Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-06-01
THE SON OF HENRY CLAY.
Thirty eigth Years OF Hopeless Insart
~ Ended by Death in an Asrlnn

Thirty eigth Years OF Hopeless Tl,sa7,i-
ty Ended by Death in an Asylum.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May nth. I
Yesterday morning our special tele
grams announed the end of weary
life, in stating that Theodore, eldest
son Of henry Clay, had died in the
Lexington lunatic asylum, after long
confinement. The record of his bias
ted life in brief is this
At thirty years of age Theodore Clay
was a promising lawyer. lie was the
image and the hope Of the statesman
whose fame was on every tongue. 1t
is true that there were whispers of wild
living, and Of Indifferent morals, that
somewhat tinged his fair repute, and
even darken his future prospects
Still it was hoped that these were bat
the resul Of youth, ard would be cast
when circumstances called upon the
matured man to assert himself and
make his talent felt in the community
1t was at this turning point in his
life that Theodore Clay began to par
sue, with an unwearied perseverance,
that caused his fr ends great3uneasiness.
a young lady of Lexington, whom he
had long loved hopeIessly I he object
Of his attachment, who is the present
moment one Of the brightest ornaments
Of Kentucky society, repulsed. firmly
but kindly, every attention c4ered by
the infatuated young man, after his
meaning had become manifested. Il
was useless he would not be refused,
aud followed her in the streets by day.
and wandered in the neighborhood of
her home by night, in an annoying
manner, until at last it became evident
that he was not there" to use the
soft phrase by which kindly peas
antry express insanity. Subsequent
demonstrations tended to confirm the
impressions. it being even related that
he went to the house Of Mir, and
demanded his daughter at the pistols
point, until at last the wretched truth
could no longer be ignored and confne-
ment in the asylum became necessity
This was accordingly done (in 1892, we
believe), his father providing for his
support at that time, aul lending So
600 in his will, the income from which
was secured to Theodore for life.
That life, after thirty eight years Of
imprisonment in what in the earlier
days of his confinement he was wont
to call "a good boarding house but
having some Of the biggest foo's he
ever saw as boarders," has Just closed
For nearly thirty years he was one of
tie most noted of the inmates, not
only his proud descent, but his grace
full manner and flow Of conversation
rendering him an object of interest to
all visitors. He labored under the
hallucination that he was George
Washington, and was found assuming
the traditional attitude of the Father
of his Country At the occasional
Lalls given to the inmates (averaeing
some five hundred in number) he was
always exquisitely dressed in the style
Of his day, and vas tho beau par
excellence During all these long years,
despite his general eentleuess and
cheerfulness of manner, he was rest
less and disconnected, aud required
close watching, itnever. in fact, having
been considered prudent to allow him
to 60 out into the grounds without
attendants About the year 1862 his
condition began to grow worse. and he
soon after became demented, coutinn,
ing in hopeless idiocy 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 His lnscrutable will. And
SO ends as sad story as the truth Of
history every commanded to be writ
ten.
Two sons Of Henry Clay yet survive
hinl-T. II. Clay, Minister to Hon
duras, new residing on his place,
"Nansfeld," near Lexington, and j oh1
u Clay, the raiser Of Kentucky, and
one of the greatest turfmen living.