VISIT TO A MAD HOUSE.
THE ASYLUM WHERE EX-SEN-
ATOR JONES IS.
HOW HE PASSES THE DREARY
HOURS AWAY.
True Story of the Events Leading Up
to the Lose of His Reason His Love
for Miss Palms, A Detroit Helress.
OT LONG AGO
{Image} the writer had occasion to visit Dear-born, a small town some six miles from Detroit. Dearborn has about 1,000 inhabitants and is in hourly rallway connection with the State metropolis, It being sitauated on the line of the Detroit & Bay City railroad. As the train stacks up near the station almost the first thing that attacks the pas-enger's observation is a great tall building just outside of the twon limits and within a stone throw of the track. It is the Catholic retreat for the insane for the diocese of Detroit. From an exterior point of view building has anything but an inviting appearance. A great big fence closet it within three acres of ground. Even the fence has a gloomy appearance. A dozen or more tail evergreen trees which began their work some fifty years ago have already hidden the side part of the building from view.
It is a bright spring morning and as the visitor approaches the great gates leading to the courtyard not a sign of life is visible. The very air seems to carry its burden of the solemnity wafted from the historical old structure.
Historic, did I say? Yes, historic : few asylums more so. There, from time to time have. lingered between reason and madness men and women of even more than national reputation.
A big brass knob is pulled and a low dismal {dr word?}sound is heard from a gong hidden somewhere in the receses of the great gates. Presently a sen-tinel opens the gate and after asking a number of questions permits the stranger to walk in. The sentinel follows. They are now in an old-fashioned courtyard. A dozen faces appear at the windows above. They tap and laugh and giggle, and backon the vistor to enter. Strange people are these: none of them incurable. Some are even happy in their derangement. This was at least so of a young lady who came from one of the near doors unknown to the Good Sisters who have charge of the institution. " Here he comes : here he comes, my dear husband ' she cried, whith joyous laughter in her mellow blue eyes.
Her remarks were addressed to a tall stately gentleman who was coming up one of the gravel walks heading from the garden. He allowed her remarks to pass unnoticed, and as if she had been greatly insulted. She turned quickly and {dr ord?} to her quarters in the building. The gentleman smiled. " Queer halucination. " he said. Then he rushed up and took the visitor by the hand.
" I have just been taking my morn-
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JONES' MORNING CONSTIUTIONAL.
ing consitituional," he said, looking the vistior straghit in the eyes. I have a pleasant home here, almost free from the outer world. The don't call me in-sane lure and I can do as I pleases."
The speaker drew himeself up to his full height as he spoke. He looked a splended type of phisical manhood in his long Prince Albert, gold-headed cane sitll hat. His eye, though, had a faint sign of nervousness.
He was Ex-United States Senator Jones, of Florida, who has been confined there for over a year. Though not entirely insane, he is just a little too far gone to have his liberty, at least that was his condition when he was first incarcrated.
There is a peculiary sad story connected with Sentaor's confinment.
The " man of Iron. " and one time the only recognized antagonist of James G. Blaine, when the latter was in the United States Senate, did not lose his balance in an ordinary way. His is a case of mad love for a woman who by reason of her choice. refused him. and in marriage. The Senator had been invited to reception in Detroit by Mayor Thomson. That was in 1884. While in that city he met Miss Clotilde Palms, only daughter of Frances Palmes, a milionare who since died, leaving his daughter a fortune aggregating $ 3, 000, 000.
After returning to Washington the Sentor wrote her many intersting letters and finally proposed marriage.
She promptly said no. The sentor then went to Detroit to press hiis suit.
After a personal interview he was denied further intercourse. Starange to say he did not leave the city. Day after day he would walk by the Palms residence, never forgetting to leave a memento of his affections---a boquet on the gate. Even in witner this was kept up.
Finally Miss Palms fled to Europe to evade his attentions, at least so it was said when she suddenly left Detroit.
She was accompained by Dr. Book, a wellknown Detroit physicain. They were absent two years, Just after their return in November, 1887, the wife of Dr. Book, a leader in Detroit society.
applied for a divorce. A decree had been entered before the ink was dry on the applicantion. As all of the parties were willing none of the charges were made public. Not long after Dr. Book and Miss Clotide Palms were married.
