The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-09

atrocities perpetrated Hugh Mcconnell.
brother of Judge Mcconnell of Chicago was
kicked to death in my presence in the nurses
home ward, where 1 was confined Had said
anything about it while there I would have
been dispensed with too And all that saved
my soul is the charge made by Len Small. pres
ident of the board of the asylum who said. in
his defense of the institution, that l was the
shrewdest and most cunning man they ever
had.
When I had been in the asylum year and
half I was released on a writ Of habeas
pus secured by the Rev. w. R. Andereck and
Rev. Ayers of Kankakee.
In the face of all this my family, who had not
me for year. testified again that 7 was
insane. was recommitted, and from that time
locked up behind iron bars with the
window of my cell nailed down so that I could
not talk to passers-by or get any note out to
any 1t was threatened that if l should
talk to any visitor that 1 would be put in q
dungeon. During these eight months of confne-
ment was prevented from writing to any one
but my family and all my weekly letters
to my family were written in vain 1 realized
how useless 1t was. Yet I kept up the COM
munication with them many times by
sight they would send extra sheet and
envelope. wrote my letters in the middle OF
the night after every one in bed in
dormitory. lady visited the ward every Sat
urday and she secretly brought me stamped en-
velopes and would also take my letter to Chi
cago and mail them for me. Many times 1 was
knocked down and choked after going to bed
and my letters taken from under my under
shirt Only week was allowed to go to
the library and an attendant escorted me to
see that 1 did not get any to give
them any letters.
importuned the asylum officials to discharge
if they would not do that to bring a
gun and shoot me out of such torture
To be locked up and away from my folks and
friends / wished |
been born.
I kept on importuning until they transferred
to another ward in care of a new attend
ant. This man very much interested in my
Ease While in this attendants care l was
continually singing and I had the entire ward
singing with me and reading the Bible constant
1y. This attendant was influenced that he
would report me as sane and orderly
He carried the news home to his wife and she
begged her husband to see me. This man had a
lay-of the next Sabbath and he asked for my
Bible. That Sunday he brought his wife to
the ward to see me. In the two hours
versation she assured that 1 wouldn't be
there long.
The following Sunday July z 1901 as we
came from dinner, my attendant said as l had
been teasing him all the time to be let out of
doors to get the fresh air, that I might take
my Bible and go out for little while. Eight
months of real confinement made feel. with
such Offer that 1 had been born anew When
out about five minutes 1 thought this man was
taking of his after-dinner maps and went
around IN front of the cottage. 1 found him
asleep as I expected. 1 went back and took
my Bible and 1 skipped for the Illinois Central
railroad. 1 walked eighteen miles that after
noon, falling repeatedly by the roadside from
exhaustion. AS the was setting in the
western grand prairies I found a farmhouse
near by the railroad and there I asked to stay
all night. The next morning 1 took the train
for Chicago. 1 had to go through Kankakee,
/ mn pOl
up about my neck and my hat down over my
until I passed through l arrived in Chi
cago unmolested and went to Capt. William P.
Black, brother of Gen. ]. c. Black of Grand
Army This lawyer and friend told me l had
done wise thing to escape and for to
fee at once to Michigan.
I took the boat that night for Benton Har-
Dor, and failing to get anything there to do
went to Grand Rapids. 1 arrived there and
tried ten different greenhouses, but failed to
find anything. So I learned that the super
intendent of that district for the Anti-saloon
league to have ten law suits the next day
for violations of the Sunday ordinances, so L
hunted him up to get something from him for
lecturing on temperance, having preached tenn
perance for years At this time my limbs were
swollen with inhammatory rheumatism The
superintendent got letter from lady at Elk
hart Ind, wanting florist, and he suggested
that accept the offer until I got stronger.
went there and worked for her ] then went
to Muncie and worked there four days and
invited to preach, which l did
The next day I took train for New Castle,
where l filled two appointments at Mooreland
Then I came to Indianapolis. When ar
rived I went to James G.. Kingsbury of Irving
ton. who knew me for many years when he
lived at Danville There l stayed three weeks
He took to DR.. w. B. Fletchers to be ex-
amined, who gave me a certificate OF my sam
ity and said that I never had been insane. L
To he
rived at that place two of the city's police came
at once to the Inn, and inquired about me.
told them in a quiet manner that as had not
committed any crime assault offended
any one that 1t did not make any difference TO
any one where / from who and
one of them said: Come along with us and we
will make you talk" Most get arrested
for talking too much but it the other way
in my case. and they. put me into patrol wag-
on and fastened down with heavy log
chain.
Just think of civil, quiet orderly citizen that
loves everybody, for this have proved to every
body that comes to my flower stand.
I was taken to the city prison and locked
I'D for thirty hours and kept without any food.
Through continuous importuning had u supper
sent to me with my money they had taken
off my person when they arrested me- then
sent for DR.. Fletcher and Mr.. ]. G. Kingsbury
and Mrs. Helen E. Moses and through their kind
Intervention I was released. then found en-
ploynent- with the Salvation army. From the
army 1 went into the market house. going in
debt for few plants to sell to try and get
living
Here was without money and among stran-
gers crippled with paralysis and sixty-four
years of age, having had to make my escape
from the asylum without any money and only
a summer suit Of clothes. My restitution was
the cause many times of suffering. / was
quite destitute of clothing and / wrote to my
daughter and also to my son last November
he i begged
send me s. to buy second-h hand suit Of clothes,
and my dear children never answered their ia