The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-20
HIS CLOUDED MIND
Matthias Beck Is Ordered to the
Warm Springs Asylum.
DREAMS THAT WORRIED HIM
1t Is Thought That a Short Course
of Treatment VIII Restore his
Reason-His wife and Chill
dren at the Examination.

Matthias Beck was examined yester-
day morning by Drs. Gum and Melon
aid in Judge McHatton's chambers,
and was ordered committed to the asy-
lum. His wife and two little children
were present during the examination
and the little ones climbed on his
knees and he appeared and behaved
perfectly rational. Mrs. Beck testified
that her husband had typhoid fever
about two years ago and ever since he
has complained of headaches. The first
evidence that his mind was not all
right was noticed about seven weeks
ago when he came home from work
and complained of pains in his head
and then he became suddenly wild and
ran out of the house. He was caught
and brought back and for four days his
mind was an absolute blank, but he
was as quiet and docile as a child. He
then recovered his mind and appeared
well until last Thursday, when he
again got off and ran away and wan
dered about the hills for "a hours. on
Sunday he did not recognize his wife
and children, but on Monday and yes
terday he seemed to be all right again.
During his first spell of insanity he
saw visions and heard voices which
commanded him to return to his home
in Austria. He did not have the means
to go but told his wife he could walk it,
DOnaIl IeSIlntQ InaL 1GZek,
while In jail, appeared very quiet but
his mind ran on religion and he was
very anxious to confess and asked the
1ailer IL he would not take the confess
sion. Beck said he had 10 chapters OF
his confession which he wanted the
jailer to hear, but the latter wouldn't
have 1t. Donati told about Bezeks at
tempted suicide on Sunday and about
his belief that an effort was being
made to poison him. He ate nothing
from Friday until Sunday afternoon.
Beck was questioned by the doctors
and gave very rational answers. He
understood the nature of the proceed
ings and said he knew there was some
thing wrong with his mind which he
said, had been failing him ever since
he had typhoid fever. 1t was about
nine weeks ago, he said, when he first
recognized that there was something
wrong with him. At that time he had
dizzy spell and his mind became
blank for moment or So After that
he had bad dreams and the dreams
bothered him. He dreamed that he
was coming home from work and saw
two white horses In the road ahead of
him. The horses took up the whole
width of the road and were kicking
each other They wouldn't let him
pass and he threw rocks at them UNI
Ill they went away This dream wor-
REQ MIN a great deal, because he be-
lieved in dreams and knew IL meant
something. Subsequently he dreamed
again about the same white horses. His
next dream was about a white hand
holding his name within its clasp. He
awolxe and there sure enough was the
white hand right above his head with
his name In big letters across the palm.
Then he heard voices telling him to go
back to Austria and confess to a GER
tain priest. The voices gave him the
name of the priest but admonished him
not to disclose the name to any one
He was told to confess three times.
Beck told the judge that he intended
to obey the voices and go back to Aus
tria as soon as he could raise the
necessary money. In regard to his at
tempted suicide in Jail he said he knew
all he did. He thought he wanted to
join a secret society and he couldn't
get in. He worked so hard and with
out avail that he grew excited and de- ]
termined to end the trouble by hanging
himself. He found the sleeve of an old
undershirt in his cell and tore IL into
strips and made rope of them. He
was Just about to fasten IL around his !
neck when the jailer came in and |
stopped him. Beck said he had got |
ten over the desire to kill himself and
wouldn't try II again.
IL is thought that a short course of
treatment at Warm Springs will re- !
store Bezek's mind.