The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-30
William King Has Been Thirty Years
in an Asylum.
STORY OF A NEWPORT MAN
Whose Fortune IL Estimated 1T Two
Million Dollars Incarcsrsted In IN
Asylum-Connned ON the Mere state
ment Of Two Physicians.,

I BosroN, Aug. 80 Friends Of William
III. King. the Newport millionaire. who
has been an inmate of the Mclean insane
asylum for nearly 80 years. are making
strong efforts to secure his release To
that end they are trying to get an order
from the supreme court Of Massachusetts,
to set aside decree Of the supreme court
of Rhode Island under which the COM
mitment was made. The latter court
ordered Mr.. King committed In 1865 to
the asylum until further order of that
court; and no other order has ever been
issued.
Those who have applied to the Massa-
ehusetts court contend that the order Of
the Rhode Island court was invalid ON
several legal grounds, and II the release Is
not to be ordered they ask that at least
the place Of confinement
May Be Changed.
T. The proceeding Is In the nature Of q
petition for . writ of habeas corpus and
was heard by Judge Barker In the lobby.
Only those interested were allowed to be
present. Judge K. c. Bumpus and Law
yer Trask appear for the petitioner. who
Is K. A. w. Ross of Boston. The Massa-
chusetts general hospital appears as a
party interested, and Is represented
by Ex-Assistant Secretary OF State
w. r. Wharton. David King,
nephew OF Mr. King, entered an
appearance by his counsel, Shattuck &
Munroe, who urged that the asylum
should retain control Of Mr.. King. Later
this appearance was withdrawn. Mr.. King
left the asylum Saturday and has since
been at Boston hotel In custody Of the
sheriff, awaiting decision on his applica-
ton for release permanently. The decision
will rest probably
On Law Points Alone.
: Mr.. King is a retired China merchant
who had when In active business amassed
m immense fortune. He IL bachelor,
and is now about 75 years Of age. His
fortune Is estimated at t2,000, 900. Il. A.
Webster Ross. who files the petition for
his release, claims to be q niece of Mr..
King. David King, who has been ap-
pointed guardian Of Mr.. King and man.
ager of his estate, denies that Mrs. Ross Is
niece. He opposes his uncle's release.
Mrs. Ross retaliates by asserting that
David King is not a nephew Of William
III. King. She contends that the commit
ment was invalid because not In pursu-
apce of an order Of the court, but merely
made upon a certificate Of two physicians,
who made oath that Mr.. King was insane
and person dangerous to be at large.
Mrs Ross alleges that her uncle's condi-
tion hsuch and his estate 30 large that he
ought to be confined. II at all, in a private
dwelling, with personal attendants She
AYERS that he In not dangerous person.
An attempt will be made to have an
other guardian appointed to take charge
of the estate, pending litigation.
The Decision.
Mr. King was remanded to the Mclean
Insane asylum by Judge Barker, and to
remain there In charge Of Deputy Sheriff
Seavey until otherwise ordered by the
court. This ordered return Of Mr.. King
was made conditional. The removal from
the hotel, where Mr. King has been stay
ing since last Saturday in the custody of
the deputy sheriff. to the asylum is to
take place IL bis condition is such as to
allow the change back.
Everybody in the case IL unwilling to
talk about the case or the parties thereto
What could be learned was importuned by
threads from those who were at the hear
ing.
The final determination of the case will
probably be known In few days. The
court will have to examine into numerous
legal authorities bearing upon the law
questions Ia the case, but 1t has been the
inviolable rule of the court to dispose of
habeas corpus cases as soon as can be with
proper regard to justice, and the decision
may be Immediately forthcoming These
class of cases take precedence over other
cases after they have been heard by tho
court.
The present case Ia probably not yet con-
.cludsd, as counsel stated that all she
pecessary matters had not been presented
TO the court.