The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-08-28
-
FAIRVIEW;
One September
Night.
Ey JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.
CHAPTER ".

ton to add note in this place relative to
one feature of the outrage upon him by
which the villains. whose astonishing career
here at Berkeley has lately been cut short,
attempted TO carry out their stupendous
crime.
The Private Asylum for the Insane, IN
charge of DR.. Phineas Westerly, as he
styled himself, was located near Summer
ton, forty miles from here. The situation
is secluded one, there being no railroad
within ten miles of the place. | never
visited the asylum; but before the occur
rences which DR.. Alinton Is describing.
some queer stories had come to me about
the institution, the treatment of patients
there and the manner in which they were
brought there and admitted. In other
words, the relatives of people who had
been kidnapped and hurried into this place
while as sane as | am at this moment by
other relatives or persons making way with
them, had come to me and stated their sus
picions. As for me, | had no personal
knowledge of the place, or of the way in
which 1t was conducted; but their stories
continued to come TO me, and at last they
made such an impression that / sat down
end wrote to the State Superintendent of
Asylums. repeating all that had been told
me. and suggesting that there be a special
and rigid inspection and examination of
this institution ordered.
This letter was written and mailed six
weeks before the death of Edison Whalley
Official routine, as we all know is a slow
and tedious affair; but it appears that after
a time my shot struck the mark. 1t would
appear that, on the second day after DIR.
AIinton was thrust into this place, an IN
spection and visitation of the Summerton
Asylum was ordered. The inspector WAS
to leave on his mission on the third day
after that, and some watchful friend of the
proprietor of the place telegraphed the
news to him from headquarters, in cipher.
The inspection was duly made by Il
humane and impartial officer and notwlth-
standing the three days notice that had
been struggled to the head of this infamous
place, such a horrible state of facts was
developed that the institution was broken
up, its inmates restored to liberty, and the
whole country was astounded by the ex-
posures made DR.. Phineas Westerly only
saved himself from criminal prosecution
by flight. 1t is not necessary that | should
describe the hideous wrongs that We're
brought to light in this exposure, of which
the case of DIR. Alinton furnished by no
means the worst | only say that there is
no such sample of mans inhumanity to
man, no such hell upon earth, as the aver
age private insane asylum of this country
Many victims were freed from contine-
mant and torment; but DIR. Minton was not
among them. He had been taken from the
place the day before the inspection, as APP
peared by the evidence taken upon the ex-
animation. That is, his name or identity
was not known to the attendants; but it
appeared that the subject who was brought
IN ON the morning of the tenth of Septem-
Der was on the fourteenth taken away in
the same carriage that brought him.
1t becomes quite easy now to understand
all this. DIR. Beaumont was on very good
terms with the proprietor of the infamous
establishment; ii is fair to presume that he
had employed him before in the same
species of villainy, for n sufficient reward
1t no doubt appeared to Beaumont per-
tectly safe to immune his victim within
this dreadful place for two or three weeks.
until the preparations of Ferrers and him
self for flight were made. The victim
would be safe there-perfectly safe! No
body would be admitted to the room where
he was imprisoned except those connected
with the institution. Should any one from
Berkeley chance to visit the place, there
would be no risk of discovery. 1t was as
safe as the tomb.
Can anything be imagined more perfectly
devihsh2 Bad as that scoundrel Beaumont
appears. | believe his character was even
darker than would be supposed from read
ing this narrative. 1t appears to me that
the motive of personal revenge must have
entered largely into Beaumonts treatment
of DR.. Minton. Not only had the latter
interfered with the nefarious schemes of
himself and terrers, but he had. am told,
inflicted personal chastisement on Beau
mont for an insult to the lady who has be-
come his wife And. with the necessity of
l., e Al,
spirators were quite ready for fight, Beau
mont mingled this exquisite scheme of re-
yenge. 1t is fortunate that among all the
bad men around us the world has very
few SO perfectly diabolical as was this mani
The cipher dispatch to Westerly that |
have spoken of was found by the inspector
among the secret papers of his Office; and
in DR.. Beaumonts house here in Berkeley
was found somewhat later (at time which
is yet to be spoken of a message from
Westerly dated September -. 1t was
hastily written III pencil, stated the con-
templated visit of the INSPECTOR and babe
beaumont come Immediately and remove
his last patient. 1t no doubt reached its
address by special messenger not later than
noon of the same day; and then
| can imagine the CONSERVATION it must
have causedl Edison Whalley had been
that he had died of cancer of the stomach
passed unchallehged; the criminal charg,
against Harvey Mintou, which accounted
tor his disappearance, was generally be-
heyed; Clayton Ferrcrs was secretly anG
busly engaged In turning the estate into
money, having got himself immediatel1
appointed administrators, as. except his
mother the only living relative and mex
of kin; and Beaumont was also, with tn,
most profound secrecy, making his ar.
rangements and shaping his affairs to de
camp, OF a sudden, without the leas
previous warning, comes the intelligenc,
that the Summerton Asylum is no longe
a safe prison for the last patient or
rather, that it would bo a safe prison 70
only single day longer. More plotting
was necessary; moro planning; a swift
summary scheme WAS necessary 10 hole
back the discovery, the exposure, the ruiz
that would be sure 10 follow when Harve,
Mlnton should obtain his liberty.
The plan was not wanting; expedicnt,
are never wanting TO such men as Beau
mont. 1t was a scheme the very audacity
of which seemed to insure its success
How nearly II came 10 succeeding, the fur
Their narrative of Harry Minton will show
And nov that the right has triumphed
and violence and crime and hideous treach.
ators have met with their Just retributiou,
may be permitted to say that the hand OF
God also appears 10 me in this amazing
history. No human invention could hay,
contryed nor predicted the consequence,
OF the letter which | wrote 10 the Stat,
superintendent. as has been described We
1t was that simple letter that contribute,
more than anything else to the exposur,
and downfall of Beaumont and Ferrers be
tore the time had come for their abscond-
ing. But fer that letter. Harvey Mintor
would have languished in the Summervili,
Asylum for months-at least until the con
spratorS had made good their flight. ant
ms revelation and exposure would hav,
come too late either to bring them to JUS
tee or to prevent the wrecking and EN-
bezzhng of the bulk of the macuific1n
estate left by Mr.. WhaIley.
CHAPTER V
DR. MINToN's NARRATIVE RESUMED.
am told that during four DAYS ana night
was IN this den of horrors. was mysel
hardly conscious of the flight If time
Bold and ardent as | was. yirorouS wifi