American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-07-24
The Insanity of Robert Dale Owen.

ROBERT DALE OWEN, in company with
his two sons, Julian Dale and Ernest Dale,
arrived in this city last night, en- route for
the Indiana Insane Asylum. They regis
istered at the Occidental, and this morn
ing l called at their rooms. Julian and
his father had gone out for a short walk,
but Ernest, the younger son, received me
kindly, and requested that 1 should re-
main until his fathers return. He seemed
very ready to converse; about his fathers
ailment, and during the half hour which
elapsed before the old gentleman's return
l learned the particulars of his recent Sc
we're illness, and the probable cause of his
insanity.
about one month ago, while at Dams
VILE, N. "" said Mr.. Owen, "my father
was Frustrated with severe attack of
nervous bilious fever, with typhoid symp-
toms, and for a week or ten days was very
dangerously ill. Prior to his sickness he
had commenced writing a new work on
theology which he desired to finish as
soon as possible; and several days before
he had sufficiently recovered to do any
brain-work, and while still confined to his
bed, he resumed work upon it, debating to
my sister Rosamond, who acted as his
amanuensis. The more he did the more
he seemed determined to do, and as soon
as he had the strength to lift himself out
of bed he would get up at any hour of
the night and jot down an idea that might
occur to him. One night my sister ascer-
tanned that he had written upward of four
hours. During the day he elaborated and put
into shape for the printers what he had
blocked out the night before, so that no
time was taken for rest. OF course this
aggravated his disease, especially the nerv-
Gus affection, and very soon his mind
seemed TO lose its balance. He couldn't
concentrate it for any length of time upon
any one topic, and seemed to have lost the
power to control and range his thoughts.
My sister first noticed this while writing
at his dictation. lie wandered from point
to point and completed no line of thought
or argument. This was our first intima-
ton. But presently it took a more tangi-
BILE form and left no doubt in my sisters
mind that he was out of his head. He
imagined himself immensely wealthy and
the heir to the earldom of Breadalbane
He had been reading from his auto
biography, and coming upon that part of
it in which he speaks of John Campbell,
of Glenorchy, who was created first Earl
of Breadalbane, he seemed to catch the
idea that he was the last of the family,
and upon him had descended the title and
estate of Breadalbane. He talked much
about it and was continually planning
how he would found institutions of learn
ing, provide homes for the poor, and give
his children beautiful homes, with car
riages and fine horses and servants. He
seemed to have no idea of time and space.
New York and Philadelphia could be
reached IN a feto moments, and he was anX-
ious to visit his friends there.
after he reached his home in New
Harmony he became more restless and
and left no doubt in the minds of
any of us that he was insane. We were
obliged to cross him in almost everything,
and could not leave him night or day. He
never became angry, nor attempted to re-
sist us. But his mind was continually
and he wanted to wander with
it. He complained of accomplishing
nothing. Il must be at work. he would
say for my life will soon be at an end
And yet his idea of work seemed to be
only motion, for when riding or walking
he was perfectly contented. When he
took the cars with yesterday morning
he was exceedingly happy. lie seemed
TO think he was accomplishing something,
because he was going somewhere"
did he know you were intending to
talk e him to the insane asylum?' asked.
g No, and he does not know it YETI re-
piled Mr.. Owen; "but we shall tell him
some time this forenoon, and take him
over there this afternoon, if possible. He |
realizes, however, that something is