Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-04-01
WHOLE NO. 1929.
A COMMON COMPLAINT.
me Peculiar Mental Maiady of Chief Justice
hyan, OF Wisconsin, Appears TO be
Nothing but a Demoniac Temoer

Q The Peculiar Mental Msiady Of Chief Jas,ic
/. hyan, OF Wisconsin, Appears to be
Nothing but a Demoniac Temper.
Milwaukee Special. 18th, to the Chicago Tribune
A Madison special press dispatcI
TO q Sunday newspaper says tina
the exact condition of Chief Justic,
hyan's health from time to time i,
as much mystery as can well b.
imagined. Ii is the subject OF in.
curry by all who come here, includ.
ing members of the bar and news.
paper men, but no satisfactory infor.
nation is received. There does not
appear to be any doubt that his
physical health is good, or would be
out Tor his mental distemper. He
hopelessly i'll, and he has frequent
spells when his symptoms are very
threatening. But his greatest all
ment is his mind, which appears to
be decidedly unstIung. The VIC.
ience of his temper, and the frequent
tornadoes aud tempests of passion in
which he has INDUCED through life,
have at length borne their inevitable
fruit, and his mind has become tot.
ally unbalanced, without symptoms,
however, of softening of the brain.
1t is reported that his attending
physician, DR.. Phil. Fox, on his reg
nlar call the other day was asked by
the Chief Justice tor an honest opin-
ion as to his complaint, the nature
of illness, and the remedies which
were being administered.
Il do not think was DR.. Fox's re.
ply, that You will ever so tar reeov.
er as to bo able to resume your place
again upon the bench
Whether | can go upon the bench
again or no is my business and not
yours, roared the infuriated in
valid.
But it is my business to fit you
for your duties again, if possible
courteously responded the pbysi.
clan.
A tigerish sLarl was all The reply
vouchsafed.
A few days ago Dr. Kempster, su.
perintending physician of tie North
ern L1natic Asylum. Ewent, at DR..
Fox's request, with aim on his pro-
iessional call on the Chief Justice.
DIR. kempster carefully watched the
symptoms and indications in all
their various features, and does not
hesitate to say that he fermentation
has proceeded so far as to leave no |
hopes OF arecovery CT the intellect.
usl faculties, and that the Chief JUS
tlce cannot again 60 upon the bench.
AT the same time there is no reason
apparently, why he may not live
many years 10 the enjoyment of |
comparatively good physical health,
but with his mind so impaired as to |
unfit him for official protest. onal la. |
Ene nnwauKge Uuamucr a,,
merce case, (Barnard VS.. b chaus9
involving the validity of option con-
tracts, and the whole system OF
Board of Trade business is undeeid- |
ed. 1t was referred to the Chief
Justice. after very elaborate argu.
mont at the bar,to write the opinion
in December last. and the announce
ment of the decision was expected
in January But be has not yet |
yet touched I, and the sense of del.
icacy of the other Justices has pre-
vented them from taking 1t out of
his hands. So, although it is known
that the case has been &c ually de-
cided by a unanimous court, the an
nouncement is withheld and nobody
knows what it is.
Tho mental distemper of the Chief
Justice is not of such a natu, as to
impair the wonderful force and vi
tality of bis intellect 10 professional
research or labor, if bis mental con.
dition would permit him to under
take and prosecute il. But his
thoughts are filled With thousands
of brooding fanoies. with hypocon-
driac gloom, and apprehensions of
death. When be is ia his calmest
states, or when bis temper is arous.
ed, which is at the most trivial
events, storm of emotion takes
possession of him, aud RACES Ike a
cyclone, after which exhaustion fol
lows, producing those physical con-
ditions 10 which death is regarded
as imminent. As be RECEIVERS from
these periods of Oppression be is
very much like himself again until
the next outbreak.
A current story at Madison will
be read with interest in this connec-
ton. When, few months since, IL
became necessary for Mrs. Nelson
Dewey, on account of her mental
condition to seek seclasion in the
Madison hospital for the insane, 1t
was with great difficulty that sho
was persuaded to take the step. Ar
gument and solicitation, with the
probability that force would be used
fer her removal If she further refus,
ed, at length induced her to enter
| The carriage with her physician, DIR.
John Faville, to be conveyed TO the
asylum. As they were passing
Chief Justice Ryan 8 residence Mrs.
Dewey said: Doctor, what form do
you consider that my mental aber-
ration has assumed, or wha. is it's
nature?' sWell,' said DE-. FAville, ia
his Dlandest and most deliberate
| tones, MRS. Dewey, we will call it
the excess of "a ungovernable TEN.
per- doctor, hadn't we better Stop
aud take in the Chief Justice On the
same grounds? was the reply, quick
as lightning, of the patient, whose
mental disease really resembled
greatly that of Judge Ryan, from
which. however, she has happily. 50
far recovered as to be restored TO
er family and friends.
THOUSANDS of tons Of Iimburpe-