The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-24
He LOVED INSANITY
Tom Martins Eloquent Speech
to the Jury
WHEN ADJUDGED INSANE
Bought a Hundred Dollars
Worth of Flowers.

"You say am insane. If this be in
sanity, let me have more OF it. If ia
sanity brings such JOY as I have had
within the last few months since the
change came over me; if it wipes out the
gloom and melancholy of my former self
and makes me love the people and the
beautiful flowers; if it makes the songs
Of the birds seem sweeter TO my ears
where before all songs were d:scords,
then say let me be a crazy man as long
as L live"
These were the words of Tom Martin
after he had been tried for insanity in
the probate court yesterday. His condi-
ton is one of peculiar sadness. He is a
young school teacher, % years Of age, and
a fine specimen of physical manhood His
aged father and a devoted sister were
present, and they were greatly affected
as the testimony was being taken, and
the father, as he told of the peculiar and
sudden change which had come over his
son, in whom he had placed great hope,
shed tears, and the sister cried Those
who were testifying as 10 the young
mans insanity had the greatest compass
son for him, but the evidence all showed
plainly that great and sudden change
had come over him and that he needed
to be placed in an asylum for treatment
Tom Martin was young school teacher.
The change was brought on by over
study. Formerly he was as steady boy
as ever lived, but he was inclined to mel
ancholy and would seldom talk except in
a business or professional way. Last fall,
during a hard season of study, a great
change came over him, and from that
time on he has been wild, imaginative and
somewhat reckless. He had previously
worked for Grin Smith, near Furley, on
the farm. He was such a steady young
man that Mr.. Smith engaged him again
this spring, but when he went there to
work he was not the same person in dis
position. He talked almost necessarily,
and his mind ran more to flowers than
TO work. He loved flowers, and said he
would go into the business of selling flow
ers. He is said to have ordered some
and planted them. and took great interest
in them. Then he went on the road to
sell them, and was delighted with his
first experience.
Then he became shiftless with regard
to everything else. He came to Wichita
and took great interest in the green
houses here. He ordered 500 worth of
flowers at one time. giving a note in pay
ment. with his father as security. When
the flowers came he went around and
gave them to everybody.
what was your profit in these flower
sales Mr.. Martini" inquired Judge Hay
maker.
"Wel, that is not fair question, is it,
judge?" quickly retorted the young man,
and Judge Eaymaker agreed with him on
that point.
All of his talk before the jury was full
Of wit and philosophy with the exception
that he wanted TO do too much talking
He frankly admitted that he loved flow
ers and pretty girls. and tried to explain
all of his little transactions about the
city. few weeks ago he attended a
church social in South Wichita He took
down 25-cent bouquet and the crowd
asked him to have it rafTed off for the
benefit of the church He did so and bid
It in himself at s., but he had no money
with which to pay for it.
Dr. Axtell Of Newton. who attended
the young man, rendered expert testi-
mony in the case. He said that Martins
mind was certainly unbalanced and that
he should have proper care and treat
ment Immediately. He said that the
first change from melancholy to happi-
ness and gayety and the power and in
clination to love everybody might with
the next change turn to hatred and he
would kill some one.
Martin became pretty wild when the Of
fcers went to take him from the room
hackto the Jail. His case is indeed a
p:tiful one, and he has the sympathy Of
every one.