Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-10
TROUBLE OVER A BODY.
LemueI Stroud Makes Afiidavit TO the
Effect That Ho Believes Walter o. Holt
Was Niaitreated at the State Insane Hos
initial. .m

pitai.
There is trouble over the body of |
Walter o. Holt, who died on October |
26th at the residence of E. T. Stroud, |
q relative, at No. sos West Fourth |
street, and which was buried at River
view cemetery, as Lemuel Stroud, who
was interested in the young man, was
not satisfied as to the cause of his death.
Holt was "a years of age. Last Satur-
day was the day set for exhuming the
body, but it was not done, as the ceme-
terry company had not been given long
enough notice.
After Hollis death DIR. Blocksom
gave certificate to the effect that
death resulted from phthisis pull
monalis, form of consumption, and 1T
was generally believed that the young
man had been suffering from con-
sumption. Nothing developed on the
surface to indicate anything to the
contrary until after the burial OF the
body.
yesterday week, however, Mr.. Stroud
went before Magistrate Sasse and made
affidavit to the effect that he was dis
satisfied as to the cause of death and
stating that he suspected that death
resulted from criminal abuse mt the
State Hospital for the Insane, where
the young man had been confined for
year up to two weeks prior to his death,
when he was removed to the Stroud
residence, in this city.
Oh the strength of the affidavit
Magistrate Sasse issued warrant
| which was served on Coroner Wright,
| directing him to have the body ex-
| humed on Saturday.
Superintendent Hancker of the State
Hospital says there is no ground for
any suspicion that the young man was
maltreated.
| The allegation of mistreatment is
not the only sensational feature CON
nected with the case, for there is also
| a dispute concerning Hollis estate.
| Holt died at the residence of his uncle,
| Edward t. Stroud, No. sos West Fourth
street, Wednesday two weeks ago, and
was buried on the following Saturday
in Riverview cemetery. Since that
time will has been filed for probate
before Register of Wills Calvin w,
Crossan. According to Howell S. Eng
land, this will was made just after
Holt became of age, after he had been
discharged as cured from the first of
two or three times he was an inmate of
the Delaware State Hospital for the
Insane. The beneficiaries under the
will are Howell s. England, Mary
Irwin, Harvey Wyatt and Elizabeth S.
Daniels. This will has not been pro-
hated, but is met by caveat filed by
Walter H. Hayes, as attorney for
Edward T. Stroud. The caveat is a
general exception, but it is understood
that the caveator will claim that undue
influence was used in the making OF
the will. The estate is said to be worth
81 200 to 81, 500, comprising three small
houses and 5000 mortgage. Accord
ing to Mrs. Martha Stroud, Walter
once declared that if he had never
made the will he would never have
been sent to the insane asylum. She
says he was not insane. In. spite oi
the fact that he had money, the Strouds
, say he was treated as a pauper. After
being brought to this city he made an.
other will, which was not, however,
executed. .a.r
As to the making of the will which
! was filed for probate, Mr.. England says
Holt made it upon the advice of Johr
s. Rossell of the Security Trust and
! Safe Deposit Co., and was perfectly
sane at the time. ..
With regard to Hoit's mental condi
, tion, Mr.. England said that the frs
, time Holt went to FaTnhurst, he wen
/ of his own accord and carried his com
. mitment with him, having been exam
,, ined by Drs. Pyle and Pierce. He wa:
afterwards releas i, being cured. 1
!, was while out of the institution tina
.. he made the viii. He went back thu
! second time after an examination b.
: Drs. Pyle and Pierce. Again he wa
7 discharged. He attempted to secure
y work but failed, and made an effor
, through Mr.. England to be admittet
I to some outside institution for the in
! sane, but for one reason or another
i one of which was the expense, did no
:, do so, and again returned to Farnhurst
Mr.. England had been acting as hi
Z trustee, but resigned, and a commission
of lunacy considered the mental condi
a tion of Holt and decided that he va
:, insane. Then the Equitable Guarante
Z and Trust Co. was appointed his trustee
" Mr.. England did not appear to credi
I the stories of the i'll treatment at Farm
hurst. He said, however, that Holt
relatives wanted him treated by ma
4 who used electricity which Superin
!. tendent HanclSer refused; but they SC
cured permission from one of the trus
4 tees, and the electrical physician visite
i Holt. The young man is said to hay
y been advised not to take the medicine
. and as q result, had trouble with tn
:, attendants and was put in straigh
" jacket
> The Stroud family, however, claim
q that Holt was abused while in the hos
:. pital, and the purpose of the action {
, Lemuel Stroud in making affidavit tia
a he was dissatisfied as to the cause {
y death, is to have the body exhume
4. and an examination made. The caus
= of death as certified by DR.. j. T.
: Blocksom, the Stroud family physician
70 was phthisis pulmonalis, form of COZ
y sumption. Holt left the insane hospit,
Il on October 10th, and was brought
II the Stroud home, No. sos West Fourt
: street. Before he died, the Strouds So
Ia he told tales of ill-treatment at th
~ hospital. Mrs. Martha Stroud, VII
~ nursed him, says that one of his cal
II was black and there was lump bac
y of his ear and another on his bacl
" and that Holt told her he receive
u those wounds by being knocked dow
At by an attendant. She says she know
A. the name of the attendant.
IN DIR. j. Z. v. Blocksom, the Strou
"a family physician, declines to make an
n statement at this time.
n DIR. William Fl. Hancker, superb
" tendent of the insane hospital, in den.
ing the allegation of ill treatment /
Holt, said he was favorite with IL
y attendants and was frequently visite
10 by Howell S. England, and j. I. Pei
" nypacker, who represents the Equitab
y Guarantee and Trust Co., trustee
~ Holt. His relatives seldom visite
lS hin, nr Hapelynr sp0lra ofs ono Wis