The Washington times., 1901-12-22

when blindness came upon me some
twcnty-eight years ago. thought 1t were
better to lose my head than my sight. -
Thus spoke Mr.. +. f. Cieaveland. an able
and prosperous lawyer. portly in person.
cheerful in manner. and OF excellent con-
versational powers. But | soon found
out, he continued that had lost but
one OF my ave senses. and this loss has
since been almost. II not quite. made up
in the acquisition of what may describe
as an additional sense. which has its ori-
gin in increased powers OF mental con-
centration."
Mr.. Cleaveland sat in his office in the
Columbia Polytechnic Institute for the
BliuG.-located in 4 neat three-story brick
building on II Street, near the intersec-
tion OF Pennsylvania Avenue with Eigh-
teenth Street. This institution Mr.
Cleaveiand has lately started in Wash
ington-he being the founder OF a similar
one in his native State OF Connecticut
because. as he says. he has not, In all
his travels over this country. visited
city in which the mendicant blind are so
numerous. in proportion to population. as
in Washington. and also. perhaps to af-
ford an object lesson to the nations law
makers of what is best adapted to help
the blind. whose greatest darkness is
that OF ignorance and neglect.
1t is the hope Of Mr.. C1eaveland. and of
the people who are associated with him in
the enterprise. to make the incIplent In
stitution, which starts with an appro-
priation of $1,000 from Congress, assume,
in time, the proportions OF the celebrated
Gallaudet Institute for the Deaf and
Dumb. located in this city.
Blind lawyers Acute Hearing.
81 reflected" said Mr.. Cleaveland. cit
ing his own case, what there was in the
condition of blindness to prevent mans
practicing law. He had to have q knowl-
edge of the profession; that was feasible
enough. providing he had competent in
struction. He had. when he commenced
practice, to prepare the briefs. and argue
the cases in court: In the first duty. with
the assistance Of a stenographer ard type
writer, he had no especial obstacle to
overcome; in the second. he missed the
faculty of observing a witness with the
aid Of sight, and of employing notes in
the course Of oss-examination and ad-
dressing the jury.
'And yet believe have succeeded bet
ter blind than l would have done with
sight. I find. as have before hinted.
that my power of concentration is greater.
so that l have readily dispensed with
notes with positive advantage; have
been enabled to follow the thread Of my
argument better-in short. handle the en-
tire case more successfully than | would
have done IL my attention were neces-
sarily more distracted.
"In the matter OF observing a witness
| have found the ear superior to the eve
in discovering articles and discrimination.
or honest simplicity and confusion. The
dishonest have so accustomed themselves
to impose on the sense OF sight. that they
have probably overlooked the expression
that lies in The voice. which Is. in fact.
much more difficult to control than the
countenance. l think, therefore that a
lawyer is not necessarily handicapped be-
cause he happens to be blind.
Coroner Deprived of sight.
"As demonstrating that blindness does
not unfit a man for the medical profession.
I may mention a rather remarkable case
that occurred in my native State. was
recommended as coroner for my district.
but the Governor Of Connecticut. very
good friend of mine told me he could not
understand how a blind man could dis
c&rge the onerous duties OF the Office for
which I was nominated. told him
could see very clearly"
We'll. the medical man who assisted
the coroner Of that district in the most
delicate and difficult portion Of the work.
lost his sight completely a short time
afterward. He demonstrated his entire
fitness for the place, however. after the
loss Of his eyesight. and have heard that
he has since performed his duty with ex-
ceptional ability for the number Of years
during which he has been called upon TO
do so.
II need not advert to distinguished mem
bers Of the ministry who are blind. nor to
ornaments in various branches Of the pro-
fessiunal and business world who have
triumphed over the deprivation of sight.
washington possesses excellent exam
pies of what may be accomplished by the
blind in the world Of music. Dr. j. w.
Bischoff. the blind organist and composer,
is generally known and appreciated. We
have Two ladies in this institute who sing
in the ouartette choir of the Union Metho-
dist Episcopal Church every Sunday, the
officiating organist on these occasions pc
ing Mr.. II. r W. Miles, who is also Win
us here as a musical instructor.
Musical sense of the Hind
az may mention that, hitherto, blind
persons have been excluded from church