National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-04-25
PINCHOVER'S LAST CRAZE.
He Wanted Billions Of Dollars or Sam Ran
dalls Life
The Distinguished People He Found in
the Insane Asylum,

The truo reasons why Col. Maurice Pinch.
over, the great American crank claimant, was
consigned to incarceration among the insane
inmates OF the government asylum have never
been given. OF course people naturally won.
dered why the colonel was taken up aud sent
'across the river" after ho had been allowed
the freedom Of this city SO long, but mono
OWNED the real cause until REPUBLICAN
reporter unearthod It last night. 1t
appears from the statement Of ono who
ought TO know that tho colonel paid
his daily visit to tho capitol last Wednesday
morning. He held in his right hand two docu-
ments. One Of them was writ of habeas
corpus" directed at the Hon. Samuel Randall,
and tho other was new land claim for
S000,000,000. Ho hourished the habeas
corpus savagely in tho Railways leading to
the house, and exclaimed In an excited
manner:
II will have dot monish rite away, OF / will
kill dot bugglers and robbers, Randall"
He used other equally strong expressions
and II is said that they were overheard by
several of Mr. Randalls friends, who in
formed him of the matter. The Pennsylvania
congressman did not appear to mind tho
oolonePs vaporngs, but several Of his friends
were annoyed at the threats. They consulted
quietly about the occurrence and mentioned
the tragic fate of President Garfield at the
hands of similar character after the same
kinds of threats had beon made on account
of an imaginary grievance. These friends
of the ex.spoaker thought that the
matter was at least important enough
to demand police attention, and complaint
was made at police headquarters. The result
was that Pinchoyer was taken into Maj.
Dyes private office and there examined by
two police surgeons who pronounced him
| 4. L..
where he was taken by Detective Carter and
Officer Tecplc.
Upon the arrival of tho party at tho asylum
the colonel was assigned to a ward in which
a number of very distinguished historic per-
sons are confined. Ho was shown to his room
and told to make himself at home, which he
proceeded to do without much ceremony.
After relieving his eleven pockets of several
hundred imaginary claims, and his certificate
of election as congressman-st-large from
| Baltimore, tho colonel sailed forth into the
ward in which about thirty patients are con-
| fined.
About twenty of that number were walk
ing back and forth, some of them talking
about their hobbies and others tramping in
silence. The colonel marched up to tall,
! demuro looking man and, tapping him famil-
iarly on the shoulder, said:
"Ish you Won OF TEN land grabbers?'
mo" said the tall man, in solemn tone;
II am jesus Christ. l have come to save tho
woald from eternal fire."
Den you ish q tam humbuggor," said
Pinchover, as he switched Off and steered up
to thin, sallow man, who was gazing in
tonty at nothing, II vas got glenn for dirty
millions Of cattle in Texas" he remarked
earnestly to the sallow man.
'Sh ~ said tho latter, in a cautious tone,
raising his hand; they are firing heavily on
the left and advancing on the right"
But tenn cattle, cl--"
"Be gone, sir" said the sallow man, with
gesture. ~ am Gen. Grant, and you must
not interrupt me while tho fight is in pro-
gross Move up Sherman's division quickly"
Pnchover cast look of I-want-your-
sympathy at the imaginary general, and
thon paused to look out of the win
dow at the city of Washington nest
ling far below. Suddenly tho thought
occurred to him that he was O
ongressman.at-large,a and he marched down
the ward proudly. At the far end he en-
countered Julius Cesar and the inventor OF
a perpetual motion machine, but neither Of
them would talk to him. They were alb
sorbed in thought, one about antiquity and
the other about intricate machinery.
Later he encountered Mahomet, the prophet.
The latter shook the colonel unceremoniously
and when the reporter left the ward ne had
"button-holed" a gbbcring and bullet-hesded
idiot and was talking him to death in one
corner of the apartment about claims, dollars,
congressman, "bugglers," robbers, and dc.
| tectives.