Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-08-27
A QUEER CLIENT.
A Praotieai. Connan-seass Azz, Sudden
n ~ neyelsplnx Ama zins F1rsAk.. 2 =


" pevslspiss An.1ias freaks,
Among the brilliant array of counsel
which Col Rogers. whose unsettled
mental condition recently got him into
trouble with Staten Island I, hotel
keeper, had called to Ma reIicf. was
Ira ID. Warren. The colonel faucied
that a great many people were earnest
ly engaged6n doing him a serious Ein-
jury. and had intrusted variety Of
litigation to Mr.. Warren. Clark Bell,
Roscoe Conkling, Lucas L Van Allen.
and others. In regard to this remark
able case Of demsntia, Mr.. Warren
said:
"The case of Col. Rogers is nothing
to the extraordinary insanity that be-
fell client of mine some years ago.
He came of fine family. and was well
known pbqnt town He w& quite As
much ny iriend as ny clieht. 4 knew
him and all Ids family Intimately. His
affairs had been in my hands nearly
twenty years, and during all that while
I knew him as one of the most prac-
tical, common-sense men / had ever
met Indeed, he was the embodiment
Of vigorous and robust manhood. /
zone day he came into my Office and
told me he had contracted to purchase
ten houses. l thought ! knew his f.
nancial condition almost to dollar,
and was surprised at the announce
ment, for did not see how in the
world he could carry 1t out He spoke
very dccisiyely, however, and as he did
not seem disposed TO confide his plan
to me I assumed that he had got hold
of some money somehow or other and
knew what he was about. He wanted
me to search the titlcs of the property
that he intended to buy, and added
that the men would be in my Office at
noon the next day to sign the agree-
ment of purchase. Sure enough, at
noon they were on hand, and accord
ing to his instructions drew up the
papers for both of the contracting par
ties to sign. Then to my infinite as
tonishment, he said he was going to
pay 90, 900 down on the bargain. Sc,
"sThis i" il absurd I said. 1T viii
take me week to look Up those titles,
and these people are strangers to ua
What II the titles are not goodp
"Oh, never mind that, he answer
ed indifferently; they're all right. Be-
sides, have plenty of money. lots OF
it, oceans of it, more than know what
to do with. Pay up, pay up II
81 knew that this was all nonsense,
but I supposed that he hads bis reasons
for wishing 10 impress the men with
his presumed wealth, SO said no more
but reluctantly gave them his check.
A day or SO afterward he returned and
said briskly, Warren, do you want to
make a ,fortuneP' 49,,
".How?' Iiasked. iif Hlahp 5il4'
",.pn let you into it, he said. 4
have arranged to buy up all the lots in
= Central park from Fifth avenue to
Eighth avenue up to Seventieth street,
and I'm going to erect apsbuilding on
them thirty stories high. II ~ #
II looked intensely at him as he
made this bewildering proposition.
His face was as straight and as serious
as IL he were considering a scheme to
buy simple building lot Ia Harlem.
I was forced to believe that he was Sc
rious, and consequently, that his mind
was disturbed. SO answered that I
thought we'll of his plan, and would
see what money l could raise to carry
it out But just now, added, I'm
Q little short. and should like, to borrow
few thousands of you. How much
have you on handp'
"Haf q Million he answered as
coolly US could be. knew we'll enough
what he had, and asked him for $1O.-
600. This. l knew, would not leave
him more than 800 in cash. He gave
2 me his check and left the office, and
within five minutes l had it certified
and secure.ln then wrote his wife,
and her reply was convincing that he
was clearly insane, his mania being
that he was immensely rich. A day
or two later he came into my Office in
company with another man, VII IN /
recognized us u picture-dealer. Then,
for the first tune, I saw symptoms Of
insanity In his face. His eyes wert
wild and bloodshot, and his feature!
contorted, as If in rage. I Immediate
ly concluded, that we were to have ,
lively time over that $40, 900, and quick
ly rose to my feet to prepare for it.
'He walked rapidly up to me, grasp
ed my hand. and, pulling me towart
him, whispered, old man, lend mi
$500 till tomorrow iff1 35iIft1
81 wasn't prepared for that, ant
hardly knew what to say, but reaching
into my safe took out an old check
book, long since disused, and pointing
= to stub that showed a balance il
bank Of less than $100, I answered
Does that look as if ! couldP'
"'No.' he replied, sit don't anf
wheeling around, he darted out of the
office as suddenly as he had come in.
''The picturc-seller remained, and h
asked him what all this meant H,
answered that my client had bought
cart-load of chromos Of him to be sen
to his friends. I told him he had bet
ter keep his chromos. In week m.
client became violently insane, and w,
removed him tohDr. Barstow's asylum
in Flushing, where he died only a fey
weeks later. We found that he hat
been buying jewelry, diamonds, pict
ures, bronzes, houses, and any variet,
- - ,,,Lsnk ,.,n ,ck,,r,. ~ s,,,