Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-04-12
From the Detroit Free Press, March IS.
CRAZY, BUT CRAFTY.
A YEARS CHASE AFTER WEALTHY LII


A YEARS CHASE AFTER A WEALTHY LII.
NATIC.
Friday night gentleman named Bland
arrived at Detroit from Saginaw, having in
cnstod- a man named Blont, and took his
prisoner to the Central station to have him
locked up until Saturday morning, when
he crossed the river with him and took the
train for Ottawa. BlOnt'S case is q singul-
lar one, exhibiting as it does many of the
curious whims and fancies which possess
the clouded minds of the insane. About
fourteen months ago, while residing in
Ottawa, the man began exhibiting proofs
that his reason was affected. He is a hus-
band and father, and worth considerable
property.
His family and friends were naturally
much concerned about his case, and sever
al physicians were called in to pronounce
upon it. They believed it a temporary
cloud which would pass away. In few
weeks Blont appeared to return to reason,
and went on with his business as before.
But about twelve months ago he was sud-
denly missing from home, and all efforts to
secure a trace of his whereabouts were flu
tile. Detectives looked for him, notices
were sent all over country, his friends trav-
eled this way and that, but after month
or two had to give up the search and be-
lieved that the missing man had commit
ted suicide.
Then one day there came letter to Mrs.
B lOnt, postmarked Detroit, and signed by
a name which she did not know. 1t made
inq uiries concerning her husband, and
| asked questions which made it apparent
| that the writer knew all about the family,
! o: else that he was Blont himself. The
| latter proved to be the case. He wrote
| again, and this time neglected to disguise
| his hand, as in the first, and friend came
here and ascertained that Blont had
| boarded at a hotel on Woodbridge street
for two or three weeks, but that he had
| taken his departure from the city for Chi
| cago. The man went to Chicago, from
| there to Milwaukee, then back to Chicago,
and from there telegraphed the wife. She
! answered that she was in receipt OF a tele
| gram from Grand Rapids, which she be-
lieved to have been sent by her husband,
and So the man made haste to Grand
| Rapids.
| Arriving there he learned that Blont had
purchased an interest in a patent hay-tork,
and was travelling through the county,
| AS near as the wife could ascertain, the lIl
| matte had taken about $500 with him when
he left home, and he was Therefore able to
| indulge his Whims to a reasonable extent,
although he was not reckless Ofhis money.
| All track Of him was lost, and for a month
nothing could be learned concerning him.
| Then telegram was received by the wife
from Niles, Michigan, asking her if Blont
had got over his crazy spell. She sent a
| friend to Niles as soon as possible, but
when he reached there he learned that
Blont had left there the day before. An
other month passed, and then the lunatic
appeared at Ottawa, remained at a hotel
there one night, and a week after tele
graphed his wife from Toledo. Two days
after he telegraphed from Cleveland. and
|
In brief, during his absence of year, he
sent as many as forty kilograms and about
a hundred letters, signing himself each time
by q new name. For the last month Bland
has been travelling the state to find him.
Two weeks ago he got on track Of him in
Saginaw county, and at length had the
good luck to find him, working as q laborer.
Blont denied that he was Blont, insisting
| that he was Gen. Grant, ana that the man
who disturbed him would have to pay
| dearly for it. So far as he could learn, he
| has never shown violence toward any one,
and his case was SO deceptive that many
whom he met supposed him eccentric, in
stead of insane.