Evening journal., 1893-04-01
LOCKED UP AS INSANE
BITTER EXPERIENCE OF A FORMER
RUSSIAN MAJOR.


Was Declared to BE Insane, but by Re
sorting to n Clever Lie He Was Set at
Libsrty-His Ruse Was Successful.
F.E. o. Sucrow, the son of a gallant
Russian colonel, and who himself was
once a major in the same army, has
recently been released from the Wards |
island insane asylum by clever ruse. |
Its success, he thinks, is proof enough, |
if he had no other, that he is mentally !
sound.
Major Sucrow was at one time wealthy. |
Until within few years he did not find
1t necessary to work for a living. BE is
Of noble family and was a great yachts
man. He can recite offhand the COM
plete record of all the international
yacht races and says that he has twice
been around the world in yacht of his
own. He is about SO years old and
speaks and writes well in English. He
lives at 4s Great Jones street. He
has not been on good terms with his
family for years, and his annual income
was stopped two years. ago.
When this happene1 he sought some
business enterprise, and his attention
was called to discovery for making
hairgrow on bald heads, which had been
successfully tried in two or three cases.
He bought controlling interest in the
restorative and commenced to boom it.
Ho had read a great deal about DR..
Chauncey M. Depew and thought it was
pity that so great a man should be COM
PEELED to go through life baldheaded
Furthermore, he considered that his for
tune would be made If he could be the
means of giving DIR. Depew genuine
pompadour.
With this object in view Major Sucrow
fixed up package of his restorative and
called on DIR. Depew. The package, which
was neatly tied up, was about IL inches
long, inches wide and 81 inches thick.
His visit was just after the attempt to
blow up Russell Sage by dynamite.
When DR.. Depew saw the package and
heard the majors foreign accent, he
thought it was a crank and remarked
hurriedly;
"My dear fellow, am very busily en-
gagged today on important business that
cannot be delayed. Leave me your name
and address, and shall send you a letter
making an appointment for an interview
for some other day"
Sucrow went away and waited for the
letter, which never came. In its place
appeared an agent Of the department Of
charities and correction, who questioned
him concerning his personal history and
as to the effectiveness of his tonic. Su-
crow was then taken before DR.. Wash
burn Of 42 Irving place and declared
insane. He spent one night at the in
sane pavilion at Bellevue hospital and
was then sent to Wards island. BE
was examined several times by different
physicians at Bellevue and at Wards
island and was questioned as to the story
he had first told.
"My statements were all true" said
Major Sucrow yesterday, land so l had
to conscientiously persist in them"
After his transfer to the island he kept
the attention of the physicians there cen
tered upon him by his frequent declara-
tions that he was not insane, accompa-
MED by applications for his release. Fol
the first five months Of his incarceration
he made these applications at least every
week, and sometimes as often as twice ol
three times week. At the end of five
months, Just as he was beginning to de
spair Of ever regaining his liberty, he hi
upon q new idea.
II began to change my system" h'
said. "For the next month did not say
q word about insanity, nor did maxi
any further request for my discharge
At the end Of the month went to Mr.
L.. .k&.w.Ia,A II
for permission. to write to DR.. Wash
burn. 1t was readily granted, but
knew that the missiye would be opened
and read before it was sent, if, indeed, i
was sent at all.
''The substance Of my letter TO DR.
Washburn was that now realized
was not in my right mind when l wa
committed, that the statements hal
made about belonging to a noble Rus
sian family and having once been ric
were delusions that had now been dis
PEELED, and that / had made great mi.
take in having anything to do with tn
hair tonic business. told the docto
that was humble mechanic and coul
earn about $1s per week at my trade.
also said that this was a good time {
the year to secure employment, and
wanted to be released. A few days late
Iwrote letters to Drs. Adamson, CAM
bell and Petit Of exactly the same in
port. had the story down fine aud di
not vary single detail in any of them
ga few days afterward DR.. Petit ser
for me and made an examination, durin
which he asked me to tell my sto1
again. Then at short intervals DIR
Adamson and Campbell examined n
and asked qdestions regarding my late
story. told it to them all exactly as
had written it in the four letters, and
result was in short time discharge
as cured.
But" added Major Sucrow, here
Just where the point comes in. I'll
story which proved to the doctors
Wards island that was no longer i
sane, and secured my release. was Il
only lie l had told in connection with n
whole experience as lunatic.' No
that have been set free l repudiate
rrl..t sa,oxr-s how far cirr,,.,n eta n ,f;al on