New-York tribune., 1911-02-24
in ASYLUM SINCE WAR
One OF "the Boys of 81" Says
He Was UniustIy Restrained.
RELEASED ON WlFE'S DEATH
Seeks Title to Property He De-
clares She Acquired Illegally
with His Pension Money.

Unjustly kept I'm asyums for nearly forty
years while others collected and illegally
used his pension earned by distinguished
service I'm the Civil War, leaving him with
out proper care, is the story told by Cap
tain Victor Klngsoehr. of Rutherford. n.
J. The captain is now a broken old man
of eiGhty-six years. Although finally re-
lea sed from the Snake Hill asylum I'm 900,
upon the death of his wife, il Is only re-
Gently that friends interested in his case
have brought 1t to the attention of the
courts
At the outbreak OF the war klingsoehr
enlisted as private in IIawkins's Zouaves.
His courage brought rapid promotion, and
nc rose to the rank Of captain and served
till the end of the war in that capacity. At
the close of the war he received his honor
able discharge. and in recognition of his
long service and bravery under fire pen
sion of $50 a month was given TO him.
But when he sought to return to the
comforts of his home he found that changes
had taken place there. 1t was not long
before he realized that he was not entirely
welcome. lie declares that when it was
found impossible to get rid Of him by other
means, ne was finally railroaded to an in
sane asylum
According To his story, he was invited TO
take a carriage ride one day. The ride
ended al the Morris Plains asylum for the
insane at Morristown. y. J. This was in
1878. and he was kept there he says until
1899. without proper hearing or chance
to present his case. II was maintained by
his wife that he was suffering from a sun
stroke received during his fighting days.
Lawyers say that New Jersey laws in re-
gard to commitment for insanity at this
time were very lax. and it took only per
functory proceedings To dispose OF an unde-
sirabe member of a family in this way.
lie was kept in Morris Plains until he
was removed To the Snake Hill asylum in
1892 During all this time. il is said, his
wife never went to sec him once. and pre-
vented any of his friends from seeing him.
So that he had no way of communicating
with the outside. Even his two sons were
told that II would make their father violent
II they went to see him, so that they grew
up TO manhood without ever having set
eyes on him from the time they were about
ten years old.
Although she never went to see him. it
is declared by lawyers for klingsoehr that
his wife during ali this time collected his
pension as his guardian and invested ii ir-
respOnsibly. They say that in 1896 she
received lump sum for arrears of $4,000,
which she invested in property in Ruther-
ford, which she in turn mortgaged. using
the money realized In this way for her own
purposes. Their contention is that she
could not legally do this under the pension
laws
In 1909 the wife died. and it not
until then that Klngsoehr was able TO
bring his case to the attention of the courts.
who ordered his release in custody OF
guardian The only evidences Of insanity.
his lawyers say, ever noticed about him.
was that at times he was morose and eX-
pressed a desire for his liberty.
1t is said that his two sons. Walter and
Paul, both grown men. living in Ruther-
! ford, are now convinced that their father
was unjustly kept under restraint. and that
| they had been deceived as TO his real con-
dition. A reconciliation has been effected
| between them and their father.
! There has been Instituted In his behalf
| by the guardian appointed for him by
| the court upon his release from the asy
| lum, suit in chancery to establish his
| title to the property bought by his wife
with his pension money. 1t is maintained
! that she had no right to mortgage II with
ont his consent. The case will come up for
hearing in the Court of Chancery, in Jersey
! CITY on Monday