Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-31
A CASE WITH A HISTORY.
Investigation Into the Mental Condition of August Bayer-The Story of His Ups
 and Downs as Heard by the Court.


 The arguments as to the mental condition of August Bayer, were heard by Justice | Lowe in the probate office this morning. | The case is an interesting one and has history. Bayer was formerly large prop erty owner, but through q combination of circumstances has become a town pauper. The charge of insanity is brought against him by Lawyer Graves and Orc. Art Ward, the present owners of the property once owned by Bayer
 H. B. Graves the first witness said : ''ln 1886 I received telegram from Fred Maurer, asking me to come to Waterbury, to the New England hotel. did, and met MT Goertz and his wife, the daughter of Bayer, and MT Maurer and wife. They were afraid they were to be turned into | the street. 1 was soon after introduced to Mir Bayer. He was not ill condition to talk rationally. He said his wife tried to poison him with paris green. This was all l I could understand. 1 soon learned that the Dime Savings bank of Norwich had petitioned for foreclosure on Bayers property, for debt of S15, 1000. The New | Britain bank had also claim of SIP GOO. | Bayer didn't know what he owed, nor that | there had been petition for foreclosure. 1 went to Bayer's cOnservator, D. F. Web ster, and learned that he was ordered by the court of probate to sell the property. Charles Root bid the property off at S2O, ,OOO. The encumbrances on the property then amounted to $34, 900. MT Roots bid was for the New York &t New England railroad company, but finding that there was some of the property encountered they refused to take it. At that time finding that Bayer was suffering from drink l advised the calling of physician. Dr Ward was called. Dr Ward suggested to me
 
 money there might be something in the property. I said 1 would not bind myself to buy it. This property included the two brick blocks and some vacant lots on the other side of the railroad. On July g. Dr Ward and myself bought up judg- ment of $100 granted to one Martin Moore. We got out an execution and with the sheriff took possession of the property. We went to the New Britain Savings bank and explained the condition Of the property and showed that if some one did not put out some money on it, i'll two years it would be worthless. It was finally agreed that we should act as their agents, apply ing the rents to the improvement of the property We went to the Norwich Savings bank and made similar arrange ment, with three years option to buy the property. We then inspected the property and wondered why the inhabitants did not die like rotten sheep. It had to be en- tirely cleaned out. We thought it hard to turn Bayer into the street and finally agreed to board him. We could not make him understand the condition of affairs; that he owed $2S, ,00O on the property to the two savings banks. We boarded him at the New England hotel. He did every thing to interfere with in the improvement of the property. He
 went into finely finished store and white washed it all over. He tore down our for
 sale signs. When I remonstrated he , threatened me, and 1 made up my mind tC put him off the premises, and, we did the
 next day despite his threats of death
 Since then we obtained all agreement from
 the New Britian savings bank that wher \ we reduced their claim to $9, 400 they would
 give us deed. We did so, obtained the = deed, and gave them a mortgage. Bayel t at .one time improved but relapsed, an6 : since then can understand nothing abou - the property but thinks Dr Ward and my V self have robbed him. My opinion is tha n he is insane, and dangerous to be at large n 1 was very loath to have this prosecution 8 brought. There are judgments for hun : dreds of dollars pending against MT Baye now" MT Graves then branded lie thu : statement of the Sunday Herald that h' S was at one time attorney for MT Bayer, bu naO turned against nm.
 . Dr c. Art Wards testimony was sub l stantially the same as Judge Graves. H. n had attended Bayer and found him suf l fering from alcoholism. '1n October,
 said Dr Ward, ''while 1 was collecting e rents he caught me by the coat, thrust hi e hands into his pocket and threw a handful l. of pepper and sand into my eyes and saiC
 he would have my life or l would hav
 his. He was restrained. Since then whel
 he meets me on the stEeet he goes alons
 muttering and I have to keep constan
 watch l made complaint to MT Burpee l. He advised me to have him confined ill al
 asylum" Attorney Judd Do you be !, lieve him to be insane." ''I most certainl
 do" MT Burpee: Have you ever ex
 amined him!" 'I have"
 Il Mrs George Maurer testified that Baye = had accused her of trying to posion him IS while boarding at her house. He had als l. threatened to burn the house. Charle
 Yoos, who is married to Bayer's grand j. daughter said the old man made swor' n cane, with which he threatened to murde
 Graves and Ward. The weapon was takel n from him and given to Dr Ward. Fre' "a Goertz, Bayer's -in-law, testified tha
 he had been threatened by the latter
 Mrs Margaret Druin testified as to Bayer' y trying to collect the rent from her, tellin l. her that he could go to the bank at any tim
 and draw money. Bayer said Dr War 1T tried to poison him, but he would drow: 't him. She saw Bayer sharpening two knive
 and warned the Dr. Hugh Cronin testi is fled as to Bayer's assault on pr Ward wit k the pepper and sand. Fred Hahn testiie l, to conversation with Bayer, in which tn
 latter said that MT Graves told him h
 could have his property back in a fe,
 days, and he was going to punish M
 Graves. Bayer told him this morning tha le he owned the property Sheriff Tuttl rs said when Bayer was ejected from tn 'e premises he was upable to understand wh of he was put out. A number of times after y ward Bayer interfered He was rations = on every other subject except the one de 1t fusion regarding the property. John ( Id Wolff said Bayer visited his house frt 1 quentlv. From his conversation he wa V, sorry for the man. The case for the pros t. ecution here ended.
 ,n First Selectman J. B. Doherty was tn
 first witness for the defense. He said D