The sun., 1889-12-15
nUNArrcs our or qnn usUAL RUM.
Let's or Theu, In Connecticut this seassn-
what They Have Bosn About.

NORWICH. Dec. 14-Insane people are un
usually plentiful in Connecticut this season
They continually pop up in out-of-the-wa,
places Unexpectedly. and startle the folks.
A very funny insane man is A. r. Wetherb!
Of Bristol. who went daft not long ago. Mr.
Wetherby was an engineer Of the Connection
Western Railroad until one day the notiol
bobbed up in his head that his mission in In,
was to kill cats. Being a man OF resou
ton and push he speedily cultivated hi
delusion into q big and rapidly increasing
business. There are so many cats IL
Connecticut that ex- Engineer Wetherby REALLY
needed help, but he was not discouraged bl
his handicap and he laid about him among the
cats in Bristol even as Samson did among the
Philistines His path in life was strewn with
dead oats. and no doubt he would have carried
his cat vanquishing campaign into two or three
other country towns II he had not undertaken
to peddle dead cats among the merchant
OF Hartford. He foolishly tried to sell his game
to dry goods dealers instead OF butchers; homo
1t became apparent that he was insane. He
has been shut up
Two queer lunAtics wandered up and down
the woody Connecticut River valley for some
time. and rural poet called them Sir Lauhcelot
and the Princess because they appeared TO be
looking Tor some sort q holy grail. They
HhnoR 9hn Relssy and Little Sarah Of
straying couple was that Kelsey was 85 years
old and Sarah was only 10 years yet 10Th were
trayelled long and far and scared many folks
with their fantastic a9tics Constable, u. X.
bS oSE S4dap aS9 S Rs sos %
- In order TO scrimp and save, the town OF
Thompsonyile cut queer caper lately in tax:
Middletown. and farming them out at cheaper
board t9 the keeper OF the Thompsonville town
farm. The town farm keeper was not wary.
the three lunstios skipped across the lots and
disappeared. Now every, day or two crazy
their Wits. Morris Doyle S was W the leader. r. With
terrifying mien he strobe through the State.
him h thls Meek and 10 has beeR sent
body in town feels safe. ana everybody cen
sures the authorities for their penuriouaness
In transferring dangerous lunatics from the
less SOmebo Cd VIII get hurt tU az the hands Of
crazy men. is the opinion OF Thompsonville
scribnerss lane. Just out Of Norwalk. She Is 81
years old and hale and strong, but her strange
screwed up her face led people to believe that
Sh9 was sh WITCH or at leasf nS 81
house enveloped In shrpbRery, and at sombre
hoHrs OF the night the hollow, old house rang
With the echoes Of strange Eeyelr{ Women and and
nightfall. or even at midday; 1t was not pleas
ant In the profound silence and gloom Of night
ePsefS SSd Ss oda @ss sRp
larity in the darkene and mouldy old dwelling.
was the matter with Mrs. Sheldon THAT is her
namel and he reported that che was fttully
old CONNECTICUT cider was the cause Of her de-
mentia. Therefore she has been sent to the
Middlet9wn asylum. where she will get no
A queer case Of passing insanity was that OF
James Palmer, an enterprising. prosperous.
and Intelligent farmer Of Groton, in the south
healthy man. Of middle age. and had a happy
family. Seven months ago he stepped out OF
into q seismic riit in the earth he could not
as his relations and friends knew Of his where
abouts. Nothing was heard Of him until q
week or SO ago, when he r0appeared in Groton.
clothed and In his right mind, and manifesty
apparently had been eliminated seven months
before. Mr.. Palmer had very brief tale to
relate. All but a few hours OF the time between
less and thouRhtless blank to him. In the
deepest sleep dream may come and construct
drsam hsS se 1ut the SUd
blackness OF Mr.. Palmers mind. Practically he
hHd Isd bee been nEnentity f9r nearly seven months:
3f quitting his house and going out into his
fields; he was thirsty, and stopped to drink
stanty consciousness was snufIed out. as if
were tapers light In the temple
OF the mind that breath may extinguish. 1t
WAS blooming summer when Palmer disap-
peared; when consciousness was rskindled in
his mind he found himself in a madhouse In
VenbeT not long ser his
Ing before Mr.. Palmer was able to convince his
keepers that he was Just as sane as they were.
and in day or two he was released. He went
straightway back to his old home in Groton.
The house was locked and no one responded
who looked upon him as II they beheld a man
grave. When they related to him what changes
world OF affairs, he realized In how short
time the river Of life washes away every trace
said that Mr. James Palmer. a well Well Known @ anI
highly respected resident Of Groton. had sul-
denly and mysterlously disappeared, and Lit |
weeks his wife had anxlously looked at morn |
ing, noon. and evening for his return: then for
az S he reSy %as Sea 2F nd
and with her children had removed to Ihe ex-
With farm and house gone and NranRerB |
about to move into his late home with no |
IN hs sea mo ea
than that OF Rip Van Einkle after |
his long sleep In the enchanted hills for there |
home. Alter only four months Of Lseeming dis.
appearance from the world, Mr.. Palmer found |
hat to return to the place that had known him |
1nce was equivalent to being born again. 1t is |
believed that sunstroke had caused his mental |
disorder. |
At New Britain the other day q strange man
with curiously concentrated look Btrolled on |
,he railroad track to q switch signal. and for |
more than ono hour gazed at the painted |
METAL barely winkinR. and In a motionless and |
stony posture. Then he suddenly woke up and |
moved on. He was lunRtic
Young Goodwin, student In the Mystic |
Valley Institute. mysteriously quit that school |
one day recently and walked to New London. |
He wandered about the streets aimlessiy until |
he police took him In charge; then his mother |
'ame on from New York and took him home. |
lie had become demented. Part Of the time In |
New LONDON, Goodwin, with blacBened face |
md big knife In his hand, ppomenaded
eEociously along the avenues but le tried to
Abbio Yolmer of Rockville went to her work
n the silk mill in that city the other day. being
IN normal health; put soon she
ne into the hall" Mary helped her 'hs into DSi the
lal, and In moment .Abbie became stark
mad; She displayed extraordinary strength, |
md half q dozen mon could bCelyIcontrol her.
She has been sent to the Middletown asylum.
A cad faced woman escaped from the asylum
It Middletown one day recehtly, and for some
ime wandered In the cold u the leafiess woods
.lonR the Connecticut RIVER. She suddenly
Lppearod at about dusk or In the morning tWi-