Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-03
Commissioners for the Insane Have n
Peculiar Case to Pass
Upon.

August Doerner a 17-year-old student
n Union college, the Seventh Day Ad-
ventist institution at College View, near
Lincoln, Neb., was before the Board Of
Commissioners for the Insane yesterday on
complaint OF Julius Korgan, a well-known
farmer living eight miles east Of Council
Bluffs, who charged young Doerner with
being mentally deranged. The examina-
tion before the commissioners developed a
most remarkable story, in which religion
and cupid played prominent parts.
Young Doerner came TO the United States
from Germany where his father is one Of
the most prominent leaders in the Seventh
Day Adventist church, seventeen months
ago, to take a course of study at Union
college and prepare for the ministry. There
he met and won the love OF three young
women, students at the institution. The
frequency with which he wooed and won
the hearts of the opposite sex was cited
in the testimony before the board as one
OF his "peculiarities" and evidence Of his
being mentally weak.
One OF the young women who came under
the spell of the young student was re-
moved from the college by her parents and
returned to her home in Kansas The other
two whose hearts had been captured by
young Doerner were Miss Lena Korgan.
the 17-year- daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs.
julius Korgan Of this county, and Miss
Lydia Kraus OF Tampa, Kan. Both young
women considered themselves engaged to
the youthful preacher.
Last May, Doerner who had been engaged
at the college on a translation OF the Ad-
ventist church doctrine into German, be-
came i'll from overwork and was sent forth
to preach the doctrine and rest. He be-
came a guest at the Korgan home, the
family being ardent members Of the
Adventist faith. He fell sick and his mind
became cIouded and he suffered from hallu~
cinations. He was nursed back to health
by the family and again he and Miss
Korgan plighted their troth and declared
their love for each other. Mr.. and Mrs.
Korgan declined to recognize the engage
ment, for several reasons, the principal
one being that the couple were too young.
Young Doerner returned to Lincoln after
| he and Miss Korgan had each sworn to be
! true TO one another. On the advice OF his
physician Doerner rested from his studies
/ and sought outdoor employment. He found
| Il in husking corn. The manual labor im-
proved his health.
| In the meantime Miss Lydia Kraus had
| learned of young Doerner's attachment fol
! Miss Korgan and she began to make
trouble. She told her friends that the
young corn-husking student had threatened
to kill both her and himself. and that she
| dared not leave the house without a guard
Miss Kraus came to spend the Christmas
holidays at the Korgan home and she told
Of young Doerner's threats. Mr.. and Mrs
! Korgan became fearful that possibly Doer'
ner might kill their daughter when re-
fused permission to marry her. and as th'
young man was expected to spend the holi
days with them, Mr.. Korgan decided t.
place his case before the commissioner
for the insane. He filed an information
against the young man, but withdrew /
the next day at the solicitation OF mem
bers Of the family. DOerner persisted II
his declaration that he would marry Mis-
. Korgan, whether the parents wished II o
not, and, IL was alleged, threatened tina
II prevented he would kill the girl and him
self This alarmed the parents of tn
young woman and resulted in young Doer
ner's arrest yesterday on a charge of in
sanity.
The board discharged him and recon
mended that as soon as the young ma
could secure the consent OF his father an
the means, he and Miss Korgan be married
but to this the parents OF the latter re
fused to listen.