The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-16
ODD STORIES OF LUNAcY.
AN EXPERT IN INSANITY TELLS
SOME WEIRD AND UNCANNY
TALES.

FROM the New 1DEh hEEdll.
There IS in this city professional nurse
of the insane, who has had unique ex-
perience in his profession. No one to look
at him would think that he was the father
Of six children. and that for thirty years
he has been employed in the management
Of iunatics and Of the insane. His name is
Albert LOewy He began life as a farmer;
he next became nurse in the insane asy-
ium at Hamburg; then he started a pri-
vate asylum of his own, and finally. eight
years ago. he came 10 the United States
and has been a professional nurse ever
since
His career has given him an unusual
insight into the right care and treatment
Of the insane and has furnished him with
an immense fund of curious information
and "reminiscences.
Like most German authorities. he does
not believe in the use Of the straitjacket,
or in any unusual restraint upon the pa
tient. Kindness and consideration, he
thinks. win more than force. Let the pa
tient come to look upon his doctor as
friend and the victory is won. This is
lesson that is only half appreciated in this
country.
MIR. Loewy is at his best when relating
strange stories OF the lunatcs that have
come under his charge.
particularly interesting patient at
the Hamburg asylum was a merchant of
that town. named Telst. He was the
| son Of an eccentric father. who was a
native of that town. When he reached
/ his majority young Tieist disappeared
II a NH n rd
learned that he had gone to Brazil. In
| Rio Janeiro he had secured employment
| as a clerk in a coffee store; he had
worked his way upward to an important
position, had speculated successfully,
/ and when he reappeGreG in Hamburg
four or five years later he had saved
some $4,000 as result of his enterprise
/ and thrift. He married a Hamburg lady
| and had several children. He speculated,
\ but this time unsuccessfully. His wife
| grew distasteful TO him. She was a cold,
/ thin blooded woman, with no more ap-
| probation for his more imaginative char
acteristics. Finally. after more than
unusually disastrous speculation, he tried
! to hang himself. He was rescued and
taken to the asylum, in which Mr.. Loewy
was a keeper.
Give me work." was his one request
He was put to farming. and within
six weeks he was discharged as improved
/ He went back to his store.
'One night" said Mr.. Loewy, some
few months after. the discharge l hap
pened 10 be out and me- Mr.. Tielst. He
invited me to have a glass Of beer. We
had a long and pleasant conversation.
l saw nothing unusual in his appearance
or conversation. About II we parted and
l went back to the asylum. Hardly had
l undressed when a messenger announced
that there was a patlen. downstairs.
"a went down ami found MIR. Tielst IN
charge OF two policemen. He was evil
IDENTIFY laborins under great excitement.
." Now he cried, you will see what
kind of a wife 1 have. She scolded me
because 1 was late. She would not listen
to reason. 1 cot excited. I'd like TO
murder her.
II succeeded in calming him. Again he
was put TO work on the farm, and within
two weeks was discharged as sane. The
physician in charge believed that he had
never been insane. but had been temporar-
lily unnerved by an ebullition of passion
In 1881 l left the asylum and lost sight OF
Mr.. Telst.
lone evening, about nine or ten O'Clock
some years later, there was a ring at the
front door Of my private asylum. The
door was opened and Mr.. Tielst walked in
l came down to greet him l was surprised
at his appearance. He looked haggard and
distraught.
IT haven't a cent, were his first words
spoken with evident excitement. L am as
poor as a church mouse
Why" said /. 81 understood you had
had losses, but that you still had 1890
marks left
That is true. But everybody has turn.
cd against me. have separated from my
wife, and turned over to her my entire
estate for the benefit of herself and chill
dren. 1 am going to America in the steer
age. l understand you have a brother In
l1.A4 t,.e,
to him. I am strong and able to work
Maybe he can recommend some store
where / can work my way up again. If
can get four dollars week will be salts
fed.
ct was idle to talk TO him. He got the
letter and next day started from Hamburg
in the Storage. In those days Hamburg
boats stopped at Havre. Some of his
friends, who had learned of his escapade
persuaded him to get off at Havre instead
of going to the United States. He was Their
in a weak and impressionable state of mind
and was easily influenced. So he allowed
himself to be induced to disembark. He
applied for a position in a coffee establish
ment. and got one as commission clerk al
100f. or $50 a month.
Now, 1t happened that just at this time
a. steamer in the employ of the company
that piled between Havre and Rio Janeiro
had been overdue for three months OF
more. 1t was Impossible 10 get insurance
on her. Tielst said, II will try He tried
so successfully that he succeeded in plac
ing 5O0,O0f. on the boat. The firm at once
raised his salary to 1907.
but Tielst was not satisfied. L wan
to be your Bismarck, he said to the heaC
of the firm. If you viii give me part
nership / will remain with you
THE firm demurred. They represented
that no one could expect to raise himself
from commission clerk to partner in th'
short space of time he had been there. L
he were willing to wait for a few year,
the thing might be managed.
But no such slow progress would salts
fly Tielst. He left the house and started I
house of his own. His Brazilian expe
rience was invaluable to him. His judg
ment served so unerringly that in a shor
time few people cared TO speculate in cot
fee unless they had first ascertained, /
possible, what he was doing. In no tim
he had a magnificent establishment, will
force of sixty clerks and agents al
around the world. In short, he was tn
head of the coffee trade everywhere. H
lived in regal splendor, obtained a diyorc