The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-20
LEE'S UNHAPPY DELUSl0N.
IRON WHAT CiUSE 1T rs BELIETED
MS MIND arr var.
urohen Down by Excitement ut the Sessions
of the Potter Committee, While he Feared
for hi. Ch,Idren, sick In New Orieans-Itis
Strange Behavior In Court and In Prison.

fur hi. th,ldren, sick In New O,Ienns-IIis
Strange Behavior In Court and In Prison.
Those who heard John L. Lccts testimony
before the Potter Committee last week noticed
hia excited manners. Tint he was cons 'ious OF
producing nm unfavorahle impression was owl
dent. because. nt the clos Of Fridays session.
he leaned over the railing beside his chair TO
reporter and said: " / hope you gentlemen OF
my own profession will excuse mo II seem
somewhat excited here but the fact is am
worn out. md my mind Is very greatly dis
turbed by an anxiety that have not thought
propcr TO mention in public lest some one
might think was begging on from any sever
ity of cross examination. or pleading Tor any
favor through sympathy. have down In Lou
isiana two children whom love better than my
lfo The yellow fever has broken out there.
and | learn from the papers that 1t Ia proving
especially fatal to the native children under five
years Of ngc My children were born there. and
nro under that age. Every minute dread re-
coiving n letter or telegram telling mo that
they are sick. or perhaps dead. | cannot sleep
with the fear that l may be walked
10y euch message cannot fix
my mind upon anything steadily for that dread
Is constantly in my heart As he spoke his
voice trcmhled with nervousness and excite
mont. his right hand was mechanically busted
In pushing up his hair and when he turned
away II was with rcstlcssness OF manner in
stoad of the mien Of one who has completed all
ho had TO say On Saturday no session was
hold. and no one appears To- possess any posi-
tive Information 81 what Mr.. loct did that day.
On SUNDAY afternoon he sought for Mr.. Tildcn.
Mr. Marble and other gentlemen ut their homes.
confding his diary TO Superintendent Walling
Tor safe keeping, developing everywhere
mania that he was followed by conspirator~ and
assassins and firing pistol bullets through his
bedroom door in the Astor House. md WAS lodg
ri in the Church Street Police Station Sergeant
willard detailed Onlecr rrobst 10 take charge
Of him and see that be did no bodily harm To-
himself or to oihcrs. Soon after midnight Mr.,
I.cct foil into n short. uneasy slumbcr. Up 10
That time he IN 'cssautly paced the corridor be-
tween the cells talking quietly and with much
thow " reason until some word would bring
his mind back 90 his attitude rs witness before
tho Potter Committee. Then h. would dcclaim
In loud impassionrl tones. that he was being
pursucdby aband 81 onspirators and assassins.
who were determined to prevent his giving
damaging testimony which was within his
power and that they were determined TO take
his life. In that mood he looked upon all about
him rs enemies. and said that they were trying
10 kill him.
Officer Probst replied to one Of those out
bursts: " No no; you are in no danger. l am
hore 10 protect YOU"
" How do know that?' Lcot demanded.
turning upon him. You may be telling me
.he truth and you may hc telling me a lie"
"Oh. would not harm YOU; am Republic
ran" tho officer said. soothngly
Il don't know that 1t may be a put up job.
know how far politicians will 80 to get n man
out Of the way This may all Doe put up job 10
kill me in my cell and then spread abroad the
report that | committed suicide through re
morse
No: ain detailed TO see not only that mo-
body hurts you. but that you do not hurt your
self"
well II may be so; haven't got any cv-
ric "oo Of it. Evidence All the evidence I.a,c
Ayes truo a. Gospel. every word Of 1t; but |
=, ,nt swear TO dates. l couldn't remember
..ar,,s, | never could And Gen. Butler know
try to ruin my character before the country; to
east doubts upon my STATEN .nts.
hour after hour. until finally exhausted nature
gave way. and 10 sank INTO troubled sumhcr.
Than before. While in the corridor Whiting 10
be tnkcn To court hr said o. the officers that b"
had letter from b. wife In which she told
him that his children hai pa'ar,n fever She
said II was mnlurial i"Ner Tut Do" know hotter
twas the yellow fever. Th"y would die Mhiie
them. Hr vert bitterly. aud would not be com
ioried. Drieru'e Flynn took MIN before the
coivcd' from tho scrgclut On duty The formula
bic pistol with which Isct lid the firing in the
Ieet spruuG 10 tho window shouting 10 pass r.
by in the street To- res "a" him h"'nu-" u" WAS
send another officer 10 assist Flynn IN cn- OF
emergency, but oven then they fgunl 1t u" ,,'--
Enry 20 handrun Leet before tho Tombs Police
Before justice FammeIr, Mr. leet was at Art
looked steadily and -lrrnly AT MIR. \. j Robin.
Pen Of IL" Aslqr ii9u-e who prei"rred as4insi
supporting 4 hy an account Of Let's behavior
What do You shy to the charge preferred
against YOU Mr.. Leetf" the Justice asked
Ina in an instant the prisoners domeanor was
entirely changed. A torrent ~ * tied utter
ances burst from his lips. He denounced thu
Bot ey against h hs Ill., dacuTSd KAT KAT he had
been brought there TO be murdered. and
S S "0 he s n y fdsst hera r5 H
Liz home in New Orleans to do n great public
duty for the nation. He had been Kellogg
private secretary and he possessed iniorma-
lion Of vast importance: but what he had told
DID not suit certain persgns. and new all were
fonspirlng TO ruin him. The Republicans were
lryng TO blast his chnaratcr SO that his rrvela-
ions should not be believed; The Democrats
bad uscd him, and, because he had not testi-
he'd to ali they wanted him 10. they were en-.
deavoring to make him seem H. vile as any q
Tho gang Of politicians he had con-orted with
he would come on 70 testify. he would be hon
Instead, he had been nbanionei t. assas-lns
He had gone to ask Gov. Tiidcn'S protection
Ind hEd been falsely told blythe servants that he
was out Of town. When he wont to n hotel. MS
lassns cndnavored 10 get into his room 10 MUIR
per him. When ho paused. painting Justice
Flammer calmly asked him:
Why do you get so EXCITED ?"
don't get eXcited-Im not excited. | nm
~ calm as you are. hut am SURROUNDED by as-
lassina, You are an assassin. That man point
Ing 20 Clerk Murray Is an assassin" ana he re-
kommonccd his frrnzied outpouring ~ words.
Now and then in his rapid speech was an OBJ
(cure rcierence 10 his narrowing anxiety about
bis children, At such times tears started from
his eyes. and his voice was choked BY sobs.
think You had better have n little quiet and
rest Justice Fammer said. and you had bet
Dor be consigned To the care ~ the Commissio ion
ers Of Charities and Correction for a few days.
hnlil you are moro yourself"
Mr.. Lcct turned his back 10 the Court. ovi-
eenty not comprohcnding the meaning OF tho
Eords addressed to him. Sergeant Woodruff
popped forward TO lead him away Just then
g. ssw CLERK Murray gushing along on the
hesk toward Detective Flynn his pistol which
ho detective was Mt the moment receiving in
Structions to retain Tor the present. The sight
pt inc weapon RECALLED all the prisoners excite
Ront. =, There" he exclaimed. turning To- the
COURT said that man WINS in League with the
baSASSln ma, and there the prOOf a He ia