Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-28
BOY Dives
FROM ASYLUM
into BAY
BANKS COUNTY LAD IN NETWORK
MAKES SUCCESSFUL BREAK
FOR LIBERTY AND Is
RESCUED BY BOAT.

NEW YORK, July 5-The World says:
August G. Ward, the Georgia boy, who
was picked up near He'll Gate by the Mid
dletown, of the New Haven line. yester-
day, when he was swimming away from
Wards Island. so impressed the ofhcers
Of the boat, passengers and afterward
the policemen, with his story that they
pronounced MIN sane.
The young fellow was floundering about
with a plank when passengers on the
steamboat saw him. He was calling Wild
ly for help and the boat put quickly about
and took him on. He had on a light shirt,
a pair of trousers and rubber shoes. The
tide was running strong.
First the man told Cautain Hills, Of the
Middletown. that he had been out fishing
with another man and that his boat had
capsized. Later, when he got before the
police, accompanied by several passengers
who took an interest in his case, he told
another story.
ct have been placed on Wards Island
as an insane man." he said. II am not
insane I am as normal as any Of you,
and the people on the island know II. They
have kept me there because am useful.
I am twenty years old and came from
Rastus, Banks county. Ca
Some years ago 1 came to New York
and Charles Broadway Rouss gave me a
Job in his tinware department / had
been there only a short time when my
health gave way and got nervous. There
was nothing the matter with my mind but
was weak physically.
81 decided to go to Bellevue for treat
ment, but in some way, and I believe that
It was through the actions of my. brothers
wife in Washington, 1 was committed to
Wards Island.
IT have known for long time, in fact,
ever since 1 was put there in 1901, that 1
was in my right mind-but could get
no word to the outside world. I wrote
continually to my mother, but / do not
believe that she ever received any of my
letters for have never got any answer.
Every time a letter came to me it was
marked opened by mistake, so some one
has been tampering with my mail.
1T should have been discharged long
ago, but the authorities kept me be-
cause they need my work. They kept
me In the butcher shop, where handled
sharp knives and cleavers. If am crazy
they are committing a crime to keep me
there. 1 hope that somebody will help me.
1 want hearing. would like to be taken
before a magistrate.
'T am not the only man on the island
who is sane and who has been kept there
to work. There are plenty Of others.
Planned the Escape.
ct have been planning this escape for a
long time. Early this morning I jumped
from the island with plank ana started
for the shore. If I had got away I would
have shipped on a boat to Savannah and
gone home to my mother"
Captain Hills, who had taken Ward to
Pier A, the headquarters of the harbor
police. said:
eff that man is crazy, I am too. be-
lieve he is sane. When we took him on
board today he was greatly exhausted,
but he talked just as well as any one He
seemed to have lots of pluck. I would
have let him go, but thought the police
would care for him and help him get
home"
The Wards Island authorities sent At
tendant Walsh to bring the man back to
the institution. DR.. A. E. Mcdonald, SUI
perintendent of the Manhattan State hos
pital. said last night at Wards Island:
Ward is Just sane enough to know
that he Is insane. He was admitted in
1901 suffering from melancholia. He was
cratic at first and considered dangerous,
but he improved. He was what we call
"a trusty' and we had every faith in him.
HE is penitent now and says he is will
ing to stay here until properly discharg-
ed He says he will not run away again
and we will see that he does not"
Dr. Mcdonald said he did not care to
reply to charges made by the patient that
there are other sane men in the institu-
ton.