The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-10-31
AN ESCAPED "LUNATIC."

A Citizen Of wheeltng, Escapes From
A Conneeticut Insane Asylum-His
Story Of His wrongs-He Pro.
peands som. conanerans 70 the
public.
1.-The following account of Nv hssling
mans experience in a New England In
sane Asylum, is from the Pittsburgh
Chronicle, of Thursday evening. Mr..
Weed, the subject Of The article arrived
in this city yesterday, from Pittsburgh;
ashortly after noon to-day, a gentle
man called at the Chronicle Office and in
troduced himself as James q. Weed, OF
Wheeling West Virginia. He said he
had but recently escaped from the In
sane Asylum at Middletown, Connecti-
cut, in which institution he had been un-
Justly deprived of his liberty since the
23d of March last. He had gone to
Darien, Connecticut, to see about his
interest in an estate left by his
mother, when, as he alleges, his brothers
concocted the scheme OF having him sent
to an insane asylum. They procured
certificates from. two physicians, and on
the 23d of March last, he was incarcerat-
ed in the institution. He succeeded in
escaping on the 9th of the same month,
and made his way to New York, where
he had statement published, giving full
details of the nefariOus scheme of which
he had been made the victim. He was
recaptured at Stamford, on the 9TH OF
April, and freely accompanied his
captor, back to Middletown, under the
| impression that, the promises that his
bond for writ of habeas corpus, with
view of having the question
of sanity settled, would be fulfilled. He
was deceived, however, and the paperi
which had been prepared for. him were
taken from him by the Superintendent
He saws after his return he was subject
to the most brutal treatment, and that
every effort was made by the attendants
and keepers to drive him insane. On
Saturday night, the 10th of May, he
again escaped, but was returned to the
| institution the next day, AMI he there
remained until the 18th of the present
/ month, when he made good his escape
He made his way to New York, where he
again prepared detailed history ofhis life
in the prison, and relating scenes and in
cidents, with names and dates which are
absolutely shocking. He arrived in this
city last evening, and was to leave for
Wheeling this afternoon. He says he
worked for years with MessrS. Wheat d
Sons, of Wheeling, and that after his In
generation his wife and family were
compelled to seek shelter with his father.
in-law. Whatever may have been his
condition in March last, We can say tina,
so far as we could determine he exhibited
NJ signs of insanity during his CONVEX
sation at this Office. He expresses deter
mination to bring the Superintendent o.
the institution, rs well as all Others who
were associated with him in committing
the wrongs upon him, to speedy justice
Before taking his departure he wrote ou
the following conundrums, with the re-
quest that they be- presented for the con
sidcration of the public:
|. Are our lunatic asylumS built fol
the profits of Superintendent, 'Director
and other officers attached to such insti
buttons?
=. Should men be taken from STATE
prisons, without signs of insanity, anc
put in-insanc hospitals so as TO give then
chances to escape? ,..E
g. should officers of hospitals be al
lowed to hold men or women who ART
put in such places by fraud and fals'
Representations, at the instance of parties
who desire to defrard them of thei
property?
4. Should people who are insane b
treated with cruelty aud abuse and hal
starved. JAS. II. WEED.