The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-12-28
JOKE Was ON THE FARMER
His Alleged Insane Patient Proved
70 Possess a Perfectly
Sound Mind.

A Johns Hopkins medical student,
who sought the rural solltudes near
Mattawoman swamp. In Charles coun.
", Nd, AZ 4 place 20 spend q little va.
cation. enforced upon him by severe
study. viii doubtless long remember
his brief stay in that section. Kis
conception u the simple lifo." as
portrayed In the rustic environment
Of that community. relates the Wash.
ington Star. was Just beginning to be
realized and In his daily meandcrings
about the woods and farm houses he
found much OF interest 10 the student
when an unexpected climax shortened
his stay IN that locality and ended In
his appearance. accompanied hy a TO
bust son OF the soil. at the Government
Hospital for the Insane.
Il am Ia search Of the Identification
bureau" was the way the young farm
eT announced his business when he en-.
tered the big building devoted to the
transaction OF business at the Institu.
tion. I mean. he added. in an ex
planstorT sort of a manner. she place
where the patients pictures are kept
Il took but a few moments for the
young man who waited upon him to
learn that he had in custody one pre-.
sumed 10 be al escaped patient. The
proper officials were ~thereupon called
on 10 take charge Of the matter. II
took but an instant to determine that
there was no inmate In the Institution
Of the name given by the meek-iooking
young man who stood by the side Of
the farmer visitor. Further inquiry
brought out the fact that the afore.
said young man was in full possession
Of his mental faculties, and that he
mad given evidence o. a HEALTHY state
Of mind from the very moment that
he had been detained at the farmers
house. miles down In Maryland: for.
as he said, he took the matter OF his
detention quietly. knowing when he
reached the hospital he would be re
leased.
Il was no use to object down there
he said 10 one Of the ofhcials before
leaving the asylum. These people
saw me going about each day. inter
ested In the birds aud flowers. sleep
ing at farm houses by night as best
I could. and roughing Il after a fashion.
and they supposed there was some
thing queer about me. and Il ended In
my detention at the last farm house
where | applied to take a nights rest"
Turning 10 the man whr had brought
him all the way from Mattawoman
swamp in a vehicle. the young stu lent
laughing heartily. said:
Il haven't a thing in the world
against you. I had a good nights rest
at your house. a fine dip Ia a cold
spring this morning. followed by a
splendid country breakfast. and o
YOU furnish me with transportation TO
this place, where I obtain my liberty.
just as I knew | would"
The young tilier Of The soil was non
plussed by Il ali for a while. but finally
remarked 10 n OF the ofieisis pres
eut:
Mister. I did this just for human
ity's sake. ! wanted no reward. and
such a thought never entered my
mind. I believed this young man acted
as II he had come from here. and I
considered II my duty 10 take him and
find out
Such incidents. while not COMMON In
hospital life. are by no means unusual,
as may be CLEANED from the police
books Of the city. where are recorded
600 - w,rs,,a hag,. NuaA ~ asknr.
wise punished for assault on persons
on the street whom they forced to ~
company them to the government asy.
lum. on the presumption that the ne
destFiRRs. who may have been dressed
strangely. or In come ether way be-
come conspicuous. were escaped lana.
ties from the institution.