VOL. XXXV.

A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY.

ST. LOUIS, MO., JANUARY 30, 1897.

ORIGINAL: ARTICLES

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NO. 5.

He has spent two sieges of several months in our county jail, but the cases were both dismissed under peculiar circumstances. * B, who is accredited with many of the attributes of an eel. * Meanwhile, the detectives identified him as a man who had quite a reputation in St. Louis and Chicago as a confidence man; he had a dozen aliases, and was wanted in Chicago for fraud, disposing of mortgaged chattels, conveying a

A Case of Systematized Insanity, and Its false deed, and other charges. "

Lesson.1

BY EDWARD C. RUNGE, M.D, ST. LOUIS,
Superintendent of the St. Louis Insane Asylum.

A day in December 1892 saw a man make his way to a small railroad station in his native country. He had just narrowly escaped death at the hands of his brother in-law, postmaster in W, who emptied at him both barrels of his gun at near range. One load filled the victim's right knee, while the other came with in a line piercing the skull that harbored the nevertiring, everscheming brain of one of F county's most remarkable sons. The casus belli was furnished by a series of letters threatening exposure and death. Not being able to obtain the assistance of a local physician, the wounded man, whom I shall call B., hobbled on a pair of self-constructed crutches to the station, took the first train to St. Louis, and applied for treatment at the City Hospital; this was December 31, 1892. The fact of his admission to the Hospital was taken notice of by the county and city press, the comments not being very flattering to his previous character. As this bears directly on our subject, I shall give a few quotations to show how he was viewed by public opinion as reflected by the public press:

Thus branded, our man faced the medical officials at the Hospital. It did not take them very long to sus. pect the patient's mental balance; suspicion grew to certainty upon close acquaintance, and on receiving cor. roborative evidence from his wife and brother.

On February 2, 1893, he was duly committed to the St. Louis Insane Asylum. When I assumed charge of the Asylum, in May, 1895, I was told by Dr. Ernst Mueller, my predecessor, of how troublesome an inmate the Asylum possessed in this man B. He had succeeded -ome time ago to smuggle out a letter to the Post Office Inspector stating that the mail of the Asylum was handled in a way violating the U. S. postal laws, i. e., letters addressed to inmates were opened by the Superintendent, and then turned over to the former. He gained a signal victory, and ever since all mail has to come addressed to the Superintendent direct. I was quite eager to meet face to face this gentleman. When I first stepped on the hall which was his abode, and is reserved for the combative and aggressive cases, I was at once surrounded by a veritable mob of frantic inmates. Through the din of clamoring voices I heard mainly such words as "trial by jury and judge," "injustice," "illegal confinement," and quotations from the While attempting to pacify and Statutes of the State. conciliate the vociferous petitioners, my glance caught "B., one of the most notorious characters who ever the figure of a fine looking man about six feet tall, with claimed a home in F county, was shot by his an intelligent face, and piercing, almost staring, eye; he brother in law, O., last Saturday morning. B., who has stood at the door of his room looking down on the surgthe faculty of writing more insulting and threatening ing crowd with a contemptuous smile. On the next day, letters than any man that ever lived, had written to O., when the same scene was enacted, he called a stop to the that he would kill him at first sight. Public aggressors in about the following words: "You act just sentiment, so far as we are able to learn, entirely justi-like fools. How can you expect to have the Doctor act fies O. in his action. B.'s adventures in this county in your behalf at this time. It will take him fully three would make an interesting book. He possesses a very or four weeks to get the run of this institution. After fine address and can impress a stranger very favorably.

