Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-07-03
v. STANTON INSANE
Arrested by Marshal Button and
Deputy Smith Last Saturday
Commission Investigate
SENT TO ASYLUM At TRAVERSE
Filth and Dirt Galore Found at His
Home In the West Part of
the City.

Wesley Stanton, Almas hermit,
was adjudged insane by lunacy
commission last Saturday morning
and was taken TO the insane asylum
at Traverse City. The lunacy COM
mission consisted OF Judge Seaver OF
Ithaca and Drs. Bagley and Lamb.
Wesley, better known as "Deafy'
Stanton, was taken at his home in
the city last Friday afternoon by
Night Watch Smith and b. +. Button
after a FIVE minute struggle in which
both officers were bruised and kicked
severely. Nor was this the end Of
the struggle. for though handcuffed
he caused trouble the entire distance
from his presmises to the city Jail
Two years ago Stanton was taken
to Ithaca on the complaint of his
neighbors, but acted so rational and
made such promises that he was re-
leased and allowed TO return to his
home For two or three days his
appearance was much improved but
the change was short lived and with
in week after the examination he
could once more be seen on the
street with unkept hair and beard and
clothes that were so disreputable that
they could not be touched or ap-
preached. Standing on the street
corner he could be seen mumbling
to himself, gesturing as though in
conversation and his eyes shifting
here and there but never meeting
those OF another.
He would work at odd jobs in the
city, such as splitting wood and trim
ming lawns and owing to his man
ner of living was saving the proceeds.
He was reputed to have a bank ac-
count of three or four hundred dol
lars.
But of late years he has been de-
teriorating and gradually he has
dropped off work until he has been
idle most of the time His neighbors
have been in fear of him and have
continually complained to the auth
critics, they, stating that he acted
peculiar and that his way of living
was a menace to public health.
On Tuesday, June IS, while Robt.
Smith was passing in the vicinity
of Stanton's house one of the neigh
bors stopped him and made COM
plant. Mr.. Smith entered the house
and found Stanton sitting alone. He
invited Mr.. Smith to enter and then
started to tell him if his aspirations
to marry. He seemed to be laboring
under the delusion that the EN-
press of Russia was in his home, and
that she wanted to marry him. He
even introduced Mr.. Smith TO "Her
Majesty" and tried to get him to
converse with her.
AS Mr.. Smith was leaving and
while near the door, Stanton struck
at him, with eyes bulging from
their sockets and his whole manner
a menace at the same time saying,
Don't you bring any Aldermen
around here
After the arrest number OF people
who had courage to enter his home
did so, and there was uncovered
hole reeking with filth and grease
while the whole interior of the house
was filled with a most sickening odor.
The only stove in the house was
the one located in the room used for
a dining room. This was broken
and the chimney so defective that all
the smoke was discharged into the
room, blackening the walls and cell
ings.
Two chairs and two small tables.
the battered stove, half dozen
smoke begrmmed pictures and an old
oil lamp without a chimney constit-
uted his entire furniture.
The table was covered with old
bones, dried banana skins and dirty
tin dishes.
His hunks were made on the floor,
and the two or three blankets were
in such disreputable shape that it is
impossible to conceive that human
being would have the courage to
touch them.
Stanton is a. years of age and very
hard OF hearing, his deafness having
been brought on by an attack of scar
let fever when a boy. There have
been many attempts by relatives and
neighbors to induce him to clean up
and live decent but he paid no atten-
tion whatever.