Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-07-21


The Case or Dr. &c. aver OF Lowell,
Maas.-HIs Freaks iR an AsTlam-.l
sIs Steallhy Escape and his Capture
and Return.
DIR. J. C. Aver. the noted patent
medicine druggist of Massachusetts,
was taken about two months ago to
DIR. G. e. S. Choate's private asy-
lum for the insane in Pleasantyille,
Westchester county. SIX or seven
invalids were patients in the house
when DR.. Aver arrived. DIR. Aver
was placed in the northwest corner
room, and a keeper occupied q room
opening into it. A view from the
windows extends over the orchard to
the valley of Mount Kisco, near
Chappaqus.
At first, under the change to the
healthful ceantry sir, the patient
Improved. He was provided With
everv luxury, and two attendants
ministered to his wants, aud strolls
in the woods and visits to the vii
lage were employed to divert his
mind. On one OF his visits to the
village he became greatly excited
while in a barber's shop, and tore
the clothes from an attendant be-
fore he could be secured Three
men We're required to take him back
to the asylum. After this episode
an additional keeper was placed in
his room,s one to be On duty during
the day and the other at night. One
night the attendant was aroused by
DIR. Aver stealing toward him with
cat-like tread, as he lay on his bed
in the adjoining room, The attend
ant feigned sleep, but watched the
Doctor. The Doctor took a cord
from his pocket, and with motions
that hardly disturbed fold in the
bed clothes, passed it around the at
tendant's neck and made slip moose,
and then with cleaning eyes he
watched the knot as he drew it tight
er and tighter. The attendant wait
ed until the moose pressed on an ar
tery, and then he sharply spoke,
"What are you doing?" The Doctor
simply said, 81 was thinking of
hanging a man, and thought would
see how it worked upon you"
Thereafter additional restrictions
were placed upon the patient. and
DIR. Choate says that lately DR., Aver
chafed and ffetted under the new
restrictions. His filst confinement
and release from business cares were
a novel relief to his oTertaxed brain,
and with the return of mental vigor
he began to think of his neglected
business, and then followed. desire
for release. But this was denied
him, as q cure was not complete.
. on Sunday evening last the Doc
tor and his attendant, William
Keefe, retired as usual for the night.
The heat was very oppressive, and
some time in the night the attend
ant opened window in the Doctors
| room. At three o'clock the attend
ant looked at the Doctor, and found
him sleeping, AT six o'clock yester-
day morning the attendant went in
| to the room and found the bedcloth-
es folded over a "dummy.''Dr. Aver
| was missing. He had climbed
through the window, and reached
the roof of the portico that surrounds
the house, and from there by an up
right he had slid to the ground.
AT about six O'Clock, when 4 Har-
lem Railroad train arrived at Union
vile, a station two miles below
PleasahtEille, well-dressed man
got aboard. Conductor Cook went
through the cars, and when he ask
ed the man for his ticket he respond
ed, HMost unfortunately; 1 left my
| pocketbeo5 at home, and / shall
have to ask you to let me ride to
New Y Fk,and / wilpay you there..9
%Where do you iye?p asked the con-
duetor. '1n Pleasantviie. Pm going
away for q fortnight to Massachn-
satts. If you'll 60 with me to the
Windsor Hotel when we arrive I'll
make it all right, t,usI have friends
there" J" rq, I'D e sl,7a,b1ag 30 /
The conductor looked at the spare
form of the stranger glanced at an
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