'Delivered before the Southern Illinois Medical Association at its twenty-first semi-annual meeting, held at Anna, Ill.

that he will do you justice, I can see that from his face." These words had a magic effect; the crowd slowly receded except for a few of the more tenaceous ones. The thought flashed through my brain, that here I had a

leader among my most dangerous wards; the possibility gratuitously given private instruction. The father took him to the farm, and found in his youthful companion a reliable and resourceful partner in managing the farm.

of concerted action, this most dreaded element in deal ing with the insane, was plainly shown. And to make my fears still stronger, I was approached in different The trust of the elder placed upon the youngster knew portions of the institution by inmates with the whisp- no bounds. This went on until the boy, when 18 years ered advice: "If you want to get some information go of age, met with an accident; he jumped from a moving to B.; he knows it all." I did not extemporize, but de- train and sustained a severe injury of the head. All his termined to break the spell by transferring my general relations are curiously unanimous in relating that the to the hall of "duck-suits" whose intellects were not re- boy's whole nature seemed changed after this accident. sponsive to the arguments and promptings of a superior His brother writes: "I had fears of his insanity since mind. It worked like a charm; the appeals on the for- 1868. My first impressions of his insanity were caused mer hall lost gradually in substance, the law points so by his untruthfulness and exaggerations. As a boy and glibly carried around before, soon disappeared from the youth, or young man, his veracity was never questioned. vernacular of the justice seeking inmates, the entire After the accident I could not believe a word he wrote tone of the hall had changed in the course of a week. me." He began chafing under the yoke of the humdrum Mr. B. sent me word that "he was very much pleased life in the country, his ambition was to seek another, with the transfer for he had taught 'those fools' down- more exciting field of action, and this he thought to find stairs all they ever could learn." At the very start I in a city. Here commences his career of a visionary got very much interested in Mr. B's case, of which I schemer. First, he thought to own a most valuable intend to give now a composite picture drawn by the patent harrow, which was going to revolutionize farm help of the information gleaned from his relatives, most labor. He tried to introduce it in the adjoining county estimable people, and from his associates and neighbors but failed. Being still in full possession of his father's in F― county. The latter source I reached in a trip unlimited confidence, he succeeded is persuading the planned for the special purpose of treading the ground old man to raise some ready money on his farm and inwhich was the stage of activity during a great portion vest it in a business venture. When 22 years old, our of my unfortunate friend's life. I wanted to move in friend B. went into business in Kansas city. He rented the atmosphere where he spent many of his days, living a large store, hired quite a force of help, and laid in a in the maze of misconceived reality, amidst of a popu- stock of agricultural implements and hardware. That lation misconceiving him from beginning to end-him, is as far as he ever came in his venture. The ability to the "terror of his native county work up a trade, to set the commercial machine going, He was born about forty eight years ago in oe of the seemed to be entirely missing. The unavoidable crash larger Missouri River towns. His father was the de- came, the paternal resources having been exhausted by scendant of a sturdy Eastern family, some of the mem- heaping mortgage upon mortgage on the farm. Mr. B., bers of which have gained national reputation as preech- Sr., was threatened with foreclosure and loss of all his He was a man of unquestioned probity, a rigid possessions when his eldest son stepped in and under. Presbyterian, unassuming in deportment, temperate in took to postpone the event. Our B. returned to the habits. He succeeded in accumulating a small compet- farm, the greater portion of which was sold soon after. ency in the business as carpenter and builder, and after His father went then to live East, where he died a few abandoning this pursuit he retired to a farm near town. years ago, broken in heart and in spirit by the career of Not a trace of physical or mental defects has ever been his pet boy. This career is so crowded with events, that found in his ancestry as far as traceable. The mother I do not claim to relate the latter in absolutely true was a lovable, mentally sound woman. As she was an chronological order. His first experience in matters of orphan brought up by strangers, ber family history re- a legal nature dates evidently back to 1875, when he mained a sealed book to her descendants, and to me, fought a township for three years to prevent it from which circumstance I must deeply deplore, for, if any- using a road leading through his father's farm. No where, I should have looked for an hereditary taint in sooner had he breathed the air of a court-room when he that direction in the light of the theory of cross-trans- took to it as the fish to water. The first taste of a legal mittence. There were four boys in the family; they battle aroused such a ravenous and continuous desire were the pride of their parents and friends, for one of for its excitement as to push every other interest to the the latter told me that his father felt quite secure as background. This law process was the nucleus to some long as his boy was in the B's company. Our J. B. other processes: he was arrested in rapid succession for was a bright child, grew up to be a fine boy of irre- carrying concealed weapons twice, resisting an officer proachable habits, rather impulsive, highly imaginative, once, assault and battery once, assault to kill twice, truth loving, of quite a religious turn of mind. In the swearing to a false affidavit once. He passed through little farm school house there was no more apt a pupil this fight unharmed, beating his antagonists on pure than B., as his teacher testifled. His stay in school was technicalities (as admitted to me by several county court short, ending when he reached his fourteenth year. A judges whom I personally questioned). Then he claimed preacher who formed a strong attachment for the boy some adjoining property as his own, objecting to gratified the latter's thirst for knowledge in a course of the actual owner's improvements. Here we find him

ers.

