New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-05
CRAZY FOR WANT or SCHOOLING.
\ REMARKABLE CASE OF INSANITY IN ONE
OF THE CONGESTED DISTRICTS.

y REMARkABlE CASE OF INSANITY IN O>r
OF THE CONGEsTED DISTRICTS.
Romeo Wesenberg. eleven years old. became
violently insane yesterday afternoon at the
home Of his parents, No. 153 Ludlow-st.. from
constantly brooding over his inability to get
into one of the public schools He taken
to Bellevue Hospital and placed in a ward for
observation.
The Wesenbcrss are Industrious people. and
work hard To- earn a little money. The mother
has often spoken to Romeo about the advan-
tages Of education. and the little fellow soon
had an overweening dese to go to school.
lie had short schooling period last session.
and this whetted his appetite for more. He was
a bright scholar. and worked hard all summer.
having earned his clothes and laid them away
for school use. When school opened again this
year Romeo one of the unfortunate boys
who were excluded by reason of the congested
state Of the schools in the locality, and his dis
appointment was pitiful. He went about en-
deavoring to secure the assistance Of tho lead
ing people in the neighborhood to get into
school, and stood outside the school doors when
they were opened in the morning. endeavoring
to get one Of the boys to allow him to take his
place His action was looked upon as phenome-
nal by the other children. who could not under
stand why boy should be desirous of going
to school. Sometimes the boy would wait
around uat school vas dismissed. and by prom
ises Of ca ldy would induce one Of the boys to
teach him what he had learned that day. Fre
quenty he borrowed the books Of the boys who
were in school. and got his brothers tn teach
him from hem at night Whenever some man
was mentioned having some influence in
the matter Of schools little Romeo would make
a point Of calling on him and solicit his aid TO
get into a school. The ambition Of the boy be-
came inordinatc that 1t worried his mother
and she would try to appease him by saying
that he could go to school soon. telling him OF
some imaginary public institution that was soon
to open in the neighborhood Everybody In the
neighborhood knew Of the case and pitied the
lad
Yesterday afternoon Romeo followed some Of
the children who 1--we in the same tenement
house from the school to the house. He begged
them to lend him their books for the night. but
they refused. saying that they going to
Use them. In the hallway little Romeo became
savage. and the children grew alarmed and
screamed. Roneo's eldest brother came along
and appeased him and took him upstairs. Sud
denly the hoy became violent. and began throw
ing dishes about Many Of the dishes were
smashed. and the boy only prevented by
force from throwing kerosene lamp at his sis
ter Two men finally hed him down while his
brother fetched policeman The ambulance
surgeon who answered the call sent in by the
latter declared the case to he the most curious
that had come under his notice.
Romeo is tall for his age. He has large
head, well-shaped. and big blue eyes. When
taken to Bellevue he had only one shoe on and
his Jacket and trousers had been torn in his
struggle at home. He talked nationally at the
hospital and said that he was helping his
mother. who took in washing. and was waiting
to get n chance to go to school. He asked the
doctor at Bellevue II he wouldn't help him 10
get into school. promising to do anything he
could for him in return