New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-12
Is TIE Nm SANE OF MOTT
UoRNTIo N. WILSON DECLARES THAT HE BIAS
BEEN CONFINED IN AN ASYLUM FOR THIR-
TEEN YEARS By RELATIVES, WHO
HOLD HIS PRoPERTY-A
STRANGE STORY.

STRANGE STORY.
When tho case OF Horauo NJ wilson. OF the Wards
Island Lunatic Asylum, called, before Judge
Lawrence yesterday in tho Supreme Court, Chambers,
q tan, thin, elderly man came forward. lie was
bundled up In q rich funlined oyereoat, and his
other Gle hing was OF the best material He carried
q new high silk hat wore light kid gloves and patent
leather boots Judge Lawrence looked at him with
some astonashment and Wilson'S own attorney,
W. TaEewen Fox, appeared little surprised at the
appearance of his client, whom he now met for the
first time The trial on a writ Of habeas corpus
10 Wilson'S discharge from the asylum, where
no has been confined for than twelve years
HIS attorney handed up TO the Judge some informa-
ton relating 20 the history Of the prisoner which he
requested might not be made public al this stage
Of the ease Judge Lawrence found that some of
the papers from the Commissioners of Charities wore
incomplete so the examination deferred until
next Monday. The prisoner, after consultation
with his lawyer, lott the courtroom with the
physician and an attendant Of the asylum, and was
taken back to tho Institution further inquiry into
the circumstances OF his case at tho asylum
yesterday led 10 some curious statements from Wilson
respecting hs own and his family's history. Wilson
was twenty-scven years old when he committed
to tho workhouse on BaeFwellS Island In 1870 Hs
is now In his tortieth year. Ills long brown beard Is
turning gray, and his face Is emAciated and not q
pleasant one. lie appears to be at least sixty years
old. In COnYershtlOn nc mas al uneasy utuHett uub
Is intelligent IN his statements and appears 70 have
had some education. His family, he says and his own
home are not In Philadcphia at first reported but In
Utica, N. Y. He declares that they are prominent
and wealthy and that he is Of three heirs 10 large
property IN Utica which Is held by his younger
brother and married sister. The physicians Of the
asylum however say that be has intervals when he Is
silly and imbeclle and he requires constant watching
Commissioner Porter, when asked about the man
yesterday said that be had not heard OF these state
meuts OF Wilson'S family. In looking over the report
he saw that the patient talked about conspiracy Of
relatives frequent occurrence with insane patients
His general condition one, however which would
not permit tls man 20 go at large.
His story Is certainly strange one Hdaea UT.
Porter. al know the Mayor Of Utica and many Oh
lis leading families, but mono Of his name. u he mas
any relAtves or friends there OF means, re snoa no
BE- under t,re cys care here, ana shsh inquire Hito
his case thoroughly" ,.. a, ~ ,vha,te, 1rn
son was Tie ,neal name OF his patient OF 70 gVS me
names 81 he family Ife admitted lhot tneir h0me
was in Utica and he added that no had NOT
investigated the story OF his clont Inc case ne su
was one OF The most remarkable ones no bsn evsa
known In hls conversation and manner WILSON, W.
evidently sanc and n no had Inherited meaus snonu
be dfercntly cared for From bis Own sansnens Wy Wy
win BY which be became an heir W nn ss'S'o n ~
grandfathnF wes on flo in Dutchess tps , 81 .h M
facts Of tie case Mr. Fox expecls 70 HAso 'eets '''
week