Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1873-02-15
DIR, VESTS GAS.

DOES IT PRODUCE INSANITY WHAT IT HAS DONE
ON VARIOUS PERSONS INTRREsT TING LETTER
FROM DIR. VESTS COLLEGE MATE.
Dr. Isaac T. West is carefully confined by
the Sheriff, in an iron-lined CELL in the new jail
at Dover. The sensation caused when Cooch
Turner disappeared in his company has subsidized,
but the Doctor is awaiting his trial for his life
whom the Court shall meet in April.
One who was a student with West, at Dick
inson College, writes US some very interesting
facts about the celebrated ''gas." He says:
BALTIMORE, Feb. 10.
have just seen q copy of a Dover paper, pub
lished in December, in which it is denied that
Dr. Way, OF this city, was rendered insane, by
inhang Vests gas. But the fact of his insan-
ity was not doubted here, and it is known that
the physicians attending him gave the opinion
that ii was caused by the excessive use of the
gas. He gave up his Office at 2G6 East Baltimore
st., and his father Rev L. j, Way,(a well-known
and respected gentleman, III Delaware,) took
the gas generating apparatus to his house, on
Broadway, stating that his son was sick aud de-
lrious 10 that it WAS thought advisable to send
him to " n proper place to be cared for, and
from this circumstance the impression had got
ten out that he was insane and on account of
that impression he would not Immediately com
mence practice in Baltimore in tho event of his
recovery"
have, myself, inhaled the gas. It affected
and have heard others say it influenced them
in that way. / was at Vests Office, once, when
Dr. Fred. McManus took it he said that it pro-
duCed upon him the most eXlnlarating and de-
lightful sensations. Dr. Ferry said 1t worked
more Oh his imagination than on his system, and
that while under the influence of it, partition
or wall was no impeliment to his mental vision !;
that whatever he conceived was in an adjoining
room though there was wall between, the things
therein appeared Just il he WAS looking at
n
| do not remember to have heard West say
what elect 1t had upon him remember that
he said that he "loyed" it. think it would be
to the advantage of society if something definite
could be asoertained in reference to tlIis pecnli-
ar Insanity producing agent.
That the gas doctors" (nf whom there are
quite number believe the gas is the undery
ing cause of tho Turner homicide, il evident TO
those who have watched them for the past few
weeks. Az soon as the homicide was announced
here, the foremost OF the gas doctors hurried OF
to Philadelphia and general commotion was
Noticed among the lesser lights.
AS Vests character has been impeached, i will
say word al to that. That he was eccentric, "
and even queer. We all knew at College, but
hls peculianties, there, were always harmless.
In speaking of any kindly disposed person,it was
common thing TO make the comparison 'as
good natured as Ike West" His character for
honesty, sobriety, and morality can be establish
lin.
Moreover, there was foundation for the re-
port that West had been left large tract OF
land in South America. 1t was not fraudulent
story OF his. In 1868, when he was still at Col
leee, letter appeared in the Carlisle Herdtd
and among other statements in it was this in
reference to Vests good luck. MIR. Rheem, the
editor of the Herald, stated that he knew the
writer who, prior to the War, lived in Pennsyl-
Yama. Ills description Of the party to whom
,lle land was left did not quite agree with West,
Dlt we supposed that mistake. This letter
gave rise to the report, which you sec had some
foundation. RH.