New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-29
AN INSANE MAYS VAG4RIES.

JAMES J. SEAMAN SENT TO AN ASYLUM
coYC0Cr1NG WILD TiNANCIAL SCHEMES AND DE-
sIRoUs or ESTABLISHING HOME FOR NER-
yOus PEnsOSs-A FRIENDS ACCOUNT OF HIS
mALADY.
James j. Seaman. of No. 49, West Thirtyninth-
ST. was taken to the BiOomingdae Asylum thursday
afternoon after having been Pronounced insane Us
the physician at the lOmbs on the day before. MI.
seaman is about fifty years old, and as he was
well dressed aud OF refined manners ms
ease excited considerable interest when he was
examined. His commitment To the aSylin was pro-
cured by :. f. Austin and Henry spells. ey' \
TRIBUNE reporter found Mr. Sp'ilissey ana Nr.
Austin at the ROSsmOrc Hotel night ana was
gwen the following history of the case by the
latter: . = n ,t..,
for many years, aud 1t gIicVes me soIeIy to
have 10 do this thing. Mr.. Spcsscy here IS
also a friend Of his whom summoned
were approaching Crisis. II hurts me 10 have ms
IN the iapcrs on account Of MIR. ScanIans friends
ana relatives lie Is very wealthy man and
ans among the richest people i'll the South
west | see il reported that Mr.. Seaman
was a business partner of Eugene hellys That IS
an error that ought to be- corrected Mr. Kelly was
only his banker; that's all. Some time ago
Mr. ocanlan began TO show signs OF
growing. nervous eXcitaoIIity ne Dec''iilG
visionary AT times ana Lndlly appeared 50 III
that me was persuaded to put himself III
charge Of physician. He consulted Dr. Edward
E.vard Of 80. West kOTtIctl-st. Soon he began
n0wIng worse rapidly. he doctor said he was
img better and Would soon be we'll HIS symp-
IONS then became alarming and the doctor
becamc very intimate with him. Poor
seaman kent connecting all sorts OF wild schemes,
prnt,aily gigantic financial schemes that be could
never carry out. lie wanted to start tund to help
the striking freight handlers, ana then he was
gong to establish home for nervous
5eopie and put his doctor in charge:
The atter asserted that his patient was as sane a'
was Seaman proposed TO borrow $4,000 OH
bonds he owned and to place the money
in the doctors hands He vent 50 far as TO
nick ont "a house in LeXngton-ave. and engage
natron for 1t. the doctor tod his patient one day
that ne knew of q poor but worthy woman WHO
needed help ." She shall hayel'," SAD MI Scahlan'
aud wrote out check for 1900 at once.
couldn't begin L. tell you al the vagaues ana
eytravaganccs MIR. Seaman INDUCED IN. lie ASKED
sir. spelissey one day TO see me star that was
marked Oh MS forehead. On another occasion he
and that he had been cruciiicd Then he
hr0an to fear that conspiracy
tc murder linn had been formed, and he hired two
detectives TO watch lin. The doctor humOred hIul
in tEls-all the time declaring 20 US that Dir Scan-
Ian was sane-and hndllY sent Il man Oh MS own
named Green TO help the two detectives These
three kept poor seaman Ia ms house and "ouidht
LET Inc come near him. On tuesday 1 wcno 10 ms
house with Mr. Speiil>sov. and we were re-
fused Abundance. Mr.. Seaman heard my
I yoIce and knew it. He put his head
ON, Of the window OF ms room up
s'airs. and cried: is tnat you. AustInS On, Pm
so Glad TO see You come IN mere, 1Of G0d's SAKE,
and save from these men lie Kept calling 10
Us to come IN, OuE the men were oDdu-
rate We went TO a police station, ana were
told that we could 40. enter the house without
warrant Two officers returned To MI. seaman >
with me and he same scene was repeated Inc
next day we obtained a warrant and with an
officer OF the court and tWO policemen went To
thc house The man Green refused AT first TO obey
the warrant. The officer threatened 10 break down
tbc door and Green delicd HIM. linen the police
men caIne up; one Of them entered through al
omen window and unlocked tine door, ana chen the
others cleared the house. We found poor ScanlOn
stinl Ia us ROOM lie was Oveijoy cd at his escape
We took him to the Iombs on pretence
or gcttipp Air Spciissey out of trouble
The physicians pronounced his malauy pardll sis
of the brain. lie was kept Wednesday night IN
his house IN charge of to officers aud III the alter
noon he WIS taken 10 BlOomingdac. lie supposed
he was going our that way 10 dine with me. Inc
ply sc.ans 1T the asylum corroboiItcd the decision
OF the Iombs doctors immediately they sand poor
Scaaaii's case was ncurau!e, that he might husrr
on for some time but M nt have asp&Sn ana dlc
AT any moment. II l. very sad c5ae cOuIdh
bear 10 sec the poor fellow to-day"