The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-08

Sent to the Insane Hospital
Could Not Stand So Much Pros
perity.
The heir to a fortune that he has
not spent wisely but too we'll, Frank
D. Cooley will make another attempt
to regain the liberty of which he was
deprived by being committed to Roch-
ester. A petition asking that he be
restored to full capacity was filed yes
terday in the probate court and will
come up for hearing next Tuesday.
The case is full of singular features.
De Witt c. Cooley. an old resident of
st. Paul. died Feb. 16, 1891. in a mis-
cradle howell on West Seventh street
leaving as his only heir son, Frank
d. Cooley, who at the time was thir-
ty-one years old. Although the old
gentleman was known to have been
possessed Of considerable property no
trace of 1t could be found until an ex-
animation disclosed the fact that
mortgages and certificates of deposit
aggregating $14,600 were sewed up in
the clothes that he had worn at the
time of his death.
MAJ. ESpy was appointed admins
traitor of the estate by the probate
court. and his first accounting, filed
on March II. 1891, showed the value
of the estate to be sis, so. All this
of course went to the son, Frank D.,
together with the income from be-
quest left him by Ellen e. Rutter, a
distant relative, who died at Wilkes
barre, Pa. The latter money was plac-
ed In the hands of trustees. who have
RENTED annually since from $1,000 to
$1,000.
All this wealth coming suddenly
rather OVQrW hQlrpQ6
whose spending money previously had
been limited to what he could earn,
and he began to cut loose. His lavish
expenditures caused heavy inroads on
his patrimony. and finally on Nov. Z,
1893, one Charles T. Cardigan. describ-
ing himself as a friend, petitioned the
probate court for the appointment Of
guardian on the grounds that the
prodigal son was q spendthrift and an
1nebr1ate. The petition was granted
and Maj. ESpy was appointed as the
guardian. Then came two years Of
happiness for young Cooley. He con-
tinued to enjoy himself. the only re-
striction placed upon his liberty being
man detailed by the guardian to
keep him under constant surveillance
and incidentally to supervise expen-
ditures.
The guardians first accounting, filed
Dec. IL. 1894, showed that the receipts
from the estate mad been $S,616.Z5 and
expenditures $3.092.97
Then dissipation began to tell on
young Cooley. and Feb. Is, 1895. infor-
nation of insanity was filed against
him by DR.. A. B. Ancker. The exam
nation, held during the same after
noon by DR.. c. E. Riggs and DR.. Ar
thur Sweeney. nerve specialists, re-
suited in his being adjudged insane.
Before night Cooley was on his way to
the state asylum at Rochester.
The accounting of February, 1896,
showed receipts of $4,34904, with a
balance of $1,061. 90; on Jan. 7, 1897, re-
ceipts. $3,631.17 with balance OF
$668.34. and Jan. II. 1893, receipts, 3d.
259.25. balance, $727.17. The account
ing for 1899, as required under the law
has not yet been made.
Meanwhile Cooley, becoming wroth
at his conlmittal, has made repeated
attempts to secure his release. In Feb
ruary he secured a writ of habeas cor
pus on the grounds that the commit
nlent was faulty in that it did not
state the patient to be dangerous. The
hearing was held at Rochester and
the writ was dismissed, the court hold
ing that the omission complained of
was matter of discretion on the part
of the judge ordering the committal.
Now there is petition filed by Cool
ey asking for the restoration of his
capacity, which will come up for hear
ing before Judge Bazille in probate
court next Tuesday.