The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-09-26
A VERY STRANGE CASE

A WM SIkANuE CAS[
George W. Neatie, Editor of the
Pennington News. Found in this
City with Memory a Blank.
A strange case of mental alteration
was fortunately brought to close in
this city last Saturday through the
efforts of W. c. Stempei. Mr.. Stempel
was in his drug store when we'll
dressed and appearing gentleman came
in and when Mr.. Stempel looked at him
he Immediately recognized him as
George W. Neatie, who he knew at Ft.
Madison for number of years, Mr..
Neafie being employed as city editor of
the Ft. Madison Democrat. When he
spoke to Mr.. Neaie in familiar way
and asked him what he was doing here
he replied he did not know, and asked
Mr.. Stempel who he was. He had abso-
lutely forgotten what his name was, or
where his home was. Mr.. Stempel knew
there was something wrong, and after
some conversation with him, called up
friends at Ft. Madison and found that
Neafie was living at Pennington, Iowa,
being the editor of the Pennington
News. DR.. Layton was called to see
him and said he appeared to- be suffer-
ing from drug Of some kind, and was
at first inclined to think he was a dope
user, but on the contrary he is man
of exemplary habits in every respect.
Mr.. Stempel tried to recall his memory
by asking him where he lived, but he
could not remember. He even failed to
remember that he was married and had
wife and child year old, and every-
thing in his past seemed to be blank
to him.
From Ft. Madison it was learned that
with his wife and child Mr.. Neafie left
Pennington Wednesday and went to
Ft. Madison to celebrate the child's
first birthday at the home Of Mrs.
Neafie's father, DIR. D. N. Coon, one of
the old physicians of Ft. Madison. He
left Ft. Madison Thursday evening at
1886 to return to his home at Farming
ton, his wife intending to remain for a
few days visit. That was the last he
could remember and had faint recol-
lection of being at Centerville
and Humeston, and first real
lied that something was wrong when he
found himself watching the erection of
the new Herald building at Lamont on
the following day, and seeing them put
ting some printing machinery in the
building. He tried to think where he
was or who he was, but all was blank,
and after going to the outskirts of the
town sat down and tried to think the
matter out. He then went to the depot
and inquired from what direction he
had arrived, and on being told started
walking and was at Davis City for sup
per. He continued on toward Leon,
and arrived at the home of Jasper
Baker about dark and stopped to rest.
They noticed there was something
wrong with him and questioned him.
asking him to remain all night. While
there he picked up a copy of The Re
porter and happened to notice Mr..
Stempel's advertisement and the name
seemed familiar to him, but only in
vague manner. He insisted on coming
on to Leon that night, SO Mr.. Baker
took him to the junction and he came to
Leon on the night train, going to Hotel
Leon where he registered as J.W. Moon,
Kewanee, Ill.
Saturday morning he was walking
around when he poticed the sign at the
drug store and went in, but was unable
to tell his own name o., where he was
living. When Mr.. Stetnpel called him
by name he, repeated the lame Neafie.
and said he had been trying for long
time to think what his name was but
the more he tried the worse he became
confused. In an effort to arouse his
memory MIR. Stempel showed him views
of Ft. Madison, where Neafie resided
for more than twenty years, but he
apparently did not recognize them AMI
when asked if he had any business or
family troubles to cause him to leave
home, replied that he did not know he
had any business or even any family.
Gradually he appeared to remember
some things, and was able to start to
Ft. Madison on the afternoon train, be-
ing placed in charge of the conductor
as be was very anxious to reach home
and friends, and was met at Burlington
| by his father-in-law, at whose home he
is now. While in Leon he complained
of the back of his head hurting him, and
it may be that he fell in some manner
and injured his head, but the doctors
who are caring for him are of the
opinion that he had been overworking
himself and that few days of complete
rest will restore his mind.
The fact that he left ut. Madison
Thursday night and was art Lamont on
Friday makes it evident that when he
started from Ft. Madison for home by
| way of Keokuk that whea he reached
Keokuk he took the train for Center
vile instead of Pennington, and then
came to Humeston and on down to
Lamont. but the time and how he travel
ed YVES all a blank to him.
II
House Burned.
The residence of r. @. Fulton. who
i III Hn, 1, L Il