The evening times., 1896-12-19
FROM PRISON ITO ASYLUM
Samuel Speed, Released Through
Mrs. Booths Efforts, a Maniac
His Reason Had Maintained Itself
Untfl Thursday. Put When Par
don Came Hh WAS Insane.

.
Baltimore, Nd, Dec.a1 9.--Samuel H. D.
Speed is no longer confined in the Balti-
! more city jail. He was released yesterday
upon a pardon granted by Gov. Lowndcs
through the intercession OF Mrs. Bailing
ton Booth. The ex-prisoner is now. how
ever, a raving maniac. His pardon came
too late. and it is doubtful il he will ever
recover his reason This distressing cir
| cumstance banished all joy of his friends.
who had the man conveyed to the Marylanl
| General Hospital for treatment.
1t was found that the prisoner had be
come mentally dcranged on Thursday. He
imagined that therc2were dcepl laid plots
TO injure Warden Bailey and Mrs. Ballington
Booth, and declared that these plans must
be frustrated at all hazards.
To hunior him he was promised that the
imaginary schemers would be raken in
charge at once and cast into dungeons.
He talked in the same strain to his atten'i-
ants nearly all night, and slept little. To
prevent a possible vilent outbreak on his
part, the precaution was taken to put
extra guards near his bed.
Yesterday morning Louis Cassard, who
is a friend Of Speed, and also of hrs
Booth, went tn the Jail with the PARTON
papers signed by the governor. Mr.. cas-
sard was shocked to hear OF the con.li-
ton OF his friend.
twas thought that Speed might be IA
vorably affected by the. news OF his PAR
don, and, going TO the room III which lie
was, Mr.. Cassard addressed him AMI in
formed Lin that he had come To take him
out of the hospital.
Why was the question.
Because you've. been pardoncd by the
governor, and you are now a free man.
aDsw cred his friend.
''Oh. yes, OF course, replied Speed. II
heard something about them finding those
papers on the tugboat.''
After consultation II was decided to take
the unfortunate man to the Maryland Cen
eral Hospital for treatment for awhile,
and a hack was called and the man taken
there late in the afternoon.
1t had been intended that Speed should
join Mrs. Balington Booth, leader OF the
American Volunteers, who has been strong
ly interested in his case, and who was TO
pass through Baltimore yesterday on ter
way from Chicago. to her home at Mont
clair, n. j. Commander and Mrs. Booth
had invited him to make his home with
them until he could find something 10 do.
Mrs. Cassard told Mrs. Booth OF Speeds
condition and the Salvation Army worker
hurried TO the hospital TO see the unfpr:d-
nate man. When she entered the ward
Speed who is delirions at times. failed
to recognize the woman who had secured
his liberty. ~
He finally became conscious, and the
meeting between the two was very af-
fecting. Mrs. Booth denied herself To the
newspaper reporters, and stated that she
could not leave tue bedside OF the patient.
Tac charge upon which Speed was con
yicted was that of forging the name OF Mrs.
Rosa Blanche woodyear to three checks
while he WAS A teacher OF mathematics In
Baltimore in 1894. -
While in prison Speed took an active part
in the religious work there. He became ac-
quainted with Mrs Cyrus W. Field and Mrs.
Booth, and assisted them in their efforts
among the prisoners Mrs. Booth became
interested in Speed. He was released from
Sing Sing last July, but Detective Hall
awaited him outside the prison doors, and
brought him TO Baltimore.
Speed is an Englishnan, about thirty
three years old, OF good appe arance, and
much ability. His wife is native OF Vir-
ginia. The couple lived in Baltimore for
several years prior to sp eed's flight frum
the city.