The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-04-18
INSANITY'S FREAKS.
QUEER ILLUSIONS HELD By APPAR.
ENTITY SANE PEOPLE.

Al Odd Hallucination of a Respectabls
New York Banker-A Chicago Mer.
chants Startling Belief-Thought He
Was Jesus Christ.
Not long ago an old man, looking like q
rich, retired merchant or banker, walked
into the Office of one of the foremost pub
fishing houses of New York and asked to
see the head of the firm. That gentleman
recognized his caller as q man who twenty
years ago had been the junior member of a
great Wall street firm. He also remem-
bered that the senior member had been one
of LincOln's most trusted advisers in inan-
cial matters.
The ex-banker said: "You will remem-
Der that my partner, who died about six
months ago, was very prominent during
the civil war. Every one in New York
knows that Lincoln many times averted
his counsel. Now, I have in my possession
papers and memoranda showing how very
much Lincoln was indebted to him. This
information is of a deeply interesting, and
I might say, of a startling character. I
thought, perhaps, we might make some
arrangement to write a memoir. l feel
certain that it would pay, besides being a
fair tribute to my friend and throwing
much light on history.
MEMOIR OF LINCOLN.
The ex-banker went on to tell that he
had proof that his partner drew the orig
inal draft of the Emancipation Proclama-
ton. besides doing many other things of
vital Importance. The publisher was de-
lighted, and made arrangements for a
writer to call at the ~ex-banker's house
certain day and begin work. The pub
Usher talked with the ex-banker for an
hour or more and they separated, equally
we'll pleased. At the appointed time the
writer called and began to discuss the
forthcoming book. After some time the
ex-banker said:
"There is n thing I have not yet told
you, and it is the most important of ALL"
His voice sank to a mysterious whisper,
"My partner assassinated Mr.. Lincoln"
"No," said the writer, drawing back and
looking at the ex-banker in an astonished
way.
eyes," said the ex-banker, she killed
him." And then he proceeded to relate a
wild and rambling story. The writer
questioned him, and was soon satisfied
UudU A0 W 10 SUdAh ldu VII Ia III SuO-
jects he was perfectly a Onthis one of
his partners connection with the Lincoln
administration he was insane.
A few years ago the police of Newark
had an experience of this kind, about
which they decline to talk even yet. One
day a man of respectable appearance
walked into police headquarters at New
ark and said: II am q dry goods merchant
r-a,.. Clso1-@ r-,~ ~ 1os~ 1,~o,,,1 hoo
and stopped off at the station. I had a
valise with 2 1000 in bills in it. left the
valise on a seat in the waiting room while
1stepped out for a moment. When I came
back it was gone. I am fortunately not
entirely without money, rs l happened
TO nave a few hundred dollars in my
pocket"
The police were at rstinclined to doubt,
but when the man told of two women who
had followed him from Chicago and had
acted s%uspiciously the chief was interested.
He ordered diligent search for the robbers.
Circumstances came up which verified the
mans story, and the result was q great hue
and cry. The man went to a hotel to await
developments. He spent his own money
freely and encouraged the police in every
way. Several days passed. The story and
the descriptions of the supposed robbers
were ~telegraphed all over the country.
They were seen here and there. Would be
detectives in small towns made arrests.
The newspapers were full of it and the mys-
terry grew each day. Finally the man from
Chicago took one of the detectives aside
and said to him;
"Perhaps 1 should have explained n
feature of this case sooner. It may have
an important bearing. The fact is I am
Jesus Christ. I think these robbers may
nave been the devil in disguise"
The detective stared at him and then
called in other detectives, who put the mai
under arrest. At first it was thought that
the loss of the money had turned his head.
But it at last came out that, aside from the
fact that he was a Chicago merchant, the
story was false in every particular. The
police were enraged and locked the hoaxer
in an asylum a. soon as possible. They
still remember the great laugh that arose
all over the country.
Inspector Byrnes tells a story of the same
nature.
STEAMBOATS, m Il STREET.
One day a man rushed into police head
quarters much excited. He was deaf and
dumb. He seemed almost Frustrated with
terror. After they had Gained him a little
he explained that he had been robbed of
$1,000 by some men who had thrown him
down and had nearly choked him to death.
The inspector had searching examination
made, and after a day or two proved con-
clusively by the mans friends that he had
not been robbed, and that he was not
ever deaf and dumb. The inspector was
not pleased at having this sort of a trick
played upon him. So he sat the man dow
in achair and engaged him in conversation
One of the detective sergeants slipped up
behind him and jabbed a pin into his back
about two inches. The deaf and dumb
man rose straight up and yelled:
"Great God, inspector, what was thats"
''That," said the inspector, lis my cure
for dumbness. Gitl"
He was gone, and seems to have been
permanently cured.
Capt. Reilly tells of a man who called on
him a short time ago with an odd COM
plant. He was a quiet, gentlemanly per-
son, we'll advanced in years. He said: II
am much troubled with large steamboats,
blowing up and down near my house at
night. They make great noise whlstllng
and blowing, and l cannot sleep for them.
Capt. Reilly supposed the man lived near
the water front, and said:
"Where's your homer"
81 live in Seventeenth street, between
Seventh and Eighth avenues" said ne.'