The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-07
SAY HE'S CRAZY.
Frank Brown Who Kept on
Passing Worthless Checks
For All Sorts of Articles He
Didn't Want,
PRONOUNCED INSANE.
Many Incidents Given to Prove
His Insanity.
He is Sentenced to the Insane
Asylum.
PRONOUNCED INSANE.

Today a jury in the probate court
consisting of DR.. d. 3. Eastman,
AIessrs. w. c. Crawford, W W. Wiley
John Carter, Ed Stoner and Robert
Kinney. returned a verdict declaring
that Frank Brown, the forger, was in
sane.
Probate Judge L. s. Dolman's court
room was crowded with interested par
ties Witnesses and curious people to
hear the trial of the young man who
year ago was a deputy city attorney
of Topeka, but who since then has gone
to the bad with great rapidity.
The jury returned a verdict of in
sanity and gave as the cause an injury
which Brown received at the last Fall
Festival when he engaged in a fight
Carnival evening and received a severe
blow on the head administered with a
club or iron bar. Since that time MS
actions have been peculiar and to this
was assigned the specific cause of his
arrangement. on the Carnival night
in question Brown, while in an intOxi-
Gated condition. fought with another
fellow, for which he was arrested and
fined.
There was a large number Of wit
nesses subpoenaed for the trial today.
Francis Brown, father of the young
man. was the complaining witness. He
had employed Attorneys A. H. Case
and w. I. JamisOn to conduct the case
in the probate court.
Frank Brown sat in the south part of
the court room near a. window. rested
his head on his hand and looked in
tently at the witnesses until the trial
was perhaps half through, when he
turned about and stared at steam
radiator near by. During the trial he
was asked by friend if he would make
any defense. He replied gruff1y: mo,
I'll let it co.
The first witness called was Chief of
Police Henry NJ. Steele. He was ques-
iona al nv AIr~ Tor,
Q-Have You known Frank Brown
long?
Ayes, about IA years. I lived in
the Curtis family several years and
knew him well.
Q.-What is your opinion of the con-
dition of his mind?
Al have never thought he was
right since he was 10 years old.
consider him a kleptomaniac. 1 have
known him to steal things for years. He
had groceries sent over to his mothers
and paid worthless checks for them
His mother was able to care for him
2. ]. Mulligan of North Topeka was
called
Q.-What is your Judgment about his
sanity?
Any Judgment is that at times he
is not right. When he is drinking he
Is crazy. He is not responsible
Sergeant Jake Owen told his story.
Q.-What is your opinion of him?
A.-Wen sir, always thought he was
of sound mind until he got to passing
me think he isn't of sound mind
J. P. Berry, policeman, was examined
for the state by A. H. Case.
Q.-knoW BROWNE
Ayes. Last February he came into
my store on Railroad street and order
ed a sack of flour and a package of cof-
fee. He presented a check for $3.50 in
favor of II. w Jones and signed by w
H. Henderson. I said: isn't your
name Browne" He said: mo. it's
Jones'" called a man in to identify
him and asked him if he was all right
He said: Don't cash a check for him;
he is crazy"
James H. Guy. deputy county attor-
ney, was examined
,Q--What DO YOU think of the condi-
ton of his mind?
A-The fact that he committed Of
FENCES and repented and then turned
around and did the same things again.
led me to think that he was of un-
sound mind.
D. I. Gregg, attorney. was examined
Q--State what your opinion is of the
witness.
A-Whe he was a boy, he was pref
" cunning about doing things and
wasn't found out. Since then in the
Hight of his recent actions it made me
think there was something wrong with