The morning times., 1895-09-15
Greater Variety ia Washington
Than Any Other City.
PUBLIC PLACES INFESTED
Police Court, Sanitary Officers Room
and the White House avOrite
Delaney, Who Tried TO Burn St.
Patrick's and ST. Domtnick's.

toward which all pllgrims whose mental
wheels" are running on strange, weird no.
tions, turn their faces and direct their steps.
Cranks and lunatics from all parts OF the
country turn up here in the course of a year,
some with new ideas as to the manner in
which the Government should be run, come
looking for positions in the Cabinet or as
ministers abroad, and many with fancied
wrongs, which they have traversed many
miles to have righted.
They usually wind up in the police court
or the office of the sanitary officer, and are
either sent TO st. Elizabeth's Asylum for the
Insane, or are returned to the cities whence
they came.
The crank who created the greatest sensa-
ton here in recent years, perhaps, was Mary
Delaney, the woman who get fire to st.
Dominick's and st. Patrick's Catholic
churches several months ago. She came to
this city from ST. Paul for the ostensibie
purpose OF giving concerts, and engaged
rooms at one OF the hotels.
BEAT THE HOTELS.
After living there until the proprictors
presented a bill, she moved to another hotel,
leaving her trunk behind, and kept making
round of them until she had almost ex
hausted her belongings and the hotel list.
One evening she, assisted by some local
talent, attempted TO give concert, and
when the curtain arose there were but three
people in the hall. The tickets Were re-
turned and she grew very indignant and de
clared that the Cathol4ss were at the bot
tom of her troubles
The next afternoon the city was startled
with the news OF an attempt TO burn two of
the largest Catholic churches, and an inves-
tiEation fastened the guilt upon the De
laney woman. She was arrested and
after trial in the police court, which lasted
several days, she was adjudged insane
and committed TO st. Elizabeth's, where
she still is.
The local police court is perhaps the
pl ace most frequently visited by peO-
pie whose minds are unbalanced. and many
strange stories have their sequels there
One OF the most pathetic of these relates
TO a woman who makes periodical visits
to the office in search OF q warrant. a few
years ago she and her husband, an indus
trious young mechanic in one of the gov
eminent departments, lived in a happy
home which his industry had procured,
and an only son was one OF their JOYS.
MADE HIS WIFE CRAZY.
One morning the husband left for bis
work and during the day an explosion took
place in which be was horribly mangled,
sustaining injuries that left him crippled
for life. He was removed to his homo,
and the shock of seeing him in that state
drove his wife ravjng mad.
She was sent to the asylum, and after
the husband got as well as the nature of
his injuries would ever permit him to get,
she was returned to the home. Her mind
was apparently all right in other respects,
but she cold Devuer be prevailed upon to
believe that the cripple was her husband,
or the boy who'had grown during the Pc
riod OF her Incarceration in the asylum, was
her son.
Her visits TO the court are for the purpose
OF getting a warrant of some kind that will
compel the man to prove that he is heS
husband, and she declsS-s that her Bns-
band was big, strong man, and this Grip
pie has stolen into his place. Her child,
too, she declares was a little baby boy and
not the coarse-voiced youth who ereets
her now with the name OF mother.
Another frequent visitor to the police
court is a little, old lady, who is also On
ey-inuiate of st. Eiizabeth's. She is firmly
convinced that her husband is insane, and
wants bis mental condition determined by
an examining beard OF physicians. She
goes away satisfied when promised that
the matter viii be attended to, but in few
months is sure to turn up with the same
demand.
LOOKING FORA ADISHONESTC CASHIER
A widow OF one of the well-to-do citizens
of early Washington was sent TO the
asylum a number OF years ago, and a board
was appointed to look after her estate. She
had STAG deposited in bank which was
then on the corner of Fifteenth street and
New York avenue, and this Money was
taken out. During her Incarceration in the
asylum, the old bank was torn down, and
new building erected on the site.
When she was discha rSed her 81 G, nIagnI-
fled by her disea sgd mind TO S14 eco, was
first in her thoughts and she proceeded at
once To the site of the former bank to draw
1t out. To her amaZement the bank could
not be found, and she became imbued with
the idea that the cashier of The institution
had robbed her. Accordingly s-e makes an
appeal TO the police COURT every few
months for warrant for the cashier
WHITE HOUSE CRANKs.
Sanitary Officer Frank is the official
to whom all cranks and lunatics are sent
to be finally disposed of, and his office
is the scene of many Strange gatherings
into his care are confided the misguided
multitude who want to help President
Cleveland run the government, 10 be re-
turned to their homes or sent to the
asylum.
One of the most recent White House
cranks to crop up was an old fellow who
appeared at the front door of the mansion
one day with n Bible under his arm. There
was considerable newspaper discussion at
the time in regard to some action of the
President, and the old fellow said that he
desired to show passages in the book up
holding Mr.. Cleveland's position. The
policeman at the door didn't think the
President cared for biblical backing, how
ever, and the crank was arrested. He YVES
eventually returned to an asylum in Phil
adelphia, from which chad escaped.
Another White House crank turned up
here about two years ago and fell into the
hands OF the police. He thought that he was
specially sent from heaven to annuint the
feet of President Cleveland with certain
oil, of which he had a small bottle in his
possession. He was one of BaltImore,s
citizens and was sent back.
Politics drive many crazy. Sanitary
Officer Frank had a patient some time
ago in an old man, who said he came to
the city to settle forever the question of
sending good Congressman here from the
Rtafex