taking matters into his own hands, and attempt to "de- lent citizens of F-county, threatening them with stroy the property" single-handed with an axe. The rest dire vengeance unless they would appease him by paying of the farm being sold, he goes into insurance business as out to him a portion of the profits accruing to them by solicitor and special agent. Complications ensue at once: their tax dodging tactics. In the latter place he left his is arrested for violating the insurance laws of the State, wife and two children suddenly, returning on some imand twice for embezzlement. The ubiquitous tax-dodger portant business to Missouri, without having paid the proves a happy prey for our legal dilettante, he works board bill. Their St. Louis relatives had to send Mrs. like a beaver for three or four months at a time, and B. money to return to St. Louis. He lived for about day and night, over the tax returns at the County Court four years in Chicago, soliciting and peddling stationHis zeal in this direction gets him into legal difficulties ery; he succeeded in obtaining to his wife's knowledge for black-mailing twice and for carrying concealed $50 from a wealthy namesake of his, in a manner unweapons repeatedly. He decides to have a bill passed known to her They lived in Chicago just on the verge through the Legislature, creating a post of a tax inspec of destitution, being repeatedly threatened with ejecttor. This bill is still called in F- county the "smell-ments, the rent never amounting to more than $10 per ing" bill. Mr. B. succeeds in convincing one of the month. In 1891 he is back in St. Louis. Here he once younger members of the Upper House of the necessity more goes into business on an extensive scale, purportfor such a measure, but as soon as it was known who ing to establish a branch of a well-known Chicago sta. was back of the bill, a general outcry arose, and the tionery firm. His plausibility obtains him sufficient Senator had to drop the bill. Mr. B. was at the time credit to furnish handsome offices in the central part of boarding at one of the best hotels of the State Capital; the city. Day after day, late into night, he would sit he paid his board-bill with a check; the check was re- there and write innumerable letters. The need for turned marked "worthless;" our lobbyist was arrested, money is urgent; he mortgages the unpaid furniture, is tried for obtaining goods under false pretenses and found out by the T― Desk Co., his chief creditor, fraud, and sentenced to two months in jail. His further waylaid by detectives, and brought to the St. Louis jail. escapade in his native county may be summed up as fol Here the case is continued off and on, lastly a change lows: forging his oldest brother's name to a note of of venue obtained to his old county seat. After spend. $1,000, and obtaining the money on the same. This ing some months in the county jail, the case is nolle transaction was hushed up, as the brother actually took prossed, as the plaintiffs do not care to incur any more up the note to save the family from disgrace; he has expenses on a bill of $91. Now follow events related admitted to me of having spent $14,000 in cold cash in in the introduction of this paper; he is shot and landed tiding over his junior brother, and he adds that "mis via the City Hospital in the St. Louis Insane Asylum. representations of the most plausible schemes, which Thus far I have attempted to unroll before you the actfinally led him to doubt his sanity, were his reasons for ual life of this remarkable individual. If I should stop discontinuing of sending him drafts." Two more forg. here the impression of having to deal with a fair specieries are recorded against him: one of a note for $300; men of Lombroso's homo delinquens would be justified. he managed to abstract this note from the judge's desk But now it behooves me to bring out in striking conwhile out on bail, the latter transaction was followed by trast the unreal, delusional life that this man has led for an arrest for grand larceny. The other forgery was one nearly one score and ten, without ever having been more of a note for $500, and the grand jury indictment for than suspected of mental disease, and that only by his this offense is still pending over B.'s head as I learned nearest kin. In the following I shall quote as much as from the original record. Through all these legal diffi possible from Mr. B's letters written to friends and atculties he managed to steer clear of sentences, except torneys. In my intercourse with him I have frequently on a few occasions, spending, of course, a great portion heard him denounce crime and express his hatred for of his time in jail during preliminary hearings. He criminals and wrong-doers. Here is part of a letter showed all through a great deal of ingenuity in prompt which will substantiate this, and lead us directly to the ing his attorneys, and wearing out the court officials by very heart of Mr. B.'s delusional sphere: a system of changes of venue. While in W

