The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-08
REMOVED HIM TO RICHMOND
John Gurley Blake Now Under DR..
Smiths Care at East Haven Hospital.
His Great Disappointment at the Failure Of
His Appropriation-Talk with His Intimate
Friend, Mr.. Fulton-Faith in Him Abides.

John G. Blake. whose sad mental condi-
during the day from Chicago to the East.
ern hospital at Richmond. His friend. DR..
S. Z. Smith. is superintendent of this in
stitution. and every effort will be made TO
restore him to health and strength. which
In themselves will mean q return of conf
dence in him. The condition is said to be
due in part to o loss of sleep and nervous
debility. OF y sympathetic nature. the
helpless humanity about him in the ~lnsritu-
tion of which he had charge appealed
very strongly to him.. and when there were
appeals for admission to the institution
which he could not grant he was greatly
depressed. Such was the situation when
he came to this city to appeal to the LegIs-
lature. He asked for an appropriation for
a new building with which to accommo-
date the applicants knocking ior nomis-
sion. Since the present buildings were
erected the law has been changed. making
the institution the permanent home OF
those admitted, instead of turning them out
at maturity. only to propagate the kind
Inc buildings naa become packed from
o disappointment which to u strong. fresh
man in authority would be crushing.
Friends in this city point to this dIsap-
poIntment as one which helped to break
him down.
MIR. Ii. H. Fulton. president of the
Eclipse Bicycle Company. who is now
visiting at Martinsville. is, it 10 known. q
warm personal friend of Mr.. Blake In
talking with a Journal representative. he
said yesterday:
him by his middle naIne) intimately FOR over
thirty years. l met him a few days ago after
coming to indianapolis. We were boys together
years, almost inseparable. | have spent so many
days and nights at the cid Blake homestead that
stood at the corner of Tennessee ana North
streets that il almost seemed like my b0yhOod
class taught By Gurley's father. the
late Col. James Blake, who was for
school OF the old Third Presbyterian Church.
now the Tabernacle. For thirty years Gurley
and | have been members OF the same church,
and have worked side by side in Sunday school.
church and Y. NJ. C.. A. work. He positively has
not an enemy on earth, unless 1T is some poll
tioian. A more generous whoiesouied' great
big hearted fellow than John Gurley Blake
never stepped u foot on q brick in this city.
i donot know who DIR. Sweringen is; but when he
says. II know positively that for the past five
months Mr.. Blake has been drinking enormous
quantities of whisky" l say he surely is mis-
taken. Gurley Blake's nature Is such that he
NOUS quantities." and not be perceptibly af-
fected. Ia. there a man In this city
who could have done the immense
amount of work Blake has done
class OF young people calculated to almost up
set the reason of any man. and not have his
nerves shatteredl Where will you find a col
lege graduate who Is willing TO 20 into the
school of Feeble Minded. at Fort Wayne, and
spend the best years of his life therel The very
Blake has worked hard In this school, taking 1t
in its very infancy. with no buildings few and
incompetent teachers, but little money,
and, part OF the time, appropriations
so scanty that it was only with the strictest
economy that both ends were made to meet. Mr..
fare as the inmates, refusing to have n separate
table or any different fare than the occupants OF
. the school. l think this and the great nervous
strain have broken him down. No doubt his
nerves have been terribly shattered. and in this
condition he has resorted TO stimulants 10 keep
going, instead of having rested completely from
his OverwOrk.
MI. Fulton was askedi il the mania for suicide
did not run In the family. "No sir" said he.
walter. Johns next older brother, spent many
years in one of the departments in Washington.
and at n time when there was more. drinking
than in any fifteen years in the history of the
government He became u steady and excessive
drinker; married, and his marriage relations
were not congenial from the very first. In q
frenzy OF grief he took his W
awful warning to Gurley. and l know positively
that for n quarter OF a century he would touch
stimulants of no kind. Whet his friends must do
Is TO stand by him. We are all mortal and liable
TO fall. Propose to stop OFF at Richmond on
my way East Monday and see IL l cannot cheer
quiet I trust he will soon be himself again, and
then, more than at any time III his life, he will
need the confidence and encouragement OF old
friends.