The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1908-11-19
JOKE WAS on TIE FARMER
Eia Alieged Insane Patient PROVED
to Possess a Perfectly
SQUAD Hind.


@-~-A
A Johns hopkins medical student.
who sought the rural aolltudea near
hattawomhn swamp. IN Charles eoun
y, Nd, a. a place 10 spend a little va
cation, enforced upon him BY severe
study, Will doubtless long remember
bis brief stay IN that section. It's
conception Of the simple life" a.
portrayed IN the rustic environment
81 that community. relates tho Waah.
ington star, IA Just beginning 10 he
realized and IN his daily meanderlnRs
shout The woods and farm houses be
found much Of interest 20 thu student.
when al unexpected climax shortened
his stay In that locality and ended IN
his appearance, accompanied BY a 70.
bust son OF the soil, At the Government
Hospital for the Insane.
Il am In search Of the Identification
bureau" was the way the young farm
er announced his business when he en-
tered the big building devoted TO the
transaction Of business at the institl.
ton. 4 mean, he added. in an ex.
~planatory sort OF q manner. 'the place
wher the patients pictures are kept"
II took but a few moments for the
young man who waited upon him 20
learn that he had in custody one pre-
stunned to be an escaped patient. The
proper officials we're thorcupon called
on 10 take charge OF the matter. II
took but an instant 70 determine that
there was no inmate In the institution
OF the name given by the m~eeklooklng
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
u his mental faculties, and that be
bad given evidence OF a healthy state
u mind from the very moment that
be had been detained al the farmers
house, miles down ia Maryland; for.
as he said. he took the matter u hia
detention quietly. knowing when be
reached the hospital he would be 70
leased.
IL was nc use to object down there
he said to one OF the oflciala before
leaving the asylum. These people
saw me going about each day, inter
ested IN the birds and flowers, sleep
ing At farm houses by night as best
I could, and Foughing 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 10 take n nights rest
Turning 10 the mar who had brought
him all the way from Aattawoman
swamp in a vehicle. the young student
laughing heartily. said;
z haven't a thing in the world
against you, had . good nights rest
at your house. n me dip Ia o cold
spring this morning. followed BY 9
splendid country breakfast. and nov
you furnish me with transportation 70
this place. where ! obtain my liberty,
Just a. ! knew I would"
The young iilier Of tho soil was non.
pluSsed BY Il eli for a while. but finally
remarked 10 a. Of the omcials pres
ent.
Mister. l ala this Just Tor human.
ify's sake. I wanted no reward. and
such q thought never entered my
mind. I believed this young man acted
as II he lad come from here. and I
considered Il my duty "a take him and
md 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
cases OF persons being fined or ether
punished for assault on persons
on the street whom they forced 70 &C
company them to the government asy.
lum on the presumption that the Pc
dsslFiRRs, Who may have been dressed
strangely, or IN some other way be.
come conspicuous. were escaped luna
tics from the institution.