he was

"I gave the inclosed letter to Dr. Runge, Superintenknown to patrol the town at all hours of the night, glid-dent of the Asylum, yesterday afternoon to mail to you. ing about noiselessly in his proverbial rubber shoes. Many a time he was seen by friends crossing the country in big strides with the air of great responsibility and concern.

After leaving F-county he came to St. Louis, drifted to Hannibal, where he intended to start a paper mill but wound up with obtaining two suits of clothing from St. Louis for which his younger brother had to foot the bill. He roamed about the country after this; spent some time in Columbus, O., wherefrom he mailed circulars signed by the Tax Payers' League to the opu

After he had read it, he wanted to ask me about it, and called me down to his private cffice last night. The parties who had me incarcerated here have told many stories about me for the purpose of creating the impression that I have been guilty of many crimes, and that there are dark secrets in my life which I try to conceal. Dr. Runge has heard some of those stories, and he now sees that I voluntarily write about being arrested and put in jail time after time, and that I make no attempt to conceal my past history. I have nothing to conceal. I defy any person on the face of the earth to prove that I have

ever been guilty of one dishonest or dishonorable act. In my business we have to resort to many means to ac complish our purpose. The end to be gained justifies the means used. I have done many things which look crooked, until my reasons for doing them were known. I have not cared to tell Tom, Dick and Harry that I was doing detective work, and explain the whys and where fores of my conduct. I have done my duty faithfully to my employers, I have done it quietly and avoided publicity. I go into court and prosecute or defend as needs be, and that ends the matter."

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With regard to the foundation, purpose and ultimate fate of the secret organization, the Tax Payers' League, in the service of which he claims to have been such a faithful, untiring worker, he writes to his oldest son on September 24, 1895:

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"It has been asked why does the T. P. L. work so secretly and quietly. It is necessary to success in our business. We are aiming at corrupt officials, and dealing with them. If our inspectors were known to everybody, dishonest officials would hire men to watch every move made by our inspectors, and they would be unable to secure evidence to convict. As we work, we have a man trapped before he knows we are after him.” * * *

