The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-07
round rubbing his hat aud talking like that
| 80 tinlpes hp Nas crazv -


"unless he was craZv.'
On cross.examinaiion II was attempted ia
show that the colored witness did not know
much about insanity, but was opinionated
The relator dismissed him with the remark
that che was another expert"
DIR. kilbourne was then recalled and ask
ed few long
HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS,
which held in themselves all that the rela.
tors side claimed tue evidence showed.
TIE Doctor evaded them, and TO none OF
them gave a reply entirely satisfactory TO
Mr.. Wells. The superintendent's manner
was somewhat fippant. and it apparently
very much annoyed hts ques'ioDer.
At the afternoon session DR.. Crane, the
assistant superintendent OF the asylum, was
called in behalf OF the respondents. The
witness said that. in his opinion, Wells was
undoubtedly insane. When in the asylum
he wore "A Tin band around bis head, and a
belt with seventeen buttons upon IL, aud a
band upon his bat with seventeen iDk-spots.
The patients explanation OF these peculiari.
ties was that he wore IN m that the tax pay
ers who had placed him in the asylum might
recognize bin.
On cross-eXamination OF the relator, the
witness said that he had made q careful eX-
animation of his case when he was al ElCin.
The relator had an enormous appetite, and
this was characteristic Of insane people.
He regarded The REALTORS writings and his
deluslOnS as further evidence of his insani-
~. He remembered handing many letters
back to the relator'whrn he was in the asy-
lum. When pressed for more particular
answer. The witness answered that he had
returned at least twelve letters. He thought
that il would have been mOcn better il the
rela'or had been deprived OF writing ma
terial. Wells needed rest. vet while i'll the
asylum he wrote day and night.
The witness was then subjected TO the
same Hypothetical questions that the relaior
appeared 80 fond Of putting to DR.. Kill
bourne. The hypothetical questions OF Mr..
Wells were
SOMETHING WONDERFUL.
They took uD five minutes, Oftentimes, in
their delivery. The relatOr, in putting
them, began at the beginning OF his trOu-
beS, and when he had finished all the trOu-
blcs were rolled up in the one question.
Joel Henry Wells was then called in re-
buttal. Two wears ago bis health was good,
his digestion was perfect. bis appetite nor
nal. From 1871 IT, 1877 he found that his
mind wOI ked with difficulty. Questions that
were asked HIM he answered wuh difficulty.
The trouble grew upOn MIN for four or
five months. In the month OF July, 1871.
he had , stroke Of apopIcXv and fell down
four tll@ht~ of stairs. DR.. Hale treated him.
When t1e fire came, in 1871, he was not able
to ree>tabliSh bis business. lie had property
on Prairie avenue. and his wife also owned
Il house on that avenue. This bouse was
rented for 500 month, and until 1873 the
family lived IN the country. In that year
II moved into The city OF Chicago. In 1876
interest and taxes bore 80 heavily that they
could not be met. The mortgages were
foreclose!. In some way a mortgage for a
small loan made by Mr.. Thornton was not
recorded, and by some lapse OF memory
second loan was made upon the same pro-
perty. This fact, the witness said. had been
imputed 10 Tim "by the woman from
Kansas" rs an evidence Of insanity.
During the year 1873 the family again
left the city with very little money and a
very few provisions. These were soon eX-
hausted, and the family was actually in
want. 1t was al this time that, because OF
his poor health and his inability 10 support
his family, the witness became very de-
spondent. 1t was true that, at this time,
he on many occasions
MFpITATED SUICIDE,
but always before the .fndle reason reaS-
serted itsef.
The witness ,hen. for three hours. with
the greatest attention 10 details, recitcd his
hfe in this city and his experience as can
vasser for Mesrs Harper Brothers for
Through the Dark Continent"
He also detailed the instances OF his first
arrest and in reciing this incident in his
life he described The appearance Of the pO-
liceman who effected the arrt ST, the re-
marks Of the rabble, and even his mental
operations.
A. the time of his second arrest he had
been placed IN the HarriSOn.Street station.
A few days after his Incarceration the as
siStant county physician called upon him
and asked him few very silly questions.
The first question was "Did YOU 80 with
Stanley through Africa?" The witness
SAID that upon the theory that TOOLS queS-
lion should be answered win fools an
swer. he told the man that he bad. He was
next asked if he had hard lime OF il, and
he said that he did have very hard time
If 1t.
1t had reached O'Clock, and the relatOr
rad not BY any means finished his story.
lie was in the very midst OF r'ierating the
tory OF Jack Renaud, and dilating upon
his mysterious first wife and the mythical
our children abroad. when
THE COURT BROKE IN UPON HIM.
Judge Moran said that at nearly every
urn OF the ease he had experienced a re-
iulsion OF feeling. There was but one way
o find an answer TO the question that they
lad all been giving 20 much time to. Let
Mr.. Wells take thirty davs in which TO find
he evidence Of the reality of sIme Of his
peculiar beliefs. MeanWh hle he might have
lis liberty if Mr.. Thornton. his DrOther-in
aw, would give his rec0gnizlDce IN 81 900
O produce Mr.. Wells on the return.day. |
T he time was afterwards reduced to twenty |
lays. Mr.. Thornton gave 'bP recoGnlzlDce,
md promised TO take Wells To Michigan |
'Ity with hIm. 1t was understood that un-
ess within the specified time the lelator |
hall produce satisfactory evidence OF the |
xistence OF Jacques ReDaud, and OF his
w Wells'S) marriage 10 woman in Mllwan" |
zee, by whom he had five children, he is to |
e remanded TO the insane asylum.