Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-03-29
PRATT SERVED TIME
For Having a Mania For
Things Not His Own.
ECCENTRIC SINCE BOYHOOD
An Interesting History Of a Peculiar
Citizen Of a Bay State Town.

WEYMOUTH, Mass, March 20. - The
story Of Frank G. Pratt's efforts to obt ain
his discharge from the state farm at
Bridgewater, where he Is held for in
sanity, has attracted much attention in
this town. where he Is we'll known. Pratt
was born at North Weymouth about 10
years ago, and has resided In town nearly
all his life, with the exception of term
which he spent In Plymouth Jail, and a
year passed In New York penitentiary,
and year or so in Marshheld. His father
was the late General b, r. Pratt. who
died in the Taunton insane asylum.
Franks insanity was not of a violent
kind, being mostly a mania for securing
horses and carriages not his own.
For the larceny Of horse and carriage
In Marshfeld he serve one year In the
Plymouth Jail. Aftsrward he was con-
vlcted Of like offenss In Brooklyn. and
was sentenced to the penitentiary for q
year
Upon his release he went to Howe q
Hummel, and instructed them to bring
suit against Lawyer Moran OF Brooklyn,
who defended him at the trial, and whom
Pratt accused of
Obtaining $500 From His Mother,
with promise To obtain her sons release.
but who, as Pratt claimed, did not act in
good faith.
Then Pratt, who had returned TO Wey-
mouth, was arrested for stealing q horse
and carriage at Quincy, brought before
Judge Humphrey, and made a scene in
SQUIRT. creating decided sensation. He
was finally adjudged insane. and Judge
Corooran sent him to Taunton.
Pratt Is a fine appearing man. Of good
address and pleasing manner, a ready and
fluent talker. and would easily pass
among strangers as man Of sound judg-
ment. When away from home he repro
sented himself as the son of General b.
u. Pratt of Weymouth, a., indeed, he
was; told people that his father was
worth at least 81, ,000, 900, and that as he
was the only child the property would all
como TO him some day.
At one time the late general was very
well to do, but investments In wildcat
schemes and worthless stocks and bonds
soon used up his little fortune, and for
several years previous to his death he
earned his livelihood as a book agent.
When he died he left stock and shares in
various concerns, which, taken at their
par value, would amount to nearly 81, ,000,-
WV, DuJ WnlCu were uOJ WOTIn Tue paper
on which they were printed.
When he was brought before Judge
Humphrey he broke out in
An Impsssioned Appeal
TO the Judge, who had been an intimate
friend OF his fathers, saying: Judge,
you know that them papers of my
fathers are worth 81, ,00O, 900; you know
that they put my father in an insane
hospital and worried my mother TO death,
and now they are trying to ruin me-"
At one time he armed himself with q
loaded double barreled shotgun and
parsdsd through Weymouth streets, driv-
ing everybody 10 cover. Finally man
more courageous than the rest approached
him, wrested the gun away and drove
Pratt to his home.
Several years ago he was in Washing
ton and took room at Willard's hotel,
where he met Colonel b. s. Lowell. When
Pratt got ready to leave the hotel, he
went to the clerk and told him to make
out his bill and send IL to Colonel Lowell,
who would pay it. But Lowell did not
send the check.
Many other interesting stories of his
eccentricities and queer actions could be
told. All along the north shore, from
Weymouth to Plymouth, where he is well
known, nearly every person has some
story to tell about his odd doinRs