country with the intention of becoming good Americans, who come and adopt our customs, speak our language, and obey our laws. (I wrote that in our platform). The T. P. L. grew rapidly and fanaticism crept in, the old spirit of 'know-nothingism' is the parent of Republicanism. The Republican party of to-day is the outgrowth of the old 'know nothing party.' I saw the fanatics trying to get control of the T. P. L., and I proposed that a new order be organized. It was done, and it was called the American Protective Association. The T. P. L then reorganized on a basis of pure Americanism, absolutely free of religion and party politics. The T. P. L. will be the A. O. L. A. and will be organized just as fast as men and money can do it. On July 1, 1895, we had in our treasury $5 421,532.72, so we are are not wanting in having enough money to accomplish any. "DEAR N.-You wanted me to tell you about the Tax thing which we undertake. No man can attain to the Payers' League. I can not tell you much. But the higher degrees of the A. O. L. A. until he proves himself league will soon be disbanded now, and another order a thorough American. If any man thinks that any will take its place. I refer to the A. O. L. A. (Ancient country is better than America, we want him to go Order of Royal Americans). I am certain that you there and stay there. Whenever I refer to never heard of the A. O. L. A., and never saw a word the A. P. A., I refer to the American Protective Asso. about it in the newspapers. It will not be heard from ciation. * * * until the political campaign of 1896. Then it will sweep this country from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Lakes to the Gulf, just as the T. P. L and A. P. A. did on Tuesday, November 5, 1894. The Republicans claim that they won great victories in the election of 1894. They won nothing. It was Ameri canism asserting itself in no uncertain manner; not a Republican victory over the Democrats You are not old enough to understand political principles, or party There is positive evidence that Mr. B. had shouldered politics, and I will not write you a political letter. I the responsibilities of an inspector of this mysterious have been a politician since 1856. Now about octopus soon after 1865, the year of the railroad accithe Tax Payers' League. It was organized on July 4, dent. One brother writes that he made frequent men1876, the "Centennial year," and the organization was tion of it to him in 1868; the other brother relates that perfected in October and November, 1876, when we vis on a trip through F county in 1870, Mr. B. spoke ited the "Centennial" in Philadelphia. The Centennial about his connection with a secret service, showed him was like the World's Fair in Chicago. The T. P. L some sort of a badge, and remarked: "I can not reveal was American from the ground up; an oath-bound or the methods of this organization for this would mean ganization, the primary object being to secure honest death." Some time in 1877, six months after his margovernment. (I can not go into details). I don't know riage, he turned up the lapel of his coat and showed his what you have read during the past four years but I was wife a badge, saying that he had been a detective for much pleased with the books which you and Will se some time, and jokingly threatened to arrest her. Not lected and read in Chicago. When you read political only was this connection with the secret service of the works, you will find the sentence, 'A free country can T. P. L. reality to him, but the entire personnel of the not exist without common schools and general educa same is named with remarkable consistency. Day is the tion.' That was written by James Madison, President Superintendent, his workers are Wilson, Munson, Corof the U. S. I changed that sentence to read, 'A good nell, Lyons, Johnson, Gibson, Geyer, himself, et al. His government can not exist where the voters are ignorant younger brother thinks that all of these are people who or the officials corrupt,' and my change was incorpor- crossed our inmate's life path at some time, probably ated in the League platform. The League advocated during his employment as special agent for an insurance free books, free schools, and compulsory education up company. There is no question about their being flesh to the age of 12 years. Religion to be excluded from and blood to him. He told his wife at the time of the schools, so that any child could attend, no matter forging his brother's name that the signature was writwhat the religious views of the parents might be. Make ten by Wilson, asking her whether it was not well done. the schools strictly non-sectarian. On citizenship we In one of his letters he writes: "Our Superintendent had: We have room for and welcome all healthy, had Johnson on the Stillwell-Hearne case. Johnson sober, industrious, honest immigrants, who come to this died August 8, and I may be taken out and assigned to

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In the course of many pleasant conversations either under the shade-trees of the Asylum grounds or in my private office, Mr. B. has given me a plausible explana

