Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1911-06-15

fever. and / started for the Klondike.
! met with some success as a prospec-
tor and added to my growing fortune.
When the Tonopah district opened up
in Nevada l was among the first to
arrive, and there l added to my store
Of wealth. BY this time / had more
than 100000 in actual cash, and.
feeling that / had seen enough of the
world, l turned to New York and en-
gagged in the lumber and cement bust
ness. with an office at No. 20 Broad
way. For two years-from 1908 to
1861 devoted all my energies to this
and, as in the past, fortune smiled on
me. l took up other activities. includ-
ing the receivership Of chemical
company. Money began to pour in,
and / allowed 1t to turn my head. /
plunged into wild extravaganza and
dissipation, with the result that my
brothers and sisters, fearing for my
health and believing that / had lost
my mind had me committed to DR..
Parker's sanitarium, The Knobs, at
Broadway and Two Hundred and Thir-
commitment without 30 much as an
examination Of me, and one morning
two men appeared at my office and
hurried me to The Knobs. / was no
more insane than the excellent doctor
in charge Of the institution. 1t Is true
that had been dissipating and that
was not in the best Of health, but my
mind was normal In every way.
Always Under Espionage.
While / was not placed under lock
and key at The Knobs, at least one at
tendant was always with me. | had
a comfortable room to myself and !
was allowed to wander about the large
grounds that surrounded the institu-
ton. There was always so many at
tendants around that escape seemed
impossible. Besides, even II / had
been able to escape, / knew / should
be returned. All my money was taken
from me when l was placed in the
sanitarium, and 10 or 10 cents at a
time was doled out to me for popcorn
or chewing gum. My fortune, which
dissipation had reduced from more
than 100000 to less than $4,000, was
turned over to the Hamilton Trust
Company to hold in trust, and / was
absolutely dependent upon the small
sums given me by DR.. Parker When /
let them accumulate the attendants
calmly took away my savings, so that
rarely had more than 10 cents.
For two months l remain at The
Knobs. regaining my health and spir-
its. The regular hours, the good food
and absolute rest worked wonders, and
I was myself again. / mean l felt my
self again According to law was an
incompetent. the inmate Of an institu-
ton for the insane.
One who has never been under re-
straint cannot understand the terrible
feeling that results from constantly
being watched. My every movement
was observed from the time / awak-
ened in the morning until | went to
bed at night. Even when | was asleep
an attendant was constantly outside
my door. | began to realize that I
should soon become insane IL | re-
ihdiucu thcle any lUubtT. Il knew
was sane, but how could / establish
the fact? I was without funds, was
unable TO communicate with friends.
DR.. Parker, of course, would not hear
Of my leaving, so but one thing re-
NAMED to be done-take French
leave. After | was free | would de-
termine what to do next.
So, by distracting the attention of
the one attendant who was always
with me, l managed to slip through
the shrubbery by the side of the sani-
tarium. | reached the high fence
which surrounded the grounds with
out being observed. A moment later
| was on the outside of the fence, a
free man.
A free man, yes. But with only FIVE
cents In my pocket. / knew that any
attempt to obtain more then would re-
suit In my capture and return, SO I
made up my mind to seek no help,
but to trust to my own resources. |
walked to Spuyten Duyvil and there
took a car for New York. My five
cents got me as far as Fourteenth
street.