Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-31

Siuman s BaiisY Appointed Guaruiao
lor hiaaIson ~. Cook

the bearing "a t1e petition. ln TIE Pro
bate Court for t1e appointment of spscisl
GUARDIAN foF "a alison ~ Coos 49, had D.
fore Jsi-e Montgomery yesterday after
no.sa- Judge Follst e0ald not legally act IL
lae case. fgf the Eeasoa that BE- had counsel
81 As Coos .a regard lo bls family ditiieal-
ties SIR. COOK appeared. zEts8ded b his
counsel, Aiessrs. kxgleston aud JAMESON,
shlis his sife. the petiuoaef, was attended
- Gvorge Nanty, of Fletcher
Nsntg. Among the witnesses sworn
we're Dr. Wooster AMI several OF Mr. Cooks
relatives including hls only child, Ahce, his
brother Jackson, = half sister Sallna, aud
cousin Abram Cook. All agreed thar until
October last Mr.. Cook ~as q most kind and
afectionate husband and father and vers
maea esteemed and respected by his friends
and uei-hbors. About that time he began
30 accuse his wile ~ improper conduct with
other men, and imagined that strangers
we're hidden about the house aud barn.
On October he went about tie
hoase ~ith loaded gun searching
for the men; aud on another occasion
asked his brother 10 help him search
iie barn for Them. His brother vent with him.
carry ng 4 lantern. and with pitchforA ~
lds hand be searched the baru thoroughly.
From that time ca be continued 10 accuse
hi- sife Of All manner of improper conduct,
and urged her 10 confess continually, telling
hsr that il she did not DO so be would be
Obliged TO have her arrested. Finally he
concluded 10 divide the property and allow
her TO leave hiin. and with that object in
view sold his has and grain until there vas
not enough left 10 winter his stock, and
then proposed to mortgage the farm
10 raise money TO pay her for
her share of the property Then she filed
she petition for guardian. Judge Mont
gomety reviewed the evidence briefly, say
ing that while il did not show him to be in
sane on all matters, II certainly showed that
his actions toward his family emGnated
from diseased brain, and that his actions
in regard 10 disposing of mis- property were
such a. 70 Justify the conclusion that he was
incompetent 10 take care of his property.
The Judge then appointed Sluman s. Bailey
a. special guardian. Mr.. Bailey filed his
bond aud took Mr.. Cook under his care. As
they left the court room Mr.. Cook stopped
70 bid his daughter goodbye and both
were much affected His wife attempted o
speak 20 him, but he told her TO stop. that
there was no use in her trying To talk To him.
When outside the room he said TO Mr.. Bailey:
Now Bailey, know | must do just as you
say. but | don't want you 10 take me back
10 Jail. know what I'm about. | am not
going 10 hurt anybody and there is no oc-
casion for locking me up. | don't want to
20 out to the farm, and it would not be
pleasant for me 10 90 out TO your place. /
can find some place here where | can stay
and be comfortable, and ! am not going to
run away or give anybody any trouble. ="
Il was finally arranged that he
should stay at the Jail last night
and Mr.. Bailey Is to come
10 the city this morning TO make further ar
engagements. The hearing on the petition
for general guardian will be heard April
Is. and IL Il not likely that any action in re-
gard to sending him to the asylum will be
taken until after that date Mr.. Eggleston
was not pleased with the Judges decision
and said that Mr.. Cook was just as sane as
Mr. Bailey