New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-15
Ralph A. Clarke Escaped from
Asylum in 1906.
MADE FORTUNE IN SOUTH
Returns to Brooklyn, Reclaims
Property, Is Declared Sane
and Goes Back to Virginia.

patnb A Clarke escaped from an ihSa''
o.,.,,,,, In this CITY four and ha' yea,
GOO With five cents and watch d. Nc
o,,ire cani,aI Yesterday he returneu w
proot,vn q rich man. to he Judlclai'S w
o,arod Sane nv the Supreme Court anu
- second fortune which has beeh III
,r,,s, For him during his absence. 1His w
nod feared TO claim because OF me '"' o'e
of Imprisonment in an asyiu'"
over him. 49, ,o,e
Mr. Clarke became insane IN JuH'' ''
A. tho time he was the owner OF 'io'"
inc store in Flatbush avenue ne"' 80,
e,reot BROOKLYN. He was well to DO upo"
the application Of his sister MrS'
Johnson. of Canada and his brothe''
ter & Clarke Justice DickeE' OF 'h7
nreme Court committed the clothle' w w"
AuitvviIle Insane Asylum. Inc sls'el "'
made the committee of the man PEI o''
and estate His property was conNei 'e',
into cash-amounting to about S-o'""-d"o
nIaced with the Hamilton Trust company
as trustee.
Mr. Clarke was moved about from IN
stitution 10 institution. and finally. IN the
fall of the year. reached the hh""''9
Sanatorium. 2Soth street and Broao"'S
on the night OF September 20 he escapeo
through a window and over renee ne
made his way cautiously TO Spuyten DuS
vii where he got a car which TOOK MN
10 Third avenue and l4th street lie hdu
not a cent with him beyond the price OF
the one fare. but he had Watch' anu
this he pawned for s15. After square
meal he found cheap lodgings and ma LOT
fear OF pursuers Four days later ne
yentured forth and left town without
trouble.
He kept on the move until he reached
Perrvville. Md. where he was practically
compelled to stop through lack of funds.
He did not dare seek the class OF work
for which his education and experience had
qualified him. He finally obtained employ
ment with a contractor who was erecting
bridge His pay was 81 30 a day. out
this was sufficient for his needs. He mixed
i'm with the other men, working for hours
I'd TO his knees in mud and water until
his body was racked with rheumatisn'
Severe as the physical change was lot 'is
other, the doctors say the process VI
getting back 10 nature and engaging III
hard manual toll was Of immense pehe"'
to him mentally.
-, few months Of bridge building ana I'VE
left Perryvile for Richmond. va. 'i'
haunted by the fear Of detectloh' he heP'
auav from, the class of people anu INC
form Of work TO which he had beeh sco
toned and obtained employment III 'ne
ro,ur,hia Shoe Works He was put 10 "oIh
-, a lathe at g. a week After a time MS
nov WAS raised TO 81 week. In spite OF
his moods and though his fellows looKeu
unon him as sane he even yet ieareu ~
Law claim to the property WIN"
left behind in Brooklyn
While At the shoe works ne oeN's't o
non, oermicIde i'm which he Interested a
number OF wealthy men ana orga''~eu o
company to manufacture IT. Az inc p'd"'
he was known as 3. r. Benton. MONEY
came in fast, and three months ago vi '
Clarke married and settled down III Ills
adon,od city. determined never TO make an
attempt to reclaim his old name or MS
Northern family and fortune.
After Mr. Clarke had left the shoe WORKS
70 take charge Of the germicide factory
no met former friends from Brooklyn from
time to time, but refused to recognize any
| of them He admitted that he might be
| the double Of Ralph ~ Clarke. oi Brooh-
! 1yn. " V, but insisted that ne was Is. IL
BENTON. OF Richmond. Va. At last Roland j
svmmes. once his close friend, met him
| lie could not be convinced that 4. K. Ben
| ton and Ralph \. Clarke were not the same
! nerson. and finally the ex-clothicr admllteo
| his identity, but no persuasion could se'
him North. Upon his return 10 Brooklyn
Mr. Svmmes went to Mr.. Clarke S relatives
and informed them of his discovery. They
| called i'm Bernard J. York. and Mr. YORK
set out TO bring the wanderer home. After
much dickering he finally got the serml-
eide manufacturer TO accompany him to
Philadelphia There he was examined by
| experts and was declared sane.
| The next step was to persuade Mr.. Clarke
TO come 10 New York city and be judicially
| declared sane and re-cstablished In his
rights. At last he consented. and feT
| days ago he met his mother and his
brothers and sisters in Mr.. Works office
for the first time i'm nearly five years
| When the court asked TO remove the
| sister as committee for Mr.. Clarke and &c
| restore his fortune. now grown 10 81 $50
no opposition appeared The papers signed
Mr. Clarke Benton started back TO Vr-
| Pinia 10 his wife and hs business