New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-11-08
Mind A BLANK
FOR SIX YEARS
Former Wealthy Oil Man Cannot
Recall the Past

Los Angeles Pa. Nov. S.-Can a
continent and the legal machinery of
the law-be reunited to his family
through the achievements of medical
science?
Six years ago James Rice. a pros
porous oil well contractor. was the
father and husband of an affectionate
family in Butler, Pa. Today he is in
the Los Angeles Count Farm, his
former life blotted from his men,
DRY, while between him and his past
stretch the unending miles of eter-
nifty.
While riding in an automobile near
his eastern home one day the ma
chine was wrecked and Rice was
severely injured about the head. APP
parently, he soon recovered. Soon
his associates began to suspect some
thing was wrong. Rice no longer
evinced any interest in his work, fam
lily cares had no interest for him, his
mind seemed to wander like that of
a small child. Then one day he dis
appeared and for many months his
family searched for him in vain At
length, believing she had been desert
GU, his vile Obtained a Q1VOrCG.
Rice, meanwhile, was wanderer
upon the face of the earth. Like the
Wandering Jcw," he passed from
one community to another, living
only in the past, for his mind was
shrouded in darkness and he had
slipped back into childhood
Many sympathetic persons interest
ed themselves in the simple, kindly
old man. They gave him food and
clothing and offered him work. AL
ways willing to do the tasks assigned,
Rice would manfully tackle any work
given him, then, as a small child tires
of toy, he would forsake his work
and trudge on to another community.
Five years passed in this manner,
and at length he came to Los Angeles.
Reduced to charity. he was taken III
charge of the county
From the first, he was a puzzle to
the medical department, who, though
they had experienced many forms Of
mental alteration, had never found
one like this. While apparently mild
ly insane. he would relate at times
details of his past in a lucid manner.
He repeatedly mentioned the name of
Butler, in connection with his fam
lily. Medical men who observed him
noted he had a curious manner of
rubbing his head in a certain place,
on which were the remains Of a scar.
They concluded he had been injured
and that a bone fragment Of the skull
was pressing down upon the delicate
brain tissue beneath.
Repeats Name Butler. |
The repeated mention Of Butler, the
authorities concluded, must mean the |
place in which he formerly had lived.
There are many towns Of that name |
n the United States. and some time
elapsed before an answer was re-
ceived from Pennsylvania, stating that
a James Rice formerly had lived
there, and that he had disappeared.
To questions of his former life,
Rices answers were vague. Seem
ingly he recalled his past only in the
dim, uncertain way that a man re-
views the events of a strange dream,
the details of which he cannot recall
though the overpowering sense of it
remains One Of the puzzling phases
Of his strange, waking sleep is that
events which cover months and even
years to take place within a few mo-
ments, in SO far as he is concerned
While he can discuss details of his
past, when they are recalled to him.
his intelligence ceases there. Home
ties, the love he bore his family, his
responsibility to them and to society,"
all have ceased to have a meaning to
him, for the human element is locked
within the recesses of his clouded
soul
Butler, Pa, is but a few days jour-
ney from the Los Angeles County
Farm, yet between James Rice and
his past life there is a vast gulf And
yet if the operation which the sclen
lists are contemplating proves sue
cessful, Rice will emerge from his
rip Van Winl<le'' sleep to take his
place in life at the point where,
years ago, his intelligence slipped
down into darkness.