New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-23
HE IS ALIVE AND IN JAIL.
APPLETON ESCAPED TWICE AND WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE DROWNED
HE FIRST BROKE OUT OF AN INSANE ASYLUM
AND THEN FROM THE CENTRE STREET
COURT-AFTERwARD WOMAN
IDENTIFIED A DROWNED
BODY AS HIS.

BODY AS HIS
The evanescent and erratic william R. Appleton
is not dead. but is in custody. This Information
was first derived from Justice of the Peace w. s.
Weed Of Jersey City. who instrumental in Sc
curing Appleton's arrest. Appleton called tho
Justice his Office last Saturday to Robert
Thomas. who is employed to make collections and
serve papers. Thomas was absent. couple had
called to be married, and witness was needed
the Justice requested the caller, who was a etrang-
er. TO act 1t was in this way that the Identity or
the caller revealed. He signed the certificate
civilian r. Appleton. No s63 Bedford ave. Brook
lyn.'
The Justice conversed with Appleton and
convinced that he the fugitive who walked
OF the Morris Plains Lunat!c Asylum and sub
sequent;y ESCAPED from Centre Street Police Court
In New-York white a complaint OF larceny was
being made against him. When the caller became
impatient waiting for Thomas and started TO go
away, the Justice urged him to return The Jus
tice informed the New-York police officials that
Appleton in the flesh and he instructed Thomas
II he again saw the fugitive to detain him until
the New-York police had been Informed ana an
officer sent TO apprehend him.
Appeton again visited Justice Weeds Office yes
terday and the Justice he'd him until New-fork
detective had arrived and taken charge Of the prIs-
oner.
Appleton is a member Of a wealthy family. and
his home is at Crawford. n J. He contracted a
nize alleging that the woman was An adventures
He was committed 10 the asylum al Morris Plains.
but escaped He reached New-Nork and found
shelter al the home of a friend who had him ar
rested for the larceny OF some wearing apparel
While the friend was signing the complaint Apple
ton quit the courtroom
The body Of a drowned man found at College
Point l.. L. last Friday night and was removed 10
the morgue. II identified and claimed as the
body of Appleton by woman who said she was MS
widow and that he heavily insured. \ message
was received by telegraph from her saying that she
had erred.
The body was also identified by man who called
at the morguc and a dispatch later received at
the morgue from Philadelphia signed Mrs. w. r.
Appleton No 90 South Ffth-st." asking for the
custody of the body.
The Jersey City police last night dlscreded the
story They said that Justice Weed was familiar
enough with the law TO know that fugitive car
only be removed from the State OF ew-Jersey on
requisiton papers. and the authority 10 surrender
fugitive is not vested IN justice Of the peace. The
Justice declared that Thomas took Appleton to the
ferry and handed him over TO the New-York officers
At any rate. Appleton was Identified by the New
York police as the man who escaped from the Centre
Street Court. At the Cortandt-st. ferry he was
turned over TO Officer E.gen. Of the Church-st sta
ton. whose prisoner Appleton was AT the time OF
the escape Later Magistrate Kudlich. in the Centre
Street Court, remar.ied Appleton back TO the
CuurcN-Si station until TINS morning. WHEN
be formally arraigned Appleton was perfectly wiz
cross over to New Ork ana waived the loiH-
atty Of extraditOn. -,
Or. Britton II. Evans. medical director OF the
Morris Plains Asylum made the following state
ment last night William X. Appleton was ad-
mitted the State Hospital at Morris Plains on
July IL. 1886 from Crawford. Union County. y. j.
His age at that time was twenty-siN ciVh cohdl-
ton. married. occupation. electrical engineer; edu-
cation. academic. habits. alcoholic excesses; per-
sonal traits previous TO mental trouble, industrious.
good naturod and eentlemany IN department. lie
seems to have been suffering for two years or more
from alcoholic inebrlety and In consequence from
nervous arrangement. Ii wac said mat he had at
tempted suicide, and had attacked his wife IN one
OF his periods OF violence. He had decisions OF
gran leur and self-importancc. one year previous
TO his entering the New-Jersey State Hospital he
had been under treatment In Kelley institute
Some persons were inclined think that the kreley
treatment disturbed mis- mind. His friends upon
Waiting him about two months after his admission
were Of opinion that the regulation OF his conduct
and his inability obtain ale JhOlic drinks. with
the course Of treatment. had brought about a
m srked Improvement In MS physical ana mental
health Being OF a mechanical turn u mind and
quite ingenious. he made key without the al
enIants noticing IL and the night Of october y.
ise5 ne cscaped from the Institution. After escaping
he sailed for Europe 10 Join his mother In Paris.
IIs mother recently died In Paris and II T. report
ed that he ACQUIRED some money through her
estate ,- t--..,...,
thai Appleton had employed lawyer 10 bring suit
against the asylum for false imprisonment. but
ia, since MS escape he had never been IN con-
dIon 10 prosecute the suit. The doctor laughed at
mo case and sald there doubt whatever
that Appleton was crazy at the time no was con-
fined In the asylum