The sun., 1897-03-20
IS CASPER KNAUER SANEf
NOW CONFINED At BREEEEHURST
TERRACE IN WHITEST0NE.

ne Is . War veteran, and uis Comrades OF
eteinwehr Post Have started Legal Meas
ures for HIS Reiease-The Opinions or
Ply sictnns-why He Ia Called General.
The case Of Casper Knauer, who was adjudgod
q lunatic in 1891, but who Is said by his friends
to be sane. will come up to-day In the Queens
County Court in Long Island City. At the last
meeting OF steinwehr Post, No 192, Grand Army
Of the Republic, In this city, 1t was unanimously
decided to employ counsel to look after Knauer's
interest. Knauer fought rs q private in the
Twentieth New York Volunteers Ho was q
member of q number OF societies In Yorkville
and one OF the organizers OF Steinwehr Post. He
Is now confined in an asylum known as Breeze
hurst Terrace. ut Whitestonr, Long Island, and
his old comrades want him released.
The Grand Army men appointed committee
10 take charge OF the matter. The committee
first visited the asylum where knauer Is con-
fined, and then engaged the services Of Gruber
& McManus OF 300 Broadway to begin proceed
lngs. The lawyers got writ Of habeas corpus
from Judge Moore in the Queens County Court,
and Knauer was produced in court few days
ago.
DR.. Gustav schoter Of this city testified that
he had examined Knauer, and after talking
with him for an hour concluded that he was per-
fectly sane. There was no melancholia, no de-
lusions, no hallucinations, the doctor said.
Adolph Reimann, the Chairman OF the Grand
Army Posts committee. testified that he and
the other members OF the committee. Conrad
Thoenges, Charles Kohler, John Leonard, and
Charles Pfeiff. visited the asylum at Whitestone
and talked with Knauer for two hours. That
Enauer recognized each member OF the commit
tee and conversed with them freely. speaking OF
Incidents in the, battles of the civil war
That Knauer detailed to the committee the
circumstances of his commitment to the asylum
and what had occurred since he had been COM
mitted there. That he then informed the COM
mittee OF the different pieces OF real estate he
owned in New York city. and said that his wife
and his estate. That he impressed the commit
tee as perfectly sane man who was fully COM
petent TO take care OF himself.
Judge Moore questioned knnuer, and knauer
said he was perfectly sane and knew what was
safSrd Newton Visited Knnuer yesterday. DR..
Newton examined the man and said he was
m NeMt6n 5n Mi Pes G6 10 hs
When the members OF Steinwehr Post first
took up this case, said Mr.. McManus, they
ing that sane man was confined in the White
stone asylum. The State Board then asked the
make a report on the case. Dr. Harrison re-
ported that knauer was paretic and had h9mi;
Of the case DR.. Harrison had stated that Knauer
great war General. When saw Kaansr to-day
and asked him him about this he said: Why.
walk around the town in fine weather I'm one
OF the fellows who take these walks The trades
men and other townspeople got TO calling me
General because l talked so much on war sub
iects. Just many veterans do. Then they got
TO saluting me, and this Is what makes DIR. Har
rison say that believe myself to be General.
But don't believe IL. know. as every one else
knows. that I was only private In the war. II
mans insane because hts friends call him Cen
eral, that's form Of insanity that most Grand
Army men are subjected to by their friends
This 10 the way Mr.. knauer talks, con-
tinued Lawyer McManus, "and it's entirely
rational The village barber of Whitestone,
Conrad Frank. has sworn to a statement in
which he says that kuauer Is permitted to roam
about the street; with other patients from the
sanitarium. and that for six years he has done
talking on all topics OF interest Just like any
on the complaint OF his second wife on April 1,
1891. and committed TO Bellevue Hospital.
"Drs. Fitch and Douglass pronounced him in
sane, and he was then sent to the asylum at
Whitestone. He had made a fortune narutac-
turing picture frames in this city, and owned
100000 in tenement property on the east side
In Septem ber, 1892 his wife instituted pro-
ceedings for the appointment OF q com.
mittee OF his person and estate. He had
an income OF $1,000 year. On Oct. 26
1894 he adiudged insane by Sheriff :
jury on the testimony OF DR.. Harrison OF the
Whitestone asylum. supported by the certia-
Gates OF the doctors who originally had him COM
mitted. He was taken back to DR.. Harrsou's 8
Institution, where his wife has paid 500
month board for him ever since to Dr.. Harrison.
But the man is perfectly sane and am satisfied
that he will be adjudged So"