New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-07
DECLARED SANE BY Il JURY.
}. S. LAME.

MIR. WOODBURY'S WISH GRATIFIED.
HE TEsrIFfEs IN HIS own BEHALF-sOME OF HIS
PECULIAR IDEAs-CONFIDENCE IN HIS BROTHER.
Edwin C. Woodbury., who has been confined in
the Asylum for the Insane ut Bloomingdae during
tbe last two years, testified yesterday IN his own
behalf before the commissioners appointed 10 uy
the question of his sanity. Mr.. woodbury. was
offered his liberty short time ago. but refused 10
accent it unless upon the verdict OF Jury. lie
said yesterday that ne was tfty-nine years Old In
1h7.j he became deeply interested IN the subject OF
religion and thought he had been visited WIN the
true spirit of God. lie determined To devote his
life and property to the study OF truth rs CON
tanned IN the Billie, and to the teaching OF truth as
he learned IT. For THIS purpose he hired nan In
the Bowery. Alter n time his audiences dwlndled
down 90 "a snail band of unruly BOYS. lie irled 10
teach the boys something and as a means OF inter
estlng them he provided them win drums anu nau
them march up and down the hall. Inc other
tenants in the house objected TO the MOI SO anu hdu
him arrested The policeman Who made the arrest
handled him very roughly. lie was taken 70
noce station and locked up for the night. The
next morning he was taken before magistrate aJ
the Iombs. who, without granting nm "a trial by
inrV. as demanded, aud without having nun con
froned with the physicians VINO signed the ceitiii-
cate sent him 10 Bloomlngdale. AZ BloOmlnsdale
the physicians aid nothing Tor hlm Whatever.
Young man came into the hail. where the patents
were each dav. glanced AT them and went out. lie
never felt the Witness pulse or made any eNdhln-
alton of him IN aJy way. he hrst dose Oh hlcu IL
cine that he received was about year anu a nan
after he entered the asylum, and that was Tor 1ll
ionsuess lie told the doctors repeatedly that ms
blood was out OF order ana Jnat tncy COulu lOt CIc
his brain without first purifying his blood, Ihey
paid no attention TO him. lie then cured himself
by dieting. The table at Bloomlngdae was very
good aud the patients ate too much lhey had no
oIher amusement After he had dieted awhile his
blood was cooler, and he now ielt healthier tlah
ever before in his llfe =, -,
Certain qdeer documents written by MI wood
bury were shown to him and he explained that ne
had drawn them az source OF amusement lie
found that the patients felt very much Tue hatuSIlp
of the rule which deprived them of money. lie
Thought he could benefit them by starting Dank
so that they might seem To have money and Ous-
ness dealings. lie had preached to the patients,
many IF whom he thou CHI were sane. The doctors
at BloOmingdale never attempted to help the
patients except through Their st1machs. In regard
To his alleged statement that his father was insane
and committed suicide Mr.. WOOdO Jury SAID rs mad
never made any such statement HIS lather had
committed suicide, because lie Thought nc ha9
made grave mistake IN business when would
rum him. The act, however, was not mistake,
and his family to-day were deriving pecuniary adj
vantage from il. / he witness attempted TO read
paper written by his father a short tune before ms
death, but became much Affected That he was
obliged to stop. He admitted That he had lelt very
desperate ut one time because of his inability to get
out of ijlOomingdaie or to get tral. lie never
did ANYTHING desperate, however. Mt. Woodbury.
said that he Ielt sure that his brother hah acted
with en- ire good faith and with single view 10
his good His brother had been mlsled by the
physicians who did not know what they were
about If he should he released le would attend
TO his business affairs other men do. lie did not
intend TO dissolve the partnership between himself
and his brother. 80 >,
Commissioner kaDney tnbl cDdTBeu LHo july ilp
said that Mr. Woodbury. had shown himself To be q
man of unusual intelligence. ami had conducted
himself throughout the proceedings with remark
able ooOlness. Although Mr. woodbury. had been
confined az Boomnglale for two years, yet the
physicians who had testified on the inquest had not
pretended that they knew what was the nature OF
his disorder. or that there was any physical evil
dence hat he not sane except the TACT that the
condition of the pupil of one OF his eyes was
variable II men were TO be considered insane on
account of their views on religious subjects 1t
would 90 hard with a great many persons now ut
liberty.
The Jury were out only short time and returned
with verdict that Mr.. Woodbury. was a sane man.