Evening star., 1901-11-22
LUNACY PROCEEDINGS
ELEVEN CAsSs BEFORE JUDGE
BRADLEY TsIIs AFTERNOON
Mrs. Mary 1. Itssker and william A.
L. Gresham 9lm Among Those
to BE Examined.

Justice Bradley of the Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia was occupied at
late hour this afternoon in the room of
Criminal Court No. 2, with the trial of
eleven insanity cases. Among the number
was the case Of Mrs. Mary l. Decker, wife
of Lieutenant Decker of the United States
navy, and daughter of Rear Admiral Aaron
Ward Weaver of the United States navy.
The proceedings against Mrs. Decker were
instituted by her father, who, Monday last,
as was noted in The Star at the time. filed
a petition, through Attorney A. L. Sinclair,
alleging that his daughter was a Aunatic
of homicidal and otherwise dangerous ten
denotes and unfit to be at liberty. Amoag
the witnesses summoned to give testimony
as to Mrs. Decker's sanity are Drs. Carl
n A. kleinschmidt and Louis Mackall, 1r.,
PHYSICIANS appointed by the court to eX-
anime her; Rev. Charles A. Smith and Ad-
mlral Weaver, the petitioner.
Ihe other lunacy proceedings referred
TO were instituted by the DISTRICT Commis-
sioners, and the names of the alleged luna
tics are as follows: William A. l..
Gresham, John O'Donneil, Samuel Hayes.
Ellen d. Sneden; and Ella E. Young, all
white, and Winson Robinson, Elizabeth
Larkins. James Butler, Fannie E. Chase
and Julia Reed, all colored. All are alleg-
ed to be dangerous and not proper subjects
to be at large
~.
of the late w. Q. Gresham, who was Sec
retary of State during President Cleve-
lands second administration. He was born
IN Indiana and appointed from that state
several years ago to a position in the ad-
Jutant generals office. subsequently he
was transferred to the pension office. Mr..
Gresham was at one time a Well-known
society man and was a member of several
prominent clubs of Washington, and was
favorably known in the city.
Mr.. Gresham was taken into custody by
Officer O'Day Thursday of last week. on
complaint of Mrs. Bertha S. Gresham, the
unfortunate mans WIFE, She charged her
husband with threats, and informed the
officer that she was afraid to live with him
or to have him remain at large. Gresham
was taken to the Police Court the follow
ing morning, and the police judge directed
that an investigation be made as to his
mental condition. He was committed to
the Government Hospital for the Insane on
Saturday to await the result of the judicial
inquiry.
John O'Donnell, whose sanity was the
subject of an inquisition this afternoon, is
known as a White House crank" 1t is
said that he has visited the Executive Man.
sion several times and tried to see the
President. He was arrested about ten days
ago upon the complaint of Chief Wilkie Of
the secret service. O'Donnell is about fifty
years of age, and says he is a native Of
Ireland.
He imagines he is being followed by
secret service detectives, and because of the
statements contained in letters addressed
to Chief Wilkie he was taken into custody
in order that, his sanity may be passed
upon. ODonnell says he will return to his
native country and seek protection if the
persecution is not stopped.
Two letters We're received from ODonnell
by Chief Willxie, one from Canada and the
other from Richmond, Va. 1t has been
learned by the local authorities that the
alleged lunatics spent ten months in an in
sane asylum at Houston, Tex, and since
his release he has been roaming about the
United States and Canada.
The inquiries had not been concluded
when this report closed.