The New York herald., 1874-08-02
Is THEODORE TILTON INSANE?

This Is a question that many people are asking
to-day. 1t Is IA question that very Intimately con.
Germs the happiness Of thousands Of others In this
distracted community. II Is question the soln
ton OF which would go far to settle one OF the
most perplexng social difficulties that ever divided
and exasperated people. II is a question that
possibly involves the personal safety, II not the
lives, of two members OF this community, and
upon 1t the Ed0Le attempts to throw some light.
THE CAUSE OF THE INVESTIGATION.
1t is matter OF public nol orety that brother
OF Theodore Tllton for some time an inmate OF
the Flatbush Lunatic Asylum, and that he died
insane, This fact, the unaccountable perfor
mances OF of1heodore TltOn IN relation to the all
absorbing investigation now going on, and the
following letter, which explains itself ana which
was recently received at this ONCE were the NOV
ing causes Of the inquiries instituted oy the Eagle
the results OF which are here given.
JERSEY CIrY Jriy 2a 1874
To EDITOR BROOKLYN EAGLE:-
II The people city eanrot the insincer
S9Sss s ss AND TIE o.
ecu Sf&@s' SSaa SSe a@
~he @l2ay ssT Whole "i9 family
knew 'in re6dos 5a poor book pedds in
% eSGT s m aa aaS Wb a s m
II yougo to keyport, where rliton's iather now lives
u,son M ahsy VIII % tel y, yoa t,,o that it i ases but little spark
write this merely in charity to Mr. Tilon. believing
he my stery agitates ani divides
munitv. In strict confidence. ,,
ON THE WING.
On Wednesday last, armed with letters OF intro
duction to responsible parties, the reporter OF the
EdgIe went to KeypOrt This place. beautiful
village OF three four thousand Inhabitants Is in
Monmouth county, and Is situated on the Rartan
Bay. IL Is reached by delightful SAL OF two hours
by steamer from New York. Making his head
quarters at the Pavilion seaside hotel kept by
an oid resident of Brooklyn. the reporter soon put
himself in communication with reliable sources OF
information and went to work.
STATEMENT OF TIE FIRST PARTY.
The first party OF whom inquiries were made Is
All old and respect able inhab,tant Of the town,
gentleman OF some scientific and OF good inteLec-
to New YORK municipal ofiicer OF high rank. The
( desired Information was freely gwen the only
con A ton made being the omiss on OF the inform.
ants name, CONDITION IN de In every instance
by the kind hearted people who deprecated equally
pubic notoriety in the Beecher-llitOn case and
among themselves.
1 From this gentleman the following facts were
| ton aud several OF his uncles i've in keypOrt and
vicinity They have always been considered
! ''queer' set. TheOdOfes father was originally
shoemaker, and was IN the business In Greenwich
! stree, New York; acquired some means, increased
ms 1 M m On the me Of the
- quite WEI 10 ,r 40 IN 1he world Tne
niles from Keyport, and was considered
| an Old one. The grandfather OF Theodore, Cn
his iather's side died many years ago, and moth
! ing was known In Keyport, or at least could be
learned on orlef inquiry, OF his mental pecuari-
ties. or hls sons 1neodore's iaher and uncles-
''soundest'' one mentally, OF the number. One Of
! his unc es travelled about shoemakng q little
and playing on the fiddle great deal. Another
lamarly termed. now dead, had two sons,
George and BENJAMIN, by one VIE, aud daughter,
I Mar nv fhpr npnil mi 1.-Two IN NaxG
YORK, and is Janitor OF the Irving Bank Building.
George now lives In Keyport. Before going to New
there al the instance OF the present cashier o the
bank who took an interest in him. The cashier
mind Is right now. George has been ''in queer
way lot years back.r He was O carpenter, He
would get discouraged ana give up business with.
out assienable cause, IA ne was wei to do and had
nice place. His vile got him on 10 virginia SIX
or seven weeks Last winter on account OF hs
mental condition. He II stl ''In queer
way" has apparently, species OF hypochondria-
| lie would quit work for no reason, say nothing
| Tor long time, and then declare that he was
! going to die. His mind is evidently affected.
| Theodore has not been 10 see his mother iOr sew
eral years, although 1t is only two hours from
brooklyn, 6y a beautiful ride down the Bay, which
seemed 10 be an odd way oI loving her. "LiekeW
! houses. One OF the houses was unfinished for flf-
| teen years. The uncle who was a carpenter was
very peculiar. He would work nc his mouse three
or lOur days and then neglect IL for long time.
"Iieke" would drink whiskey, but never discov
cred anything that would be termed insanity. Inc
daughter OF "Iiekeln had been insane ior years.
This was the substance wnat this in ormant
| knew, communicated without much attempt at
! questioning and without attempt at arrangement.
TINS gentleman volunteered the statement that
the father and mother OF Theodore were respect
able people, and that the mother had repeatedly
expressed her belief in the innocence OF Mrs. Eliza
beth IlltoD. HIS father on the contrary had said
that he knew Theodore mad been Wild boy, but
tnat he hardly thought be was so bad as to make
such a charge as he mad made unless IT true.
The informant said that public opinion in Keyport
was divided on the subject OF the Beecner- TitOn
AFFAIR but tnat there was no doubt the Titons, as .
family, were ''queer.u
AuTBOBTTY NUMBER TWO.
The next person to whom the reporter applied
was q lady, woman oil fine attaninents and
highly cultured. Her residence TX n beautiful one,
looking out upon the bay, and the entire surround
iDgs were those ol elegance. This lady IL widow,
and she Is very near relative OF the New York
| o1lcial to whom reference has been made above.
Not little interest IL attached TO ner narration,
from the TACT that she knew Theodore Ttlt0p when