The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-14
FIELDS FAMILY HISTORY.
HOUSE roo SMALL TO MOLD A SON
AND A STEPMOTHER.
Lunacy Charged upon the Father, bat his
Perfect sanity shown by the Very Positive
Testimony Of n Distinguished Physician.

Perfect sanity shown by the very POSITIVE
Testimony Of a Distinguished Physician.
The commission OF inquiry into the men
tai condition Of Daniel W. Field met again yes
terdsy. Daniel c. Field, son OF the alleged luna
tic, testified that his father became estraneed
from him owing to the influence OF the present
Mrs Field who was unklnd to his sisters also.
His father at the suggestion Of Mrs. Field had
refused to allow witness's youngest sister credit
at the stores, and was not willing to have wit
ness In the house with him. The reason for this
he could not give. Prior to bis second marriage
his father never showed any dislike TO his chill
dren. Witness quit his fathers roof because OF
a quarrel he had with Mrs. Field. After the
quarrel his father ordered him to go away. Mrs.
Field had told stories about witness. Since tho
1st OF July his father had refused to furnish wit
ness with means OF support Last winter he
promised witness new overcoat. but lie had re-
fused to furnish IL, Within the past two years
his father had sold his estate on Wilson street,
Providence. to a Mr.. Southwick, for ST. The es-
tate was worth $4,000. After the sale to MIR.
Southwlck the property was transferred to Mrs.
Field. The witness continued:
Tho nri deed OF the property drawn mp inst after
m4' Ta as nI Sso9t v vees aftfSar. Mrs.
ficd Va. JEALOUS Of my sisiers and Touia swear at my
my si.ier. vroic 10 father In Sew Yors ask ng for
va r'cci,ed she .aii damn ami dec iarc that the
ro9 ~ acci.i5ei me- r. i a ne ,at Sc adni seem
10 uhd 10 DHi mf "a rf 3il iot o. y a9s c,i ,h Uh
struck me in the face wi.n her lan. board At 80
On tHc January w. IN recsPt Of
very .ma, salari- Va We.k, haN' NY ,,,.i 94 o4vn ~
the Same house in Ninth street. ne gave me so 70
eloihins wanted, and g'vo me money for theatre
IN Nav be rel.ened M aiainonas iron pawn al a
cos; OF So About the nrst 20 Il, toner f4thr sent for
ircss bel 1nsins to Wools Nnsean. bu ml fAn.r has
never ia. .rd Win me loont ~. mere Ha- ngt ns &
l9ns9a 70 one q h, g, ialt VI ton ~ ~. ti9s @
nrst att.ck OF p.ry.s IL as foar m6nih- before he
could attend 10 ou.i1oss During Tat tims / saw
nothing Ia Ne coudHct that Indicated an mpalrmenl Of
Tine u oh, seonI At acK IN July up q tue igl u
0ciobcr fa,nr has always treated Mrs Fled and her
two children wei.
Daniel W. Field was called. A tlin, pale
faced, white. haired man, with forehead much
like Charles Dickons's, walked unstea1ily acruss
the room and took the stand. His counsel, Dr.
J. q. Boyd, suggested that as his client was ~
| from roOust it would be cruel to subj ct him to
a long and tedious examination. lie said
lam 10 my s1ty.nrs' year, WAS born IN Providence
H. l. When Vas in tu'.aess was part OF the time
net nJ0yed good iih for two years. was nrst at
s15osyS S seep no osn seaaa aid 2st'
business. but have an agent wa conducts oasnss. -
board 10 tourteea'h street PAID board oi Tor sell
ard ie last week pui 90 Ny children have beer
Aind to me. ana Ave no a a WI ,y@ 'it w tieA i,sl
she Was divorced woman with twO cnildren
| MIR. Fields memory was then tested in various
ways He could not recall the name Of the
hotel in which he had lived IN Brooklyn, but
gave correctly the numbers Of the houses IA
which he had lived, named the book he had last
read, and also the characters who figured IN the
story. when asked why he had made over his
properly to Southwick, he said, ~ thoughttha
I should not live long, and that ought to pro
vide for my wife. | was advised to make a nom
inal sale tO Southwick. 50 that he might trans
fer the estate to her and thus save her trouble
Ia the future" lie further testified that tn,
property was worth $500 and that he stu
: owned houses and lots IN Providence. At thu
point his voice grew weak and II was painful I,
look upon his efforts To make himself heard o
understood.
A Juror-May II please tho gentlemen OF The
Commission wa cannot. ~ humane men, 81
here and subject MIR. Field to this continue,
strain. IL Is evident that he has already beer
on the stand too long.
The hint was timely Mr.. Field was asked onl
one question more, and he replied, " My entir
| income Is 100 a year
Dr. kenneth Reed testified that he had OK
ahmed MIR. Field. ana found him suffering from
. an attack 81 hemiplegy; that he cOnyerset
readily aud intelisently and that he mas per
! iecty sane.
Ihe commission will SIT w In next week.