The San Francisco call., 1897-11-02
A Young Wife and an Aged
Man Sent to the
Asylum.
Liberty for a Convict Who Is
Soon Bereft of His
Reason.
Wave Of Insanity Strikes a Number
of Victims in Alameda
County.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANcIsco CALL, !

SOo DFoau way, NOV l.
The Commissioners OF Insan nifty made a
record to-day. They examined five IN
sane people, and the cases were each a
separate study of insanity. The new in
sane ward at the Receiving Hospital is
not yet com pleted, but even had il been
it would have been made quate for the de-
mands made upon it.
Elmer Newton Parkhurst, a man so
years of age, with white hair, who was
detected yesterday setting fire TO the
depot at the pier, told his errauc story to
the doctors. He sd d he came from Mis-
souri, and appeared 10 be rational enough
with the exception that he maintained
that he was still a resident OF Lowell,
Mass, and that the county court was his
home. 1t was very evident that his brain
was weakened by starvation and old age.
He said he had been without food for sew
eral days, and as be was certainly an i'm
beetle he vas commit: G TO an asylum.
DR.. Clarke of the lntirlEary where the
old man stayed says lie received letters
from the marshal OF a town in MaSSa-
chusetts and also one from q relative of
Parkhurst stating that an es ate of SIS 600
belonged to the old man. He has not yet
be p able to learn the particulars.
Mrs. Belle Tale. the young wife of a
rkeley man, VINO went violently insane
last Saturday night presented most
pltlable spectacle when brought be-
fore the doctors. No examination was nee
essary, for the woman, who is but 81 years
old, screamed and struggled while trying
to bite her keeper and no other evidence
OF her INSANITY was necessary. Mrs.
Iaiie's lunacy comes from variety OF
causes, the most prominent being all I'M
~ a "a a 0Sfr to
Ire and. Twelve years ago when a girl OF
her lover left Ireland and the correspond
ence of children was kept up iE after years,
and few weeks ago tue girl came out
here ana was married. Then followed a
short period of disappointment. The girl
wanted to go home and manifested symp-
toms OF insanity, but after few days was
reported cured. Last Saturday she broke
away again and hid herself in pond of
water, where she ay the Whole night
Another thing that preyed on her mind is
her change OF religion, she having become
Catholic before her marriage.
Daniel McMulien, he convict, who was
re leased rom San = .enlIn last Friday.
was the next in the unhappy procession.
He came direct to Oakland from prison,
and Ivy eniy- four nous after his discharge
he was so violent mat it took three men to
get him 10 the padded cell. He remained
violently insane and was ordered 10 an
asylum.
The case of Oscar Schwab contained
something which rather mys,ified the
doctors. The ev dence showed that a
family feud has ex sted IN the Schwab
household for many years. The father
told one story, and the mother was so in.
definite that the case was postponed for
further evidence, there being Just q sus-
picion that further inquiry would throw
more light on the young mans life
The insanity of the old man LeFebre is
probaoy only temporary. On Saturday
night he astonished foot passengers near
the Receiving Hospital by running sew
era b ock, attired in his night robe. He
had escapd from the hospital and was not
capiured until after lively chase. HIS
case is pen ing