The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-02-02
BROADBRlM'S NEW YORK LETTER.

. WONDERFUL CASES OF DOMESTIC INSANITY
TO MARRY RICH WIDOW ApJUDGED
AN EVIDENCE CT MADNEss-RoCKLAND
COUNTY RoMANCE-BRooKGYS EXPERI-
ENCEs-THE RISING GkNERATIDN-HoT
TIMES IN THE CHURCHES.
| rec0liect reading Il story ouc1, written
~ a gentleman named Shakespeare, Of an
CID fellow ty the name of Lear, who lived
somewhere down East. Mr.. Lear, accord
ing to all accounts, was a highly respecta-
BILE man, largely engaged in politics and
real estate, and had accumulated con-
siderable money, he having been in bust.
ness for himself several Seals. Mrs. Lear
had died some time before the opening of
the story from an attack of measles or
whoopiug cough. or something of that sort,
leaving three daughters. His youngest
daughter fell in love with a fellow she met
at a picnic, but the old man couldn't see it
in that light-he had another fellow all cut
and dried, and be wanted the girl to marry
hIm. She swore she d be teetoially chawed
mp if she would, and the old man said he'd
be - if she shouldn't, ard the result was
that he turned her out OF the house: the
other two daughters. having a most disin-
tereSted eye on the old man property, told
him that he had just done IS nat he ought
to do. aid that the next best thing to Join
lug spiritual circle was 10 divide his prop
erty between them. This struck the old
man rs a h,iili.nt iSna aud i,n ,Ct.I pn II
at once; he gave them his boots aud his
clothes and lis mecl. chaum pipe, and, in
short, everything he had; after lie had
given them al, then the uagratefu wretcheS
wanted the rest aud when the Old man re-
fused they kicked hin, into the street. 1t
was raining at tie time, and he had neither
India rubbers, macintosh, nor even Il cot
ton umbrella. Ha. ha! think of that. |
merely cite this story to Show your readers
that | am posted in ancient history; be-
sides, we have number of Just such cases
going on in New York to day. 1t is dan
gerous Row for an old mario own property
or money. Broadbrm feels secure, how
ever, for his property consists Of ore estate
y
the titles being unsettled, my heirs are not
expected to profit thereby. At the present
time four suits are pending in our courts
where the children of rich people are trying
to aG Judge them lunatcs, and to have them
sent to mad house on the following
grounds: Mr.. Lord, who mari led the widow
Hicks, secured one of the most beautiful
women in America, with an annual income
of thirty Thousand dollars. All the old
chaps about town look upon it rs one OF
the cleveieSt and most creditable conquests
that they ever heard of Ill their lives, and
the Ancient Mariners Club, an ASSOCIATION
of our most respectable citizens who have
passed the age of sixty, have resolved to
vote him gold medal to commemorate the
glorious event. A beautiful widow and
thirty thousand dollars. Whew. at the
risk OF being condemned as lunatic, l
don't think she would have had to ask me
twice. Well, to return to my muttons.
MIR. Lord is So; he cIedltably managed an
estate for many years worth over q million
OF dollars His children made it ST uncom-
Portable for him that he sought q congenial
companion. AS have said, he secured the
most beautiful woman in America. III every
way his equal, if not his superior, and now
proceedings are being taken in our courts
to adiudge the old gentleman a lunatic; his
family is avrayed against him, sons and
daughters pursue him, court officers and
tipstafls watch the house III which he is
supposed to be concealed, as if lie were a
murderer or IA thief, aud all because he has
disappointed his heirs, and did what Com
modore Vanderbilt did at almost the same
| age, with this difference, that Mrs. Lord is
beautiful and Ich and Mrs. Vanderbilt
was not. If they can catch the old man
and find a jury vile enough 10 do it, they
will put HIM in a mad house. So tell all
the old fellows down your way to keep out
OF the way of the rich widows.
Another case occurred, equally infamous,
in the neishb"ring county of Rock land.
\ gentleman there had been married forty
years-hs children all were men aud wo-
men, most of them married and with iami-
lies; he was a man who had occupied many
! positions of high public trust-one whose
honor and integrity had never been ques-
tioned-but his health was too good, he
was living too long. His sous dragged
him into court, accused him Of a most
shameful oti'5use. ard asked the court to
adjudge him lunatic, that he might have
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