The Washington times., 1908-08-21
Washington Man Sent to
Asylum-Rrain Snap
ped in Chicago.
FORCIBLY ELECTED
FROM CONVENTION
Even Before Jury He Delivers
Eulogy on President, Disdain-
ing to Defend Self.

The seething, yelling mass Of human
ity that packed the Auditorium IN Chi
cage was rocking the old hail with
the volume Of its shouts. In a great
hoarse cry, the name of Roosevelt,
Roosevelt. Roosevelt" " was reverberating
from the walls and raftered ceiling, and
was flung back into the enthusiasm
maddened thousands, who took 1t up
again and sent it again through the
rafters.
At the climax Of the frenzied cheer
ing, as he stood on a chair. waving
his hat above his head. his throat
strained and his eyes bulging, something
snapped in the brain OF Charles E.
Payne. a colored politician of Wash
iuglon, who attended the convention
as a messenger. Yesterday Payne was
adjudged insane by a jury in the Su-
preme Court OF the District presided
over By Justice STAFFORD.
Went Away Sane.
Payne went away mentally sound,
said his relatives on the witness stand.
He came back an idiot. who, on the
least provocation. would strike a pose,
one hand under the first button of his
csat. the other outstretched in approx
Roosevelt, Taft, and the Republican
party The one great, aII-absorbing
sorrow of his life was that Roosevelt
was not renominated, and when he
pondered on this he was melancholy and
morOse. It took but mention of the
Presidents name at times TO send him
into a rhapsody of JOY and rapturous
rawlings.
Charles. according 10 his wife and
other witnesses. was most dOcfle and
mild hammered husband and father pre-
ceding the Chicago convention. He
was always an ardent admirer Of EOose-
welt, but was mentally sound and dis
cussed politics with his friends with
logic and insight.
By many of his neighbOrs he was
looked upon as something of a person
age in politics, and when he went away
10 the convention they gave him a
send-off that made his heart swell with
pride. His cup of JOY was OvertiOwing.
He lOnged 10 stand up on the platform
before the convention and thrill the
delegates with a speech.
Mind Gives Way.
As the convention was being whipped
into shape, and the enthusiasm for
Roosevelt developed into a prolonged
roar, Payne could scarcely contain Eim-
self, so Erea- was his pleasure. Ec
went 20 the convention as a messenSec
for a Congressman, bat he let his duties
so by the board, and. minsling with
the thrOng that howled and cheersG,
contributed his mite TO the general
clamCr.
Then. when the climax came, and the
convention han was a waving sea of
frenzied rnen and women, cheering mad
~ tor one man. Payne mounted u
chair and began The OUtburst OF en-
thusiasm from which he evolved stark
mad.
DOWN. and the reaction AaI -eU IN, CIV
ing The nall & QuletnesS that seemed
unnatural, Payne leaned against post
down at the end OF the hall. and, Wav-
ing MS hat very feebly, continued cheer
ing, until he was elected. His ern-
ployer. after unsuccessful attempts to
interest him in his work, gave ii Up /
and gent Tor Payne's brother TO -ak5
him back 10 Washington
When he got back to Washington. /
said his wife, the change In his man
peT was noticeable Immediately. HeI
was disappointed. and raved continual |
iy Of his idol His friends. tired OF his /
rambling. outbursts Of oratory, deserted !
nm. and finding no one who would 1
listen 10 him he grew melancholy.
Jeopardized His Family.
When he began TO rave over Roose- /
welt, he needed not life nor limb Of /
his fellow beings. said his wife, and
she asked that ne be placed where he /
could do no harm
At the Government Hospital for the |
Insane today he was entertaining q |
group of inmates one hand resting on /
his coat button, the other Outstretcnci /
and waving toward the White House. /
across the Eastern branch.
II took the jury but a few minutes /
10 decide that Charles political en- /
thUsiasm had reached too advanced a /
stage TO be allowed TO wander unrc-l
strained.
During the hearing. the victim of the /
Auditorium tumult sat watching .heI
proceedings mOOGily. He was deeply i'm
pressed with ths sOlemnity OF the oc- /
Caslon. Sever2i times he rose to adj
dress the assembled gathering on the
destiny of the nation, but was repress-
ed. At last his turn came. At the
conclusion of the hearing he was asked
II he had anything to say
Indeed, Ah haVe-indeed All have "
responded Payne with alacritv ''Ah.
JUS want TO tell all YOU gentlemen that
NAH frcn Roosevelt is the hest Insr
that ever lived. An want to" But
that was enough. Charles was escorted (
from the court room