New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-28
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
BREAKING HIS PAROLE.

BREAKING HIS PAROLE.
ssAJon yEapLANCK's EXCUSE FOR ABsENIiN" ma"
SELF FROM HIS POST.
Manor A. G. Verplanck, of the Sd Artliiery' was
mt nnder arrest at Fort Wadsworth on September
pe. 1870, and broke his parole. subsequently Oh
two occasions he left the post without ieaVe anu
came to New-York where be remained NUMBER o,
DAYS each time. and only went back when rein'hoeu
nv friends of his duty He was placed under arrest
again, to be tried by court martial. lie claiineu
that his mind was unsound. Acknowledgement
Townsend ordered an investigation of his mental
condition to be made, and on Monday last BOARD
of medical officers met at Governors Island for TINS
PURPOSE Surgeon j. Ii. Janeway, OF Governor
Island, Surgeon j. G.. Happersett, OF Fort Wads-
worth. and Acknowledgment b. ID. Taylor, OF Fort
Columbus, composed the Board. Before the inVes-
tipatioD was opened on Monday, Major VerpahcK
made an effort to have reporters excluded. III .hc
absence of witnesses the Major presented severai
affidavits Dr. Thomas F. Rochester, OF Bunaio'
SAID beldid not think that the Major was RESPONSE
BILE for his actions, this opinion being founded on
the results of professional attendance upon hiin'
Mrs. Sarah L. Webster testified that she had known
the Major for number of years. and that he had
suffered during that time from mental depression.
George Il. Webster, nephew OF MAJOR Verplanck;
made an affidavit that, in his opinion his uncle pau
been for several years nnsond IN III na au 10y
R,,ey retircd OFFICER. said that he thought from
his actions that Major Verplanck was unbalanced
Major verplanck handed to the Board an affidavit
signed by himself in which he SAID: =" In the past
few years. and especially for the past ten months
have suffered severely from great mental depression
or melancholia accompanied by insomnia, and at
intervals from great pains III my nead Inns conul-
ton of mind has been caused as far as can Judge,
by family Affections aud financial troubles at my
home; the very sudden death of my 1ather followed
not long after by the utter breaking down OF my
mothers health, affecting her mind so that she pc
came constant of my only sister my position
in the Arnlv which necessitatcd my absence from
INV home when felt all the time that ought to be
there TO aid aud assist financial troubles also; and
finally the death of my mother in May last. L was
summoned home by telegraph announcing her
death, ard since my return to my post from that
sad jourhey do not think have been morally re-
spopsible for great many of my acts. Although
my station pleasant one and all there GOOD
friends still dreaded to remain there. and during
the whole of the past Summer left the post when
ever could aud without any apparent reason for
so doing. When away from my post avoided all
of my friends. and wandered about ork en-
firely by myself not knowing greater portion of
the time what was doing or why was there, and
not being BILE to recall what had done for days at
time. l submit that the act OF my breaking my
parole twice without any motive for so doing. was
not the act of sane man. think the CONDITION OF
my mind has also been. seriously affected by at
times the excessive use of stlmuamts, rom winch
did not seem to be able to abstain"
AT the meeting of the Board yesterday Major Glib
son, of Fort WadswOrth testified that he had known
Major Verplanck since 1869. Immediately before
his arrest I'D September last he performed the duties
of post adjutant at Fort Wadsworth. His duties
were of such nature as to enable one to judge OF
his mental condition. which the witness thought
was as sound as his own. He showed no signs OF
insanity Immediately before his arrest. lie did not
satisfactorily perform lis duties at that time. being
absent when his services were needed. }. V. ):
Middleton. post surgeon at Fort Wadsworth. said
he had frequently seen MAJOR VeIplanck before his
arrest but had noticed anything unusual in his
mental condition. He was called on to examine
him professionally upon his return from absence
without leave. and found him physically and men
tally sound. At no time since the first arrest, said
the witness, had he been led by Major Verplanck's
language OF conduct to suspect that he was labor
ing under mental alteration.
The Board will meet again to-day.