The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-07-02
Elmer ECkels, Said to be Violently In
sane Escapes From The SAM
tarium-Taken to Jail
CONNECTED WITH GOOD FAMILY.
Young Man Had Been Made Mentally Weak
by Over-study and had Been in the
Sanitarium for Many Months


ada, Iowa, and nephew of James H.
Eckels former comptroller of the
United States currency, was taken
into custody in Kenosha last night by
night Waterman Owen O'Hare and
Police Officer Leik. The young man
who is supposed to be violently insane,
had escaped from his room at the
Pennoyer sanitarium and had been
wandering about the city in a half
dazed manner until he was found by
the police. He had left the greater
part of his clothes at the sanitarium,
and seemed to be suffering from
extreme weakness when he was taken
into charge by the officers. It became
necessary for the officers to carry the
young man to the jail. He was placed
IN one of the cells on the second floor
of the jail, and at the request of the
officials of the sanitarium he is being
held there until his friends can arrive
and provide for his care ana keeping.
The young man tells strange story
OF his disease, and claims that Tit was
caused by over study while attending
business college at Princeton, ILL.,,
the old home of the Eckels family.
The young man was seen at the Jail
this morning and it was evident that
he was very i'll at ease in his Mario
confines. He lay on the bed reading
worn copy of the Bible and worry
ing over his plight. He talked freely
of his condition and stated that he had
gone to'Pr;nceton from his home sever
al years ago to prepare himself for
business career. He had been in the
business college there and when he
completed the course had gone to
Chicago to pursue his work further.
While in Chicago he was broken down
by over study, and his parents and
uncle had sent him to the Pennoyer
sanltorium seven months ago for
treatment.
On last Saturday evening just after
eight O'Clock he slipped out of his
room and managed to get out of the
grounds without being discovered. He
wandered about the north side for
nearly two hours and then growing
weak he started to come down town to
seek shelter. The young man seemed
to be very anxious to return to his
work.
The sheriff, as soon as he was
brought to the Jail by the officers,
notified the managers Of the SAM
tarium that he had been taken into
custody and asked in regard to his
care. The managers of the SAM
tarium stated that it was feared that
the young man would become violent
and for that reason he was held at the
Jail. The parents of the young man
have been notified of his condition
and it is expected that they will come
to Kenosha today to make some pro-
vision to take him to his home or to
some other sanitarium.
The unfortunate young man seems
to fully realize his condition and stated
to a representative of the News that
he was suffering from extreme nervous
strain.
DR.. Pennoyer, in speaking of the
case, stated that the young man was
violently insane, and that his friends
had been asked to have him placed in
an asylum where he would be under
constant attention. He said the young
man had suicidal mania, and that
twice during the past week he had at
tempted to secure poison from the
drug stores in the city.
The doctor stated that he had torn
his clothes from his body and seemed
to have no idea of decency and that he
had written letters in which he had in.
timated that he had an inspiration to
kill people high in authority. Former
Comptroller Eckels had been provid-
ing for his care in the local sanitarium.