The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-04
MUSIC DETHRONED REASON.
A Brilliant Young Scholar Seized
with Insanity i'm Church

New York, Feb. Ain the tense no.
ment that followed the first notes OF
the wedding march, while the vast
church throng was waiting for the
bride, there was just the weight of ex-
element needed to snap the frail
thread holding Edward Evans over
strained mind in balance.
Amid the brilliance of Trentons most
fashionable wedding in two years his
mind collapsed. 1t was a weird TRACE
dy. this brilliant student and scholar
the youngest Doctor of Philosophy in
Princeton's alumni. suddenly going
mad and dancing idiotically down the
aisle of the crowded church, singing a
senseless song.
1t was the wedding of Miss Emma
Fitz George. of Trenton. to Mr.. I'll. Rus
sell Fox, OF Philadelphia, and the fash
ionable society of both cities filled the
church night before last.
Ten minutes later, just the little bit
of strain snapped the mind already
overstrained and overworked to the
point Of breaking. DR.. Evans was TAX
en- out before his weird performance
had continued long, but it threw a gloom
over the wedding ceremony.
The story of Edward Evans mental
collapse is the story of mind overtaxed
and dethroned by study. Evans was
one OF the stars in Princeton. He made
record there which is still talked of.
The class of '92 honors We're easily his.
His application to his books was not
alone for college honors, but for sheer
love of the books themselves.
He cared little or nothing for athlet-
les. His school fellows were con-
d flar. in
terests with Indifferent success. When
he left college they predicted great
things for him.
But Evans was not successful as the
world counts success. The boolWoTm
was unsuited to business company.
Poetry pays poorly. and criticism of
poetry pays no better. Deep az he had
drunk of the well OF literature at
Princeton and in his home studies. he
went TO Europe after graduation and
took courses in art and literature at
several famous institutions there.
He seemed to care little for a Drac-
teal career. His family was wealthy,
and he was welded to his books. He
wrote a book on Walter Savage Lam
doris poetry-a book of criticism. The
book sold pretty well. He lectured on
the poetry of Dante and Goethe, show
ing q ldlfllildTllN VIII lfitSN NliNtto
which was remarkable
4 few months ago he accepted pro-
censorship in Lafayette College, but his
wide learning had given him views en-
religion which were not orthodox, and
he didn't remain long. Part of last
year. he was assistant principal of a
high school at Pottstown, Pa. His
nights he spent in study.
He put aside his studies to go To the
Fox-Fitz George wedding Wednesday
night He made a striking figure as he
took his seat among the guests. The
strange excitement of the wedding set
his nerves to throbbing wildly
The wedding march had just begun
when Evans. gTinning idiotically,
sprung To his feet. With bound he
was in the aisle. chanting a weird song.
The fashionable congregation was
dumbfounded. Every eye was fixed
upon him. He reached the end of the
aisle. still singing, when an usher Of
fered him his arm. Evans took ii and
walked out of the church without re-
sistance He was put in his carriage.
thoroughly exhausted, and was driven
home.