The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-12


stefan Says His Downfall Was Due
10 Drink.
The most profound sensation ever Gre
aztec in Fort Wayne was caused by the
announcement Thursday that John q.
Blake, superintendent of the Indiana
school for feebls-minded youths. had re-
signed and skipped after confessing to
nameless crimes with the male inmates.
The first intimatioD that anything was
wrong was when Assistant Superintendent
Leonard attempted to correc. one of the
boys for some misdeed, when the youth
dared him to punish him, saving that Mr..
Blake would not permit him 10 be pun
ished, and if be did that he knew some
thing about Blake and would squeal.'
Mr. Leonard referred the report to Mr..
Blake. and the latter saw that boy and
evidently succeeded in hushing the mat
Ger up.
This was the first intimation that any
thing was wrong After this case it is sup
posed that the boy confded the story to
another, and as the ofsnse of Mr.. Bake
gas repeated AZ different times and with
other bows, the scandal passed around
Imong the children and from them TO the
attendants From the attendants it came
so the ears of higher authorities. and
Bnally TO the trustees. Trustee Z. A. X.
Gsckett of Fort Wayne and DIR. SchsHer
- ~.
= meeting. at which twenty two OF the
male inmates were examined and testified
rs TO their knowledge OF the affair, or what
lhey had heard. Regarding the un-
Fortunate man Assistant Superintendent
leonard spoke as follows:
The Confession.
"All of us believe, as we believe in OUT
Existence, that Mr.. Blake has been insane
The talk about the institution had beer
going on for so long time that il had &c
come out, and at the first part OF thiI
week every one knew things were coming
10 q focus. Air. Blake on Sunday con
Quoted services as usual. But he had no
eaten anything for several days. He
would come to the table and 90 away
again without taking 4 mouthful. Or
Monday and Tuesday he did not appear
10 know what was going on and came t
ihe table, sat a moment and then wen
away. On Tuesday afternoon he said e
me: i am going up TO my room and
later want to have q talk with you.
Guessing at what was coming and tearinI
that he would do some harm to himself
followed him at once. and when w
reached his room he broke down com
pletely and made full confession of tht
facts. l do not doubt for a moment tina
he was insane. i never saw q man ~
broken. Not restraining his grief and 70
morse. he told the truth aud the who's
truth. Such a man az Mr. Blake, ever
with his awful deed staring him in the
face, was unable TO tell n lie. He begged
me TO give him morphine. / believe al
the time be would have killed himself i
be had not been watched. The whole in
stitution has the air of home where the
father OF the family is dead. The chill
dren have come 20 their attendants with
tears streaming down their cheeks asking
il IL were true that Dir. Blake had gon'
away and was not coming back"
Due to Drink.
afternoon by the published statement o
Or. II. V. Sweringsn. Blaks's physician
That Blake, VINO has been a leading tenn
psraEce worker, and has preached from
many pulpits in this and other states, haC
been drinking heavily for the past fivi
months. DR.. SWeringen said: "I was a.
much astonishsd at this revelation ne an
one could be. but / know one thing to b.
the truth, and that is Blske's downfall il
due 10 whisky. lie has been a stead,
orinksr for years, but never to so great al
extent az Of late. when he has consumed
large quantities Of liquor That no wa
insane from drink have no doubt"
Blake Is said 20 be in Chicago in TIT
care OF Trustee Hackstt and Edward T
Ysrnsll. his closest personal friends, VIII,
telegraphed yesterday afternoon that he
was being closely watched. aud that unles
he gave up the idea OF suicide he would a
once be placed in an asylum.
Mr. Blake has been in charge Of IN,
home for fesbe-minded boys At For
Wayne for several years and seemed pecul
fairly adapted to the care Of children, VII,
almost idolize him.
The crime charged against Bishop Blak
fs so filthy that il is not mentioned in tn
criminal statute Of Indiana and IL no
punishable. At first the sensation wa
discredited. but Il is now believed by hi
most intimate friends and associates.
The trustees placed Assistant Suparin
tendsnt Leonard in charge Of the institu
tion 10 await further action.
DIR. SUeringsn, the institution phvsi
clan. is At the Mccoy hotel, Chicago. an,
IL is supposed Bake Is with him.
A REJECTED SUlTOR