New Britain herald., 1917-08-07
SPEECH RETURNED
 AFTER 5 YEARS
Sudden Fright Restores Faculty
 Of Man Believed Insane

New York, Aug. 7.-Deaf and dumb 35 years, and the last 5 months an inmate of an insane asylum, Jossel Getzelowitz, 40, a native of Kovno Russia, has had both speech and hearing wonderfully restored. To- day he possesses all his faculties, says he was never insane, and converses intelligently in three languages. none of which is his native tongue.
 At the age of five the boy, Jossel, was suddenly struck deaf and dumb, the result he believes, of disease. Thus he grew to manhood, married and became the father of one child, now 8 years old, and somewhere in Russia, the father believes
 Ten years ago, his wife having been dead one year, he came to America, bringing his sister Lotta, who has since become Mrs. Ephraim Cohen. He lived with her several years in Madison street, but the struggle for existence was hard, for he could rare ly make himself understood. He read and wrote much, and often mumbled half aloud, in the effort to force a return of speech.
 One day about 15 months ago. he was walking on 8 lower east side street, when sudden illness seized him and he fell to the sidewalk writhing in pain. As crowd of children gath cred around him he tried harder than ever to speak; to ask them to call for assistance. His mumbling the chill dren thought funny and they taunted him and laughed at his agony. A policeman sent the mute to Bellevue hospital. There he was adjudged in- sane and sent to the Manhattan State hospital on Wards Island.
 He was registered as John Doe," under observation by pr. Pholsom. His quiet manner and good behavior soon made him a favorite with the nurses and physicians of the asylum, though it appears none suspected he was merely deaf mute, unable to prove his sanity.
 Fright Brings Back Speech.
 He loved to read books in Hebrew Yiddish and in English. He was reading his Hebrew prayer book re- gently and mumbling, he says, a prayer for liberation. In another part of the building an inmate shrieked. It frightened Getzelowitz for moment, but he resumed read ing, and to his astoNishment found he was pronouncing the words aloud and correctly. He ran to another person and asked him to listen He was told his speech had returned permanently. Dr. Pholsom examined ed him, and declared he was sane ano should be permitted to leave the asy- lum.
 1 Miss Masspust, a social worker al 1 the asylum, reported the case to tht 1 Hebrew Sheltering and Immigran Aid society, at 229 East Broadway l.. Hammer, an inmate, wrote to the same society of the remarkable oc currence, asking that something bt ! done for Getzelowitz.
 The soclety investigated and Getze1 1 oWltz Is now installed in it's headouar ! ters, and has obtained work at S12 . week. making burlap bags for A | hau1mann, at 546 Water Street. IT. has made a friend of every one con nected With the society's headuuarter just as he did at the asylum, but say he will live there upon charity n, longer, and intends to be independen the remainder of his life.
 Speaking in English, with the faint est trace of a foreign accent, he tol a reported yesterday he is almos wholly happy. But one thing mar this happiness-he has lost all trac of his sister. When he left her tn day he fell ill, she had no way C learning what had become of him, an he has forgotten the address. A scare through Madison Street failed to fin her or his former home.
 Getzelowitz speaks slowly, but dis tinctly. His manner is easy, and h has a boise that is not often foun among Russia's lower classes Whil talking to newspaper men yesterda he showed indications of a very we controlled nervousness which, Sup Arthur Connors of the Hebrew She tering and Immigration Aid Societ said, was due to a fear that the re porters were men come to take hi1 back to Wards Island.
 pr. Pholson after saying vest he had handled the case, decided ths he could give no further informatio without consulting the superintende1 of the hospital. The superintendent could not be found.