Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-14

A NamesaIe and Relative Of the Ex
President Placed in an Insane Aylum.

A NamesaIe and Relative of the Ex-
President Placed in an Insane Aylum'
James Knox Polk, the namesake and
grand nephew Of ex-President Polk, says
a New Haven special to the Sun, has been
taken to the asylum for the insane at
Hartford.
Some ten years ago young man came
TO the little village of Saugatuck from
Tennessee, and bought an old-fashloneg
house in a secluded place. AFTER ne MAD
lived there awhile sportsmen began 70
flock there. Several blOOded horses stamp
ed in the stables. Their owner was a
stout. thick set. good-looklng young man:
about five feet eight inches hlgn. he hau
a heavy brown moustache. NO relatives
were with him, and at first he inhabited
the old farm house all alone. The neigh
bors found that he was grand nephew OIL
ex-President Polk, and the social circles
of the town opened their doors and asked
him in, but the young man seemed dlsln-
clined to mingle in rural society, and kept
close to his house.
His purse seemed always well supplied.
He bought much landed property, and 1t
was estimated roughly that his worldly
possessions were over $lO0,UOO. Inc old
house was stored full OF guns, dogs and
sporting implements. At monthly inter-
walls, and sometimes oftener, squad OF
sporting men would come from New York
and Till the old building up to the caves.
sKnoxsey.v as his friends called him,
would then become genial and full of fun.
Wine would flow freely. Occasionally
the city friends would be accompanied by
ladies'. After brief visits the guests
would depart, and James Knox Polk
would seclude himself again.
.,,,NTr l,,rr -r,Vaff r, 'nV
house was only a mile and a half from the
New York and New Haven Railroad sta
ton, and every time his friends disap-
peared he would hide few days, and
then the villagers would see him behind
one of his fast horses on the way to the
depot. A week after he wohld reappear.
He did not seek friendships, but had nc
enemies. Whoever knew him personally
liked him.
Every country fair within fifty miles
was sure to be attended by James Knox
Polk and several of his fastest horses. He
always bet, and bet heavily, but he did
not always win. People stared at the
wholesale way in which he lost some
times, though he himself seemed wholly
unmindful of it. Every shooting contest
Polk attended. He was good shot al
glass balls.
Four years ago Polk and several of his
IrlenQS went OH on one OF their hunts
BY an accidental discharge of a gun
Frank Ferris, of Weston, was shot through
the throat. Polk took him into his house
and tenderly cared for him until he re-
| covered.
A deep gloom seem suddenly to settle
upon him. He was no longer himself
Frequently he acted as one dazed. Lack
of business management became apDa.
rent. His property was poorly cared for
What farming land he owned was used
as pasture for his horses, or left uncul.
tiVated to shoot over. His New York
| friends continued to come in troops, and
though he seemed to have no personal in.
terest in their sports, his style of enter.
tainment made big inroads into his
resources. A year or two ago his
| friends had a master of his estate APP.
| pointed, who was at first Mr.. Morris
Ketchum, and after his death Mr.. Goose
OF New York city, to whom 81, 400 year
is allotted for his expenses. Last yeal
his horses were attached for debt, but moi
sold, as the matter was settled.
OF late his eccentricities have beer
more strongly marked. He went into
| business on Broad street, New York, anC
| lost heavily. Last year he married the
niece OF his housekeeper. This spring he
| shaved of his eyebrows. One day soOr
| after, he got on a tantrum and pounded 6
neighbours boy over the head with beel
bottle. His wife has finally felt COMPEL
ed to place him in an insane asylum.