Connecticut western news., 1922-02-02
CURTIS CONSIDERED
 MENACE TO PUBLIC
Authorities Say His Case Is Uncurable at His
 Age

Holding that superior court commission had no Jurisdiction in a federal court case, Thomas J. Wall, counsel for Edward w. Curtiss of Torrington, refused to offer evidence or to cross-examine witnesses at the hearing held in Middletown Saturday afternoon to determine whether Curtiss should be freed from the Middletown hospital for the insane. MT. Wall, however, presented his tory of the case pending the examin- ation. .
 pr. Henry M. Chandler of the staff of the Connecticut state hospital, presented the hospital report on the Curtiss case since Curtiss was ad- mitted in March, 1920. Dr. Chandler testified that Curtiss has delusions as to persecution. He said that on numerous occasions when he was in- terviewed at the hospital Curtiss told the doctor that he was a victim of a frame-up of lawyers in Litchfield county. Dr.. Chandler introduced a letter written by Curtiss to Dr. Chandler, previous to the doctors going away on his vacation, in which Curtiss attacked the doctor.
 Another letter was written by Curtiss to President Woodrow Will son in which Curtiss asked the presi- dent for his protection. On Septem- Der 24, 1920 Dr. Chandler testified that Curtiss made. an attempt to es- cape from the hospital by saving the bars. A hack saw and about 20 small saw blades were found. The blades were in Curtiss' rooms, while the saw was concealed in CurtiSs' shirt. Curtiss told the hospital authorities at that time that an attendant had told him where to find the saw, but refused to divulge the name of the attendant.
 pr. Chandler told the commission that on many occasions Curtiss used slurring remarks to other patients and as the result of making these re- marks was beaten up by fellow patient and since that time he had quieted down some. This occurred last August. The most recent report of Dr, Chanler was on December when he examined Curtiss and found that there was no change as to his manners. Testimony showed that Curtiss wrote a letter in which he said that the hospital officials. got big graft from State Attorney Hol- comb to keep him prisoner there.
 When asked by State Attorney Holcomb if Curtiss' case was curable, pr. Chandler said it was not curable at Curtiss' age. Curtiss is now 68 years old. He said that it would be unsafe to let the man go free and that Curtiss should be under the care of an institution
 pr. Roy L. Leak, acting super intendent of the hospital, said that Curtiss' case was incurable and that it was unwise and unsafe to allow him to go free. Supervisor King and two attendants also testified.
 The first witness called at the hearing was Wheaton F. Dowd, clerk of the superior court for Litchfield county. Mir. Dowd told Of the fracas in the courthouse in ,Litch- field in February, 1920, when Curtiss was arraigned on charge of con tempt of court. Charles F. Roberts, official court stenographer of Litch- Eeld county, and Sheriff Frank H. Turkington Of Litchfeld county tes- tlfied to the incident in the court room in Litchfeld. pr. John l.. Buel ef Litchfield told of examining Cur tlss when he was appointed by Governor Holcomb in 1920. Dr. Elias Pratt of Torrington, another member of the same commission, testified that Curtiss has delusions as to persecution at that time.
 Attorney Wall and State Attorney Holcomb had several controversies before the actual hearing was start ed. MT. Wall told the history of the whole case when the trouble started in 1915 leading up to the present time. :
 MT. Curtiss is graduate of Cor nell university and is a mechanical engineer. The only remark that Curtiss made during the hearing was when State Attorney Holcomb was explaining Curtiss' case on the charge of criminal libel.
 The ,Middletown commission was appointed by Judge Isaac Wolfe of New Haven of the superior court and consists of State Attorney h. glis, Dr. Mitchell and Judge S. Harris Warner. The commission did not come to a conclusion Monday after noon, but will hold another meeting in few days and will make it's re- port direct to Judge Wolfe in the