Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-10
COMM|TTAL OF
PHELPS AND LEWIS
Two Citizens Adludged Insane
by Examining Board.
THE CLASS OF INSANITY.
Phelps Behaved Like a Child, while
Lewis Beeame Very Violent
During Proceedings.

Henry f. Phelps OF 375 c street, this
city, and william Lewis, Of Sandy,
were examined os to their sanity to-
day, adiudged TO be Of unsound mind,
and committed to the insane asylum
at Provo.
Although both men were declared in
sane and ordered sent 10 the same In
sttution. the form Of Insanity the men
are afflicted with Is Of an entirely DIFF
ferent Kind.
Phelps, who is Il years old, be-
haved like a child in the court room,
while Lewis, fully sixteen years his
junior, became very violent and at one
time during the proceedings II took
the combined strength Of four men to
hold him down on the floor. Phelps
disease was said by the examining
physicians to be senile dementia. and
Lewls's was classed as acute mania.
The examination Of both the unfor-
tunate men was conducted before
County Clerk d. G. Dunbar, sitting as
Judge pro TEN, County Physician II. A.
Anderson and Dr. j. n. Harrison. The
wife and daughter of Phelps were
sworn. Their testimony tended to show
that the old gentleman has been more
or less irresponsible for the past three
months Frequently he would imagine
that he had a pressing business engage
ment and would wander away from
home and get lost. Mrs. Phelps, in
answer to Clerk Dunbar, said she did
not want to see her husband committed
10 the aslum. What he needed was a
guardian: someone 10 be near him at all
hours OF the day and night in order to
see that no harm befell him. Mr.. Dun1
bar seemed somewhat adverse to send
ing Pie ps 10 Provo and thought the
old gentleman's sons, Of whom there
are several, ought 10 be required to
take care OF their father.
Phelps. at one time, conducted a Sec
ond-hand store north Of the Herald
building. He came to Utah along with
his parents in lSiS.
THOUGHT HE WAS JUDGE,
Lewis strange actions created con-
sternation among Mr. Dunbar's female
clerical force. He wanted to sing TO
the ladies, but every man he saw he
wanted to whip. He had no sooner
entered the court room when he broke
loose from the officers and made for
Judge Hiles' accustomed seat He
raped for order with both hands The
could not very well have done other
wise, for he was handcuffed) and ex-
claimed. This court Ii now In session.
Bring on the lawbreakers Of England
and America and | will give them a
dose they'll not get over" He then took
his seat on the bench and demanded q
pen, ink and writing paper. They were
handed him and the crazy man, In a
fairly legible hand, wrote the following
order:
Salt Lake City st. OF Utah. Dis
trlct Court this 10Th day Of January
1900 John Mack Duff as apered Before
NE and acnoedged Been guilty Of re-
fusing TO Do his Duty. and IN That as he
IN not performing, his not worthy Of
Howlding That Position Ever. This day
been Discharged William Lewis sheriff
OF Salt Lake County. William Lewis
Judg District Court
January 10th 1900"
Clerks Swenson and Howells
ventured into the court room
and were requested by Lewis to
take their seats. Your cases will soon
be reached he said. with wave Of
his hand Neither Of the young men
paid any attention to the take your
seat order when Lewis jumped up and
made a rush for them. The lightning
speed with which Swenson and Howells
left the court chamber was wonderful
To behold. After getting outside neither
could muster sufficient courage
to return. 1T Is plainly evil
dent TO me-" said Lewis,
after the young men had retreated from
his sight, that those lads have not
yet finished the schooling"
During the examination that followed
Lewis declared his condition the result
Of improper treatment at home. His
boys, he said. went TO dances and
danced liked the devil" returning
home at all hours Of the night and
morning, and disturbing their fathers
peaceful slumber. He dld not want T.
go 10 the asylum and said he would be
better In a short while. At times
Lewis became quite rational and talked
OF incidents that happened years ago
with considerable ability. He Is a
native Of Breckonshire, South Wales.
aud has resided In Utah for the past
twenty-eight years. He is a married
man and the father OF eleven children.
Several years ago during q fl Of in
sanity, he shot and killed a barber
named Gier at Sandy, He was later
taken to the asylum raying maniac
Some time afterwards he was released
from the asylum, and in the spring of
1897 was tried for the killing Of Gier
The jury acquitted him on the ground
Of insanity, Since his release from the
prison he has lived with his family in
Sandy. Drink Is said 70 be the direct