The Topeka state journal., 1903-04-09
KANSAS NEWS.
AtchiS0n Mans Mind Weakens
Under Mental Strain.
Excessive Religious Fervor
Most Pathetic Feature.
THINKS FAMILY INSANE
Had Worked Hard All His Life
to Accumulate Money.
On a Railroad Trip Once Talked
Religion 36 Hours.
THINKS FAMILY INSANE

Atchison, April 9.-The Globe says:
Louis Bubb was declared to be Of un-
sound mind in the probate court late
yesterday afternoon The jury stated
in it's verdict that the supposed cause
is excessive mental activity and reh-
gious fervor.
Bulbs case is an interesting one,
with a decidedly pathetic side. He IS
46 years old. was born in Atchison
county. and has been married 20 years.
He impressed those who heard him
testify as being perfectly sane on all
subjects excepting religion, and the men
tai condition of his wife, and four of his
five children. Some time ago he had
a talk with Judge Hooper, with the idea
of bringing a charge of insanity against
his wife and he believes there is some
thing wrong with the minds of all his
children. excepting his son Herman. He
was quite put out by the verdict. but
said he was in the hands of the Lord,
and intrusted the keys of the house and
barn to Herman.
All his life Bubb has been one of the
hardest of workers, with a desire to ac-
cumulate money and property, and in
this he had the entire sympathy of his
Wife. The evidence showed that they
labOled on the farm from Monday
at O'Clock in the morning Church on
sunday morning was their only deVia-
ton Returning from services they
again dOnned work clothes. The hus-
bands opinion that his wife had lost her
mind was based largely upon the fact
that she occasionally forgot to fill the
lamps or make the beds. but the county
attorney brought out, point by point,
that these occasions were usually on
wash days, or days when there was
extra work about the farm: that she
cooked breakfast, dressed the children
for school, put UP lunches for them, did
all the work about a two story house.
MIXED cows. made butter. took care of
chickens. which We're numbered by the
hundred, and often helped in the garden.
orchard and vineyard. Bubb himself
testified that she occasionally scrubbed
floors after he had gone to bed, but
complained that she took all day, and
into the night. to do work she should
have done in four hours.
The testimony was that Bulbs re-
turn from Arizona about two months
ago had marked a change in him. Be
fore going, while a great worker him
self, and desiring that everybody should
follow his example. he was a good hus-
band and a kind father. After coming
home he didn't seem satisfied unless
everybody was on a jump. Fred Stutz,
who went to Arizona with him, says
Bubb talked religion two days and
nights to fellow passenger, and that
he was so hOarse upon bis arrival that
he could scarcely talk. When he took
the stand yesterday he asked the in
dulgence of the court minute, and
bowed his head in prayer. Bubb said
he discovered January %, that his wife
had no mind. They had some words,
and it came to him all OF a sudden,
and he further recalled that member
of her family lost her mind years ago.
He nailed uD the we'll and cistern TO
keep her from falling in He made a
distinction between insanity. and hav-
ing no mind. and denied that he ever
said his wife and children were insane,
but that they had no minds. Mrs. Bubb
testified that he once told her that. if
it wasn't for his Christianity. he might
tear her heart out, or words to that eff
feet.
Under examination by Henry Ellis
ton, Bubb said if he hadn't been re-
strained by his religious conviction, he
might have done himself or family in
jury. He seemed to have worried over
the fear of imbecile posterity. All the
evidence tended to show that his wife.
and members of his family, are entirely
sound in mind; this is the conviction of
everybody who knows them. Bubb will
be kept at the Wells asylum until ad-
mitted to one of the state institutions.
guardian viii be appointed for him.