The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-20
4 MILLIONAIRE INSANE.
q VICTOR NEwCSMB COMMITTED
TO AN ASYLUM.

Max ~AhS
e6y.
The following, from the New York World.
;s a fuller account Of the insanity of the
millionaire, H. Victor Newcomb, than was
contained in the dispatch in the MORNING
EEws of Friday:
n Victor Newcomb, who has been &C.
counted one of the millionaires Of New York,
and who up to year or SO ago was one of
the biggest and boldest Spectators in Wall
street. has been committed to an asylum for
the insane in the neighborhood of New
York.
The application for this commitment was
made to Judge McAdam of the superior
court by the immediate members of Mr..
Newcomb's family. 1t was Endorsed by the
afidavits of DIR. Allen g. Fitch of Bellevue
and DR.. Matthew D. Field, both of whom
are experts in insanity. They agreed that
the millionaire is of unsound mind aud
liable. because of his hailucination, to in
fict bodily harm on those of whom he en-
tartains insane suspicious. With the order
Of the court secured, Mr.. Newcombs family
took immediate steps to have the unfortu-
nate sufferer placed in a retreat.
This announcement will naturally excite
deal of interest and comment in Wall
street, where Mr.. Newcomb has been a
familiar figure, and also among New York
society people. The Newcombs live in a
handsome house at No. 6S3 Fifth avenue
and have figured prominently in society for
eight or ten years. Their daughter made
her debut at one of the Patriarch balls
about four years ago, and in the autumn OF
1889 was married to Reginald H. Ward Of
Boston. The wedding was one of the most
brilliant house weddings of the year, aud
was attended not only by the fashionable
set of New York, but by large contingent
from Boston and New England.
Mr. Newcomb has been i'll for more than
a year. He went abroad for his health last
June or July, accompanied by his family.
On his return in October there was no i'm
provement. Indeed, he had grown worse,
and Mrs. Newcomb was alarmed beyond
measure during the last two or three days
Of the homeward voyage. Among his hal
lucinations was one to the effect that II. M.
Stanley, who was on board at the time, had
designs on his life. 1t was only with the
greatest difficulty that he was quieted. His
state room was Immediately transformed
into a prison house. and he was confined
there under the strictest watch.
Among the other passengers on the ship
was William M. Hartman, of Hartman
& Co., bankers. Mr.. Newcomb approached
Mr.. Hartman one day when the ship was
nearing New York and before he was con-
fined to his stateroom. He said that he de-
sired to ask a very considerable favor: he
wanted to borrow some money. Mr.. Har-
riman replied that be would certainly ac-
commcdate him to the extent at his ability,
but that he had no great amount of ready
money with him. Thereupon, Mr.. Few
comb said that be wanted s..
This and other demonstrations so fright
ened Mrs. Newcomb that when the ship
reached quarantine she telegraphed her
family physician to meet the family at the
New York pier, and to bring an assistant
with him. This was done, and Mr. News
comb was taken to his home. The doctors
said that their patient was suffering from
nervous prostration. and that with proper
care he would come around all right. He
remained quietly at his home during the
winter, and his wife and daughter went out
very little. When they did so they spoke
cheerfully of his condition, and expressed
confidence as TO the outcome. But the
friends who called upon the sick man and
who talked with him, came hack with ex-
tremely discouraging reports respecting his
appearance and the Eighty and disconnected
character of his talk.
Afterward the reports became more
favorable, aud about a month ago Mr.. New
comb came down to Wall street, and, as
mentioned in the World at the time, he cir
as though be was doing a little in the
market and proposed to do more. Those
who saw him did not notice anything odd
or peculiar in his conversation, but they did
think that he did not look well. His eyes
were decidedly wild, and he was prefer
naturally PALE
Immediately after this he became at home
more violent aud dangerous in his halluci-
nations and demonstrations than ever. His
oldest fancy had to do with II. M. Flagler,
the Standard Oil millionaire. His theory
was that Mr.. Flagler played on some kind
OF an electrical machine and that through
the playing he held Newcomb's hand under
subsection. The more the idea grew on him
that he was under the direct influence of
Flagler the more violent he became He
hnally secured a revolver and proposed to
hunt up Flagler to shoot him.
1t was at this time that Mr.. Newcomb's
family concluded that some action must be
taken to restrain him In order to provide
against a possible tragedy. Physicians
were consulted, and the application was
made to Judge McAdam.
AS soon as the first stories of Mr.. New
combs alterations got into circulation last
fall those who knew him recalled a number
OF incidents OF his earlier life in New York
that were now taken as indicating an I'M
balanced mind ..-
One of the incidents thus recalled was the
mlllonaire's visit to a police court to per-
suade the justice to issue an order prohibit
ing somewhat well-known Delmonico
youth from writing sentimental letters to his
daughter Edith. The young man had been
forbidden the house. He sought, however,
10 continue his interest with the girl
Through series of daily letters, and Mr..
Newcomo wanted them stopped. The police
Justice summoned the young man before
MIN and lectured him at considerable
length. He told Mr.. Newcomb, however.
that he was powerless to do anything effect
I've and the result was that the
grl was taken out to Louisville
ana remained there for several months. If
any attachment existed between the young
people these fatherly measures served the
purpose of extinguishing il. The young
man retired from the field, and in the
course Of time Edith Newcomb became
Mrs. Reginald Ward.
Mr. Newcomb's eccentricities are in all
probability inherited from his mother. His
father was the late ii. D. Newcomb of Lou
lsvllle, KY. He died less than twenty years
ago. At the time of his death he was the
richest man in the southwest.
his fortune was estimated at from 5000,
UOO to $6,000,0 900. The elder Mr.. Newcomb
came to Louisville poor man, but he ac-
cumulated a comfortable fortune before he
mad been many years In the the Kentucky
metropolis. He had come to Louisville from
massachusetts and his first business ventures
there were made as book peddler. After
ne mad started on his career was prosperous