The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
THE DEMENTED.
THE POOR AND UNFORTUNATES-
MIMIC SCENES IN
SANE LIFE.
A Picnic at the Asylum
Touching and Novel Scene
Food for Reflection.
An Emperor Without an En-
pire-A General Without
an Army.

A representative of THE STATES
MAN yesterday was present at al
occasion unprecedented for novelty
a lunatic picnic. barbecue and dance
at the Insane asylum of Austin. i
ever man deserved eulogy for success
in difficult, heretofore untried, anC
humane undertaking, DR.. A. n. Den
ton, the courteous and atfable super T.
tendent of the asylum does.
at 10 o'clock the green shadowy
acres about the asylum presented 6
strange, fantastic picture. Every in
mate of the five hundred, except g
very few too violent ones, were turned
loose, with the attendant keepers, and
assembled in groups about the park
Tables were laid for dinner, to accom-
modate great number, and there was
fine band of music at the stand.
Looking about one could see every
expression of insanity depicted on the
many faces from idiotcy to madness.
AS class they were wonderfully well
behaved, but here and there one could
hear the loud Gemoniac laughter, cries
and mutterings, and behold human
faces, physical and mental wrecks,
horrible and yet fascinating. Many
sat with their heads down, lifeless and
unheeding; others looked glad and
happy, and still others cunning and
wild. There was saw dust plot ar
ranged for dancing, and after dinner
the dance began. 1t seems horrible,
does it not? to relate that one has
danced with lunatics of the worst
type. Most people would shudder to
think of tive and at first shrank from
the idea of contact with mad men and
women, but we must confess having
attended many a dance among the
alledged sane, not one-half as well
conducted and gracefully executed.
Among the dancers we can say there is
not one bad one. DR.. Denton says
dancing seems to come natural to them.
We led off with one of the most
noted, and at the same time incurable
cases at the asylum, Col. Fleetwood,
alias Napoleon Bonaparte." His
dress was military in the extreme. Of
some red stuff he had fashioned him a
sash, epauletts and insignias of Office.
He had braided his coat with the same
and wore slouched hat pinned a la
militaire up at one side. His flow of
language, when he starts in on one, is
miraculous; he does not trip or halt,
or stop even for breath-and in his
mild way talks intelligentIy. He will
talk your arm off in fifteen minutes,
entreating you to help him to get
away from Austin, and offering you
any inducement. He has been elected
governor of Texas without his
knowledge, and declines to serve. He
has fierce black eyes and gray hair,
and jaunty military step. He is a
fine dancer, going through the figures
with the ease and grace of a society
dude. That was novel and not alto
gether nice sensation, the clasping
hands with the insane, aad moving in
and out of the dance with them. When
it was finished an old mad woman
came up. and peering in at US, put
the startling, half pitiful query, as
from long practice-"are you crazy ?"
We confess to having to think a mo-
ment before replying. 1t is horrible
and unnatural and strange.
The dinner was well served, and
again 1t was strange sight to see the
inmates at table-some knelt, others
wandered around or stood up quietly;
all were well behaved, except an oc-
instance of one trying to feed
They are not allowed knives
or forks. "Old Riley" colored man,
IS character of peculiar interest
his laughter-and he is a great laugh
er-is the most unearthly, horrible
sound we ever listened. to. 81. Thorn
as" is demented negro, who claims
to be worth two hundred and sixty
of which ha offered me fifty
thousand If would get him away
from that prison" He took me to
one side and explained apologetically
that old "Riley," who had been talk
ing, was little crazy, and not to no.
tice him.
The crowning character is the
professor" poet. He is a d-eyed
man of some education. He wrote
us two verses which we give. Wehave
seen worse written outside of the in
sane asylum. This is dedicated" to
one of the attendants, and called
Beau-catchers."
"Oh, she's q beauty charming
Her beauty Is alarming,
But bring me the one with the beau-catcher
curls;l
She's as pretty as red shoes
She's the girl for the muse
loh, hush, boys hush, don't talk about the
girls,
But bring me the one with the beau-catcher
curls.l
Itisn't altogether unlike Walt Whit
man in style!
The thanks of the STATESMAN are
rendered DR. Denton, who is so justly
admired and respected in this commu-
nifty. his two pretty daughters, Mr.. w.
F. Weeiss, the handsome book-keeper,
and Miss Stella Burbanks, for courte-
sizes. There were many visitors du-
ring the day, all of whom seemed
amazed at proceeding heretofore un-
heard of, and the order observed.