of the most noted Of the inmates not only
his proud descent, but bis graceful manners
and tow Of conversations rendering him an
object Of interest to all VISITORS IL labored
under the ballucnation that he wns George
sshington, aud was fond Of assuming The
traditional attitudes Of the Father Of bis
Country. Al the occasional balls given to
! the inmates averaging some five bundled ip
number) be was always exquisi,ely dressed,
in the style OF bis day, and was tbe beau par
| excellence. During all these years, despite
bis general genlleue's and cbeerfulness Of
manner, be was restless aud discontented,
and required CLOSE watching, it never, in fact,
having been considered prudent to allow him
TO go out into the grounds without attend
ants. About The year 1860 his condition
began to grow worse, and he'soon after be-
came demented, continuing in hopeless idi-
| ocy until a few days since, when death,
greater healer than time, placed him again
upon an, equality with the peers Of his early
manhood, who had gone before him to the
God that created him and did with him &C.
cording to to HIS inseyulable will And SO
ends as sad a story rs the truth Of history
ever commanded TO be written.
Two sons of Henry Clay yet survive him,
j. II Clay. ex- Minister to Honduras, now
rssidIng on his place. "Alans6ed," and John
NJ Clay the raiser Of "Kentucky," and one
Of the greatest turfmen living.