The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-12
OAKLEY HALL.
An Account of His Eccentricfties ana
These Of HIS Uncle. Col. Oakley, OF
New Orleans.


BY ONE WHO KNEW THEM BOTH.
The accounts telegraphed to the New York
papers from London, respecting Mr.. Oakley Hall,
have increased, instead Of diminishing, the inter-
est in and mystery OF his case.
Wilkie Collins and Charles Read never, in the
widest flights of their imagination, wovs more
duplicated and sensational story for their most
Successful drafts on the creduty Of the lovers Of
wild, exciting and abnormal developments Of
human character than that which Oakley has
"got up," in stage phrase, for the perplexity and
diversion OF the gaping public and the insstiably
sensational New York press. Having failed on
the regular stage, Oakley, in his versatile and ec-
centric asplrngs, resolved to essay bit Oh real
acting on the worlds stage, before an Audience
embrsciqg the whole United States and Great
Britain.
He has certainly achieved brilliant success in
this new venture.
The press and all deteetivedom wore dazed by
| his mysterious disappearance. Every member q
| these two great powers had his Independents
| theory OF the cause thereof.
| some said that there were clear traces OF his
murcer and robbery, his enticement into the
slums of B ooklyn, OF his involvement In one o.
1 those dangerous divorce suits, OF which prudent
4
into which they are frequently drawn through
sense OF duty, enforced by t.le charms OF some
distressed but beautiful and perseested grass
widow"
| mystery in the threatened exposure at the ap-
preaching trial of Sweeny ct als, OF some crirn-
inal association with the Tweed ring and partit1-
patton in its stealings. Others OF larger and
more philosophic views and familiarity With his
circumstances embraced the hypothesis OF sui
| eide, which has become so common resort of
| disappointed, heart-broken aid desperate men.
Then there was said to be woman behind
| the scenss an intrigue with some dramatic DALE
lab, Lastly il was believed that an abnormal.
enormous love of humor, OF dramatic effects
and practical jokes, prompted TINS WHO scrspe.
He pined to be once more the oiJect OF public
interest and to create great stir in the pool OF
popular curiosity which had grown stagnsnt ~
| to him; to set al Gotham by the ears and pre-
cipltate ludIcrous exhibitions OF insensate alarm,
frantic searches and ingenio as theories. Nothing
| could more crafty man OF his taetes and
humor than to read in London of Mulberry
| Street Isouts," as the police OF New YORK are
| termed, rakipg the slums OF Brooklyn for Elm or
possibly sledglng the SHOWS OF Canada In the
| pursuit OF the fugitive.
| All these theories have been dissipated by .
prosaic discovery, eff5cted through the pert1na-
ceous diligence Of the reporters OF the New York
papers in London, who have tracsd him up
| through several aliases as passenger on the
ship Virginia, and now q dweller In DAT corner
OF London, denying his ideotity and vsinlJ seek
ing to disguise l., with no other comp snion Dut
midde-aged woman OF no personal attractions
unacceptable by any of his friendr; and whom
! e0rnered by an old friend. TO whom IL was impos-
sible to maintain this denial of his identity, de-
cliuing to enter upon any explanation OF bis pur-
po es and motives, and only asking Tor peace ana
| rest.
These extraordinary facts fail, however, to
eluc,date the mystery, and provoke spirit OF
investigation and speculation into the causes o.
this eccentric course IN man Oh recognized
Lr.r and l.. .fotinntnai
virtues aud good qualities, with strong family
attachments, and in circumstances BY no'means
desperate-and excite an interest as active AND
earnest as that which was aroused by his nrsI sl
disappearance. Familiar with Hall in bis
younger days, whom his peculiar charscter1stics
were perhaps even more noticeable than at
later PERIOD Of his life, and with those OF his
nearest blood relatives, whom ne strouglJ fesem-
bled In many OF his traits, the writer has exAnn-
ined these various theories with no little interest,
but with o very decided conviction that those
only which rested on the hypothesis OF con-
genital insanity, or monomania, OF pecunar
character, would furnish the true key TO solve aN
The writer is not sufficiently acqusinted with
the definitions Of the various grades OF dementia,
or ponomania TO describe, IN scientifc terms.
The character OF Oakley Halls mental orgsnfza-
ton, or rather the original flaw therein. wncn
has gradually developed into 30 conclusive de-
, monstration OF its existence. But that 1t always
existed. restrained by large Development ana
active employment of certain opposing and mod
flying intellectual and moral organs, has been 9
conf lent belief from the earliest knowieage OF
, the man. This form of dementis is Indicated ~
eccentricities and vagaries, wncn cannos oe Ie- Il
ton. When associated with lower develop
, ment Of the intellectual organs this nav, OF
: taint, would quickly expand into more active
and pronounced form OF insanity.
This OIL inion OF Mr.. Halls case is strengthened
by the knowledge and recollection OF exhibitions
: OF like sxtravagant eccentricity on the part q