the Hearne Stillwell case and also to the Holmes butcheries." Then again: "At 4 o'cloɔk A. м, August 19, 1895, J. O. (the brother-in-law who shot B.) paid a final debt. Munson and Cornell visited him a short time betion of most of those occurrences related above. All of fore, and he had 'neuralgia of the heart,'-scared to the crimes charged up to him were perpetrated with a death!" Further: "Dr. Runge is not Dr. Mueller, not view of unearthing criminals. The end, he says, justiby a long shot. Dr. Runge could not be induced to ac- fies the means. Here are a few versions of some of the cept money as Dr. Mueller did to keep me here. (The actual incidents. (The actual incidents. At the time he was "Member of the writer accuses my predecessor of having received a Third House," lobbying the tax inspector bill, he and monthly subsidy from his brother in law just for that "Wilson" were on hot trail of two dangerous counterpurpose). Our inspectors put Dr. Runge in this position, feiters. He succeeded in tracing them to the Jefferson and they will do all in their power to help him." * * * City jail, where they were doing time for some slight One of those slips which every Superintendent of an offenses. He had himself indicted and sent to jail. "It Asylum is so familiar with, reads: "Judge Henry L. took me just two months, Doctor, to pump these fel. Edmunds was due from the East on September 3; and lows" i. e., the length of his own actual sentence. As Judge Elmer B. Adams was due from Europe on Sep- soon as the pumping process was finished he left jail, tember 12. When they return and our men get things and had the counterfeiters sent to the penitentiary. I 'ship shape,' we will begin to give Brennan, Marks, quote from another slip: "I will get proof that I sent Mueller, Oatman, Homan, and 'Mr. C. Brown,' (all of seven men to the pen from F county. I would whom were concerned in his commitment and retention) have sent seven times seven if my wife had let a foretaste of !-B. 9-10-95. 'You' (that is, I) will me alone in November, 1883. I had the tax-dodgers on be fully protected just as long as you conduct yourself nettles.-B. 10-27-95." And so he did, as I was told O. K." On another slip: "Munsen sent two men to by reliable informants. He had frightened several of jail under indictments for murder and he will convict this numerous species into paying him hush money. them. You have nothing to fear if you obey the law, This money reverted, as Mr. B. says, into the treasury send my petitions to the judges to whom they are ad of the T. P. L. The incident in St. Louis where he was dressed.-B. 9-21-95." This last sentence will explain tried for obtaining goods on false pretense from the why I have not yet entered the magic circle of the pro- T- Desk Co., is explained as follows: "The Tscribed officials. By dint of a great deal of maneuver- Desk Co. was a gang of bank thieves, the best organing I have so far succeeded in stemming the tide of ized band of elegant gentlemen, shining lights in the merciless prosecution, but I have a strong presentiment social circle, pillars in the church, presidents and directhat my hour of reckoning is not far off. Soon I shall tors of big banks and corporations, who referred to any join the host of bribe-takers and corrupt officials; he bank in the United States. I came to St. Louis October will surely say that it had taken some time to find me 1, 1891, assigned to the T-case. I got them. Seven out. The inspectors are particularly watching the of them are now convicted, five to fifteen-year terms; course I pursue in dealing with inmates' mail. Think- eight more will be convicted; one suicided. I am in. ing I may lawfully refuse to forward mail if postage sane. Wait and see." The failure of the T- Desk was not furnished he conceived a scheme to trap me in Co. to prosecute him he explains by saying that they the meshes of the U. S. postal laws (as interpreted by were in deadly fear of appearing against him, for exhim) He managed to obtain some small coin, and posure meant ruin to them. would send me down the legal tender to defray the expenses for postage. Whenever unobjectionable I did follow "instructions" implicitly, and thus I am still under the sheltering wings of the omnipotent T. P. L. The task has proved a pretty arduous one as every. one will admit who has tried to steer clear off the rocks surrounding the persecutory insane. It is a hard struggle to avoid either Scylla or Charybdis; you never know how soon a treacherous whirlpool will dash your bark against the one or the other.'

* Since the completion of this report I have received conclusive evidence that my fears were not entirely groundless. He writes: "We (i. e., the T. P. L.) have copies in our vault of letters passing between you and my family. Your schemes are all threadbare. I could make you open your eyes if I wanted to tell you what I know. We have as plain a case of 'criminal conspiracy' against you as it would be possible to get. You are at the mercy of the shrewdest gang of detectives in the U. S. * * * I am a cautious and very shrewed man. make you believe that I am a complete fool, and lead or drive you into a trap." * When I forced Mr. B. to state the exact extent

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I can

A man who works so unremittingly and whose work is always crowned with success must have accumulated a small fortune. His oldest brother writes that B. imagined all the time that he made a good deal of money. This is strongly reflected in many of his writings. He speaks of his Kansas City venture as follows: "On November 20, 1869, when the C-Reaper Co. made me their General Western Agent (which is a myth) it was admitted that I was the best posted reaperman in the U.S. I was 22 years old then. The Reaper Co.

of my guilt, he said "that my case was not quite one of criminal nature within the meaning of the law, as no intent can be shown," but he adds, "ignorance of the law is no plea in breaking the law." In order to show that he is not actuated by any personal animosity, he writes: "I will just stay here and play poor devil and tool, just to see how long a man can be imprisoned in direct violation of all law. You can bet your bottom dollar that your bond will pay me well if you do not act square with me. I caught you for $1,500,-penalties and forfeitures. I can show you the law. I am in a perfectly good humor. I am writing you as a friend.-B."