Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-04
The Vermont Insane Asylum and the Stockton

was brought before the HON. H.
4 Smalley. United States District Judge, at
Darlington, on writ of haJeds corpus, and /
after full hearing was adjudged sane anu
DISCHARGED from the custody Of the Asylum.
This fact was communicated to the public
through the columns of your paper at the
time Upon reflection have thought 1t my
duty to present to the public the history OF
this case and the conduct of the Vermont
Asylum in connection with it, to the end
that the institution may receive such atten-
ton as the dictates of humanity may de-
mand and require Col. Stockton Is elti-
zen of PENNSYLVANIA, having his residence at
the CITY of Pittsburgh. His family are
among the most respectable and well-knowh
Of that city and vicinity and are quite veal
thy. In early life and down to the begin
ming of the late war, he was engaged IN or
connected with the manufacture OF iron IN
that region.
In the early part of the war, he assisted
in raising the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry
and afterwards was appointed BY the
President a Commissary Of Subsistence
Of Volunteers with the rank of Cap
tain. and as such served at Washing
-, and in Louisiana. While he was absent
ut the South in the service, his brother-in-
law lanes SHOEMAKER, represented to
his mother. who was quite aged and in Zee
BILE health, and who was possessed OF con
siderable property, that he was dead ana
thereby induced her to change her WILL
made in 1860, by striking out the Colonel ;
rome This was in 1865. In December OF
that wear he returned from the South. HIS
mother was then living, and the fraud prac-
t;ced upon her was Immediately discovered
and expoeed, and his name was restored to
lie former Mace in her will. He was greatly
incensel ut the conduct of SHOEMAKER,
and Of course cherished feelings of bitter
cnmity toward him thereafter. 1t Is
claimed bv the Colonel, and ! believe
such claim is well founded, that
the many long weary years Of imprisonment
and exile which he has sufieredtor no CRIME
have been the result of the Vaccinations OF
Shoemaker.
In November, 1856, the Colonel LETT
Pittsburgh for Harri-burgh for the puT-
pose of tran-acting some business at the
latter place, in connection with the set
Element of his account. At this time he had
M suspicion that conspiracy was on foot
IN kilnap him into the worst of prisons-an
insane asylum, but just A. he stepped out oil
the car in which he had been travelling al
Uorri.hurrh. he was confronted by police
officer who tapped him on the shoulder and
announced 10 him that he was his prisoner,
and that SHOEMAKER had directed HIM To
commit his prisoner To the state Asylum at
Harri-burgh. No warrant or other author
itv was shown for such a proceeding lie
demanded Of the officer TO be permitted tl
consult counsel OF some Of his friends. but he
was coolly informed by his captor that IN
instructions from SHOEMAKER were not to
allow him To- speek to any one. and he wa
Immediately hurried off and locked up II
the ASYLUM. nj that place. ms was u
November 1866. After an imprisonment 20
nearly four months, through the lnterpo>i
lion Of friends. he was brought before
Jndre Pearson Of the Court Of Common Pleas
,f Dauphin County, on a writ of hdpfGS cor
ms After full hearing he was discharge
and immediately thereafter returned 20 fitt-
burrh On the morning Of the MIN DAY
after hi~ return to his home, while FiSitih!
AZ his mothers house, police othcer calie'
and told him that the Mayor wished TO -
him and in company with the officer, Ia
.tarte5 FIR the MAYORS office. W hile pas
-inr along hall in the City Hall, leading L
HI. oeice7 the policeman suddenly pushes
him into a cell and locked him IN. At
o'cl,ck Of the same afternoon. copy Oh
summons was handed him through TIN
lars Of his cell door, notifying HIM u
appear before the Court of Quarter Session
AT that same hour. 70 show cause why ID
should not be adiudged temporarily insane
and committed to the DiXmontc A~y 'uii
which IS near Pittsbarg. No opportuhl,1
was given HIN 20 make any ueie.9', a. y
was Kent locked in his cell. Late IN the al
t.rDoon Of the same day he was COMMITTEE
Ia Dixmonte. where he was kept IN CLOS
confinement in one If the worst wards o.
that ASYLUM until tho 25th day Of July
1859 In April ls6s. his mother died a
Allerhany Civ. almost in sight OF the ASl
lum. and hewa- not permitted 70 see h'I
attend her funeral. On the 21th daN %
March. 1859. an application was made u IN
Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny Cogn
~ 10 have him adiudged a lunatic, and
guardian Of his person and property ap
pointed No notice Of such application %
Of any Of the proceedings based there
= on was ever served upon or eommlhl
Gated 10 him \ commissioner wa
appointed 10y the Court 70 Try an
determine the question OF his alleged 10
nacv. The court ordered notice OF the TIM
and place Of trial before such commissions
IN be- given 10 SHOEMAKER. the man VII
was directly Interested and DESTROYS Of nav
ing the Colonel kept in an insane asy lum
An exparte trial was had before the CON
! missioner and he was adjudged lunatic al
81 an Imprisonment of nearly two years /
Dixmonte and thoreupon Joseph Stockto
Shoemaker, son If the above name
brothcr-in-lnw. james Shoemaker. va
appointed guardian of his person and prl
perry. Schoonmaker, the brother-in-!a"
was one of the witnesses summoned heior
the commissioner. The Colonel never hear
Of these proceedings until the ioll0wn
july. On or about the eth of July. b
) was informed by one of the supervisors an
! a physician of the asylum that, as he bt
lieyes through the Intervention OF
personal friend. he was TO be IN
[ charged. and that he might consider nm
e self at liberty 10 leave the asS Jun
, lie thereupon gathered up his effects an
started for the outer world. but on reacnin
! the Office of the ASYLUM he was met by
: police officer with an order FROM youn
- SHOEMAKER. his pretended guardian, tan
this was his first knowledge that he was IN
der guardianship for him, the police oil
Ger. to take charge Of him. The Colon'
protested against his right to interfere wit
p his liberty, and resisted the attempt, an
EXPRESSED fears that he might be iorcIbl
taken ont of the State of Pennsylvania
yhereupon the officer gave him the mo,
solemn promises that if he would cease hi
resistance and 20 with him. he would NJ
. take him out of the State Of PennSylyanla
RELYING upon such promises and desiring
consult an attorney, TO which the once
consented. he entered a carriage with hu
for that purpose; but the officer instead q
: driving to the office of his attorney, droy
directly to the Tombs and forced him INTO
cell, where he was locked up for the night
almost in sight of his home The next morn
ing the officer came and informed him tia
Schoonmaker directed him to say that II h
would consent to be taken to the State Asy
lum at Harrisburgh, he would not take hin
! out Of tho State. Seeing that he was a
5 their mercy he consented and the same morn
. ing the officer took him and started 70
Harrisburgh by rail On arriving at tina
place he attempted to get off tho train bu
was stopped by the officer, who coolly in
2 formed him that he was going to take hiI
f to Philadelphia and that he might see hi
friends there. They reached that city abou
midnight, but before he was aware OF wha
was going on, the ear in which they wer
: was attached to the New York train, whic
Immediately started for New York, an
against his protest and in violation OF tn
/ most solemn assurances he was hurrie
2 out of Pennsylvania by very eiiectly
process known as kidnapping. Arriyin
in New York the next mornin
without halting he was hurried on to Brat
tleboro and committed to the asylum IN tina
l l ,,1.oo 80, ,ba och dow Of -IulV lS6q W her