The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-08-22
HE RED OOD GALET b.
~ AIKEN Z SCnMAHl.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST %, 1900.
IS HE INSANE?
Relatives Want a Guardian ZIP.
pointed for j. w. Hutchinson.

vOcallStS, which mas QellgnLed many
an audience throughout the United
States, and which has appeared in
Redwood Falls on two or more oc-
casions, is now residing in Lynn,
Mass, and the following pertaining
to him will be of interest to old
settlers and others who have lis
tened to him and the family:
'sJohn w. Hutchinson, the octo-
genarian vocalist, now of Lynn,
Mass, but still well-known in Min
neapolis, has been compelled by his
relatives to appear in the probate
court at Salem, Mass, for examina-
ton as to his sanity. Mr.. Hutchin-
son is said to be worth $1,000 and
he has been brought before the
court in response to an appeal by
Mrs. Viola Campbell and other
heirs, who declare the old gentle
man insane and ask the appoint
ment of guardian.
"John w. Hutchinson is the last
original member of the famous fam
lily of abolitionist singers. He is
well-known in this city and the en-
tire west: he or his brothers having
been the founders of the towns of
Hutchinson in this State and Kan
sas. He is still the owner of a
great deal OF realty in both these
States. The Hutchinsons we're a
musical family. They sang their
abolition songs when anti-slavery
sentiment was dangerous thing,
and in many towns, notably in St.
Louis and Philadelphia, had narrow
escapes from assassination.
''The heirs set up a claim that
Mr.. Hutchinson is in his dotage
That he exhibits an insane tender
ness for the opposite sex, having
several times in recent years at
tempted to marry young women
who might easily have been his
granddaughters. The heirs ex-
press fear that he will fall into the
hands of some designing woman
who will secure possession of his
property.
AT the preliminary hearing a
Miss Leggitt Of Metheun, Mass,
testified that Mr.. Hutchinson want
ed to marry her, although sixty
years her senior. Several years
ago it was shown, Mr.. Hutchinson
was sued for breach of promise by a
widow named Mcdonald, whose en-
gagement to Mr.. Hutchinson was
broken off by one of his daughters.
The old gentleman was compelled to
pay large sum of money to settle
matters with the widow. Letters
were read in Mr.. Hutchinson s
handwriting to young women, the
various missiyes being couched in
terms of such tenderness and en-
dearment as to suggest their hav-
ing been written by a love-sick boy
of twenty rather than by an octo-
genarian.
Although looking every day of
his eighty years, Mr.. Hutchinson is
clear and lucid in his conversation,
and his memory seems to be quite
unimpaired. Referring to his ca
reer he said:
" My first appearance in public
as singer was when was six
years OF age. Our whole family
were musical, and most of them
sang My father, uncle, and grand
father built the first church in Mil
ford, N, H., which is still used as a
place of worship by the Methodist
parish About 1871 four of us went
to Lowell and participated in coz
cert, then took course in voice
culture in Boston.
$ Our frs: connection with the
anti-slavery movement came about
in this way: We were in Lynn,
when George Latimer. an escaped
slave, was captured bv his master.
! Ny brother, Jesse, who had met
and become an admirer of William
Llody Garrison aud other great
abolitionists. organized some of the
young, men of Lynn to go to Boston
and attempt to rescue Latimer. We
held meeting in the Marlboro
chapel and we're preparing for ar
attack when we were informed thai
lLatimer' S freedom had been pur
chased by a philanthropist for 800