Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-11
FREEMAN'S STORY.
is HE CONFINED IN AN INSANE
ASYLUM?
November-But Writes That He Is
wrongfully Locked UP in an Asylum.

Is James Freeman, sane man, con-
fined in a Maine insane asylum?
The reader, after weighing the pros
and cons, can answer that question as
may be deemed best; the HERALD re-
porter, who chronicles the story as he
heard it, knows of it only what is here
told.
James Freeman last summer resided
in this city. Some people who knew
him say he was capitalist; others say
he had no money, but worked on a
ranch at $25 a month. The facts are
hard to establish. At any rate he met
young woman named Annie B. Welch,
who is acousin of Bartholomew Toomey,
of 113 Third street, and cousin of
Mrs. Hoffman, the wife of Charles Hoff-
man, of the firm of Hammer & Hoff-
man, grocers, on the corner of Eighth
and Olive streets.
Freeman, it is said, won the love OF
Miss Welch and they became engaged,
and the date of their wedding was set
for November Goth of last year. The
relations of Miss Welch did not approve
of the match, and to prevent discussion,
friend of both of the lovers acted as a
sort OF go between, letters from one to
the other being addressed to her.
At last in October Mr.. Freeman stated
that he had to go east to attend to some
business, and he left. In few weeks
time, Miss Welch got letter from him,
dated at Zebulon, Ohio, in which he
said he had sold a farm OF his at that
place for $4,000, and added that he was
10 Dorflond - L.
business with his mother, relative to
his fathers estate. Since then Free
man has not been seen.
However, he was heard from again in
a most peculiar way. The lady who had
forwarded the letters of the two, in the
latter part of last year received letter
for Miss Welch postmarked Portland,
Maine. 1t contained dirty piece OF
wrapping paper, which was found
to be letter from Freeman. In
it he said that when in Port
land he had been enticed into a
Doctors Office, where he had been chlo-
reformed, and that when he recovered
consciousness he found himself in cell
in private insane asylum. He was not
allowed to write letters, but had man.
aged to secure pencil and piece of
wrapping paper, and had written three
letters, which he had thrown from his
cell window to the sidewalk, hoping
some one would find and forward them.
With the letter was note from a
stranger saying that he had found the
letter on the ground near an asylum near
Portland, and thinking it barely possible
that there was something in the matter,
he forwarded it. That is the last that
has been heard from Mr.. Freeman.
These statements are what Miss Welch
and her friend who received the letter,
have made to friends regarding the
matter. a
A HERALD reporter called upon Mrs.
Hoffman yesterday. She had not heard
word about the peculiar story. Mrs.
Hoffman stated that such person as
James Freeman was here last year, and
that he fell desperately in love with
Miss Welch. He represented himself
to be very wealthy.
( 'sMy husband and myself did not like
the man." said Mrs. Hoffman, ''and we
advised Miss Welch to have nothing to
do with him. In the first place, he was
an old man, and then again it wasn't
likely that wealthy man would work
on a ranch for $25 month. However,
Miss Welch went to San Francisco to
live several months. often got letters
from her, but she never mentioned Mr..
Freeman. In fact do not believe that
she was ever engaged to him. At any
rate, we were kept in the dark. if they
were ever engaged. Miss Welch came
here from Cincinnati, andis a fair look
ing, intelligent young lady,"
Mrs. Hoffman answered all questions
willingly and candidly. She thinks the
story about Freeman extremely doubt
f,1l