The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-26
MISSING TEACHER
LONG IN ASYLUM
Wife Tells How Former Weather
Bureau Chief Lost Identity
and Disappeared.
KNOWN w ONLY AS John DOE
Occupied Chair OF Astronomy
in Michigan University
Twelve Years.
KNOWN ONLY AS "JoHN DOE,

New York. June 25.-When Mrs. Rose
NJ harrington. of Manhattan, applied
10 Supreme Court Justice Mills. at
Mount Vernon yesterday TO be appoint
go committee OF the estate Of her
Is husband. Mark w. Harrington for-
merly q professor in the University
Of Michigan, and later chief of the
United States Weather Bureau il be-
came known that her husband had
bcen an Inmate OF an asylum for years
Mrs. harrington says that in tn.
nine years that he has been confined in
Inc Morris Plains Insane Asylum he
has been unable TO tell anything about
himself. nor does he know his own
name. 'Ts. =
Mrs. Harrington says that she does
not know what property her husband
owns. and for that reason she desires
20 be appointed conseryator Of his es-
tate, as she believes he Is entitled tc
Hrse royalties from hooks of which
he Is the author.
Justice Mills took great interest
j. IN me story because Professor Har-
rinEion was formerly a resident or
Mount Vernon, He granted an order
allowing jury in the next term Of the
westminster Supreme Court to pass
upon the sanity of the professor. and
VIII also sign an order for the testi-
mony OF DR.. Evans, superintendent Of
inc Mount Morris Asylum as 10 the
mental condition OF the patient
Mrs Harrington states that her hus-
band left his home in Mount Vernon
Ia 1899 10 attend dinner in Mannat-
tan He did not return home. and she
dld not see him again until 1907, when
she found him in the Morris Plains
Asylum. He had been found in 1902
wandering around Newark in da zed
condition and could not tell his name
AT the asylum she learned that her
"a RI 10 H.
tuition from Newark. and that he was
suirering from an unusual form OF
mental disease which caused hin, TO
lose his entire Identity. and nc was
also unable 20 recognize any one,
Where he mad spent the two years un-
accounted for no one knew
lie has no speciiic decisions 81 the
present lime except that he believes
That his name Is John Doe" That
was the name that was given TO him By
the authorities IN the institution be-
fore his wife discovered him and re-
vealed his Identity. He still maintains
MS name is John Doe, and when his
wife called a few days ago 10 see nim
ne declared that he did not know her
and gave instructions to the keepers
to keep her Way from him. as she
WAS a stranger.
Since Professor Harrington has been
In the asylum ne has become an ac-
complished piano player. and devotes
most OF his time 10 playing on the
ins,rnmen, for the benefit of the other
inmates.
Lawyer c. D. Manvilie Will apply to
Justice Mills next week for a commits
sion to take the testimony OF DR.. Evans
a the asylum. and thus hurry along
he insa nity proceedings. so tAat Mrs
harrington may recover the property
OF her husband
ttst Of world wide note. He succeed
cd General Greedy. head OF the Wealth
c' Bureau, In Washington In 1891 He
had been professor OF astronomy in
the University OF Michigan prior 10
that for twelve years. and he was the
editor OF the American Meteorological
Journal In 1871 he was a govern
inent astronomer in the United States
Coast Survey in Alaska. being then
young man OF twenty-three. He was
director OF the observatory at Picking
ir 1876, and introduced the first large
telescope used in China, In 1875 he
was professor OF biological science in
the Louisiana State University
~ Professor Harrington had been miss
Ing two years when he was found one
day in public park. No one knew
him, and he did not know himself In
the course OF events he was committed
10 the Morris Plains rs. J) Asylum a
John Doe. One day his son was visi-
tor to the asylum. This was several
years after his commitment and he
heard the story OF the strange patient
there who seemed so intellectual and
yet knew nothing OF people or events.
lie saw this man. and was struck
With his resemblance TO his long-lost
father. Returning hime he told his
mother about II. She visited the asy-
lum and identified her husband. who
lid not recognize her This was three
Years ago. He has not known her
since, nor has he recalled his own.
Identity. 1t was not until now, when
Mrs. Harrington wishes to recover his
property that the history of the miss
4 Ing professor became known to many
] Of his friends and neirhhorz 4t 5l'