This gave great offense to Senator Jones who lived in hopes. He declared that there was a conspiracy, that the
Book divorce was illegel and that Miss Palms was not the legal wife. He then became completely broke up. was declared insane and sent to Dearbon, and so lives an in hops, believing that some day Fate will make it possible for him to see the consummation of his fond and made desire. Many offerts were made to have the Senator return to Florida. but all to no purpose. Even when the time for re-election came he would not return, so a substite was sent to Washigton in his place. He still retains a lively interest in national politics and seems to view the ascendarncy of Baline with alarm, " That man Blaine," he said, " will plunge us into a disatrous was yet. " They were always bitter enemies in the Senate and Jones has not forgotten their fights. Otherwise he is quite rational on national affairs.
It is not generally known that his present expenses are being paid by promient Cathollics of Detroit. His funds became entirely exhausted two years ago, since which time he has lived entirely upon the charity of the chartibly disposed. And what is stranger still the Senator seems that he is only getting his dues. An amusing story is told as regards his convictions on the subject.
About eighteen mounths ago he was turned out of a Detroit hotel at which he had been stopping. For weeks noboay would take him in.
The great man of former years soon changed in personal appearance. He often walked the streets at night and selom sat down to a pelntiful table. He began to rave and
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ASYLUM AT DEARBORN.
wrote a letter to the New York World telling of his poverty and asking aid from the Nation. The Nation answered not. Finally his story attracted the attention of Pat O'Neill, postollice inspector in the Chicago district. whose home is in Detrooy.
O'Neill took him to his home. Matters run along nicely for a few weeks when Sentaor Jones sunddenly became very choice about table delicaies. He acquired an abnormal appetite for mallard duck, quail, imported fruits, wines, pies, cake, etc. He also demanded the finest furmhings for his room.
O'Neill couldn't afford to meet the demand, and one morning said so, The senator asked him to consider the matter and let him know at noon. O'Neill had some business in an interior town near Detriot that day and did not get home until evening.
The Senator and become impatinet for an answer in the meantime and vented his rage by forcing O'Neill's wife and mother out of the house and then fortified himself against instrusion. It was with difficulty that he was removed.
After that he made his sleeping apartment in the garret of a fobcco facory. from which place he was taken to the asylum.
Jones is a devount Irish Catholic and never misses the morning masses said in the retreat. He has become greatly attached to the sisters and says that he would like to live with them for ever were it not for his approching nupitails.
SHE IS 116 YEARS OLD.
A German Woman Who Mass Attained
a Remarkeble Age.
Frau Magarethe Krietschik of Vienna, who has just attained the age of 116, is certainly---if her baptismal record be a genuine document---the oldest woman wer have heard of in recent times. She
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FRAU KRIETSCHIK
is still active, and personally sweeps and celeans her own house, being able and always ready to talk to visitors, for whom she has ever at her disposal a fund of anecdotes about old times.
Aged as Frau Kreyschik is, she gets up every morning before 8 o'clock and sets about the round of household work, which she goes through with consientiously, even when necessary mounting a chair tp dust the pictures on the walls. After this she generally spends her day seated at the window musing over friends dead and gone.
She is unable to do any cookin for herslef, and her meals are brought her.
She has lived in Vienna since 1824, her husband carrying on the trade of a wood splitter.
The Famous Carlson Cottage.
The Carlson cottage at 1872 Ashland avenue, Chicago, in which Dr. Cronin was murdered May 4, 1889, is no longer a remunerative piece of properly for the owners. Even on the anniversary of the crime this year only an occasional vistor paid the reuisite fee of 10 cents. The Carlson family reside there. It is nearly furnished. A card on which the following words are prined in bold ltters nange in one of the windows :
" Carlson cottage now open to exhibition : admission 10 cents." Ever since the horrible murder the place has been visited by a stream of lownspeople and strangers who have examined with deep interset the spo where the doctor fell under the strorm of murderous blows. Lately the number of vistors has decreased and only occasionally now is a crowd of gaping folks seen in front of the O'Sulivan house on the next street.
