Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-24
AN EX-SENATOR'S SORRY STATE.
MIR. Jones of Florida Said to be Lead
ing the Life of a Tramp.

Detroit special to the Philadelphia Press
says: An effort will be made this week to have
ex-senator Jones of Florida sent to the Kala-
mazoo insane asylum. There is fear that he
may do himself or some one else injury unless
he is placed under restraint Senator Jones
has been in Detroit five years. He went there
first on the invitation Of several prominent
citizens and almost Immediately fell in love
with Miss Chlotide Palms, the spnster
daughter of Michigan's weathiest citizen.
Miss Palms is a devout Catholic and when she
refused to accept the attentions that the
Florida Senator desired to lavish upon her he
appealed to the church dignitaries for assist
ance, though without avail His suit was a
failure from the start, but Senator Jones never
wavered In his devotion, but spent his days in
writing verses to his beloved, while his nights
were given up to promenading in front OF
Miss Palms home, until he became to her a
source OF terror and the authorities we're in
voked to put an end t. the nuisance. Mr.
Jones friends undertook to reason with him
and he gave up his nightly vigils, though he
continued sending notes and floral tributes to
the object of his affection.
The story OF Senator Jones' poverty has been
frequently told. After the expiration of his
term rs senator he became penniless and was
turned out Of one hotel after another until he
literally had nowhere to lay his head. 1t was
tnen tnat fost Ofnce inspector y NELL pro-
vided HIM with food and lodgings. Jones
lived with Mr.. O'Neill for two years. change
OF circumstances led Mr.. o Neill to abandon
housekeeping and Senator Jones again found
himself out in the street and for months he has
slept in hotel Hobbies, in Railways or anywhere
else that afforded shelter. His feeding place
has been the free lunch counter
Occasionally Hon. Don NJ. Dickinson or some
other large hearted citizen, whose pity has
been touched by Jones sad case, has provided
him with funds, but invariably the money has
gone to satisfy the ex-senators growing appe-
tite for stmulants until even these friends have
closed their ears to his appeals.
MIR. Jones begins to realize that his mind is
diseased though he has periods of his old-time
brightness and intellectual vIgor, when he con-
verses lntelllgently upon all subjects except
that of women. Once let women be mentioned
and he flies off into a rage, denouncIng his
enemies who are keeping him from his true
Catholic wife," The object Of his insane love
Is now in Europe, the wife Of Detroit ply
slclan, but Jones persists in believing that she
Is IN Detroit, held a prisoner in her own home
to prevent her marrying him. He bears at such
times every appearance Of a madly insane ma n
and his old friends fear that in one of these at
tacks OF violence he may do some person harm
10 guard against such a contingency q commits
sion will be appointed this week to inquire into
his case and the evidence showing his mental
ailment is so overwhelming that he will be no
doubt committed to the asylum.
Senator Jones knows that such a movement
Is afoot and declares that he will never be I'M
tnrl oil