Middletown transcript., 1871-12-02
Recent n...rh.s,s cas.s q sssps.sa.sa.
From Me Mssos,i R,ps1iiean, Nor. I.

From tie Missosri RpsIi;oan, Nor. !.
Some instances Of the disease known as
klcptomnnia would be ludicrous IL thcY
we're not sad. The following cases. the
facts Of which wc have taken much pains
to collect. are among those most recently
reported by the highest medical author
tiles +:
A nicn GENTLEMAN VINO STOLE TOWELS.
A rich aud eccentric gentleman, almost
lived in an old manor-housc in Lincoln
shire England. His ncighbors wcro all
kindly disposed towards him. and he was
charitably disposed towards the poor.
Even the servants. who saw him every
day, although they confessed that he was
certainly very peculiar at time" never
once dreamed Of impugning his intellect.
He was good business man, aud mana
gcd his estate with care and prudence.
auditing his stewards yearly accounts
with tho skill Of an expert. lie was in
sane in ono direction only, and one might
have passed lifetime with him without
discovering it. lie would be seized by
sudden determination to travel. aud on
such occasions he would travel in state.
with a retinuc Of servants. After fort
nights or perhaps months absence he
would return home. Invariably on the
morning Of the next day after his return,
towels which had been taken from an
open portn,antenu, were found scattered
about the room. Attcr breakfast his Gus
tom was to retire to the library and write
the addresses Of all tho hotcl-kecpers at
whose houses he had slept during his ab-
scncc on so many slips Of writing paper.
These he handed over to his secretary.
who in his turn gave them to the house
steward, with directions TO enclose to each
address the number Of towels specified
upon each piece Of paper. and to copy
such other writing as he might find there.
and send it in letter with the towels to
the hotcl-kccpcrs This gentleman was
Of the unhappy race Of the klcps, whose
particular MAMMA impcllcd him to turlion
towels. lie subsequently, gave to friend
the history Of his case, and said he was
soadcd to these journeys and pilfcring- by
an irresistible impulse which he insisted
was the result of dcmoniacal possession
lie was never mpcllcd, however, a second
lime to make the same journey: SO that,
whil,t M hotcl-kccpcr would be likely To
suspect during his visit gentleman Of
his rank aud style a2 one who would steal
his towels. il never transpired publicly,
so far rs is known, ,hat he was thief,
although his own consciousness Of the fact
cmbi,terel hi, existence.
SILK STOCKING ANp GLOVE THIEVES.
Another ease reported is that Of lady
who could no, resist thu stealing of silk
Siockiugs she was rirh. and leader IN
the fashionable circles of London. There
was no sign Of depravcd intellect. and
apar, from this one vice she was exceed
iugly conscientious. II was no secret in
her family, and her cle-, son-shc being
wilow-nlways wen, himsclfto the store
where she had made her last purchases ID
inl out whether they had missed any
stockings after her departure As it ncnrl,
always happened that they had, he paid
for them. and so the matter was hushei
up Another London lady used to s,cal
gloves She acquainted all the heads o.
establishments where she traded with hei
disease. and requested that ale might hc
watched and a bin Of her dclinqucneie,
made on, and sent after her to her house
This WIS done for nearly two years, wler
she got rii of the mania. as il is claimed
hy course Of eynnastir treatment. pre-
scribci dict, and vigorous exercise. sh'
: had always paid the bills presented by th'
;raic>men in person and without muir
muir