FREAKS ON INSANITY

FRANKLIN, YOUNG

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 7/29/2016 at 11:01:58

Dubuque Herald, July 4, 1872

FREAKS ON INSANITY – Over a week ago a young man named Joseph Franklin, living near Lattnerville, was brought into Dubuque and lodged in the county jail by Sheriff Young in an apparent state of insanity. His case received the consideration of the commissioners of insanity, who decided to leave him awhile in the county jail that they might watch the development of his disease. On Monday last he seemed to be much improved, was quite rational and talked in a very sensible way with the other prisoners in the jail, and was allowed the freedom of the jail yard to give him the benefit of fresh air. Tuesday afternoon his crazy fit began to come upon him and he troubled the keepers of the jail to give him a key to the jail yard, and when they were not watching him, attempted to scale the jail wall; he succeeded to get astride the masonry at the wall top, was discovered and taken off before he could descend on the other side. After this freak it was thought proper to put him in the jail for safe keeping. Early Wednesday morning he became worse and his (?mnnia) turned into a frenzy of madness. His hand was raised against every occupant of the general jail room, he kicked over the stove, broke the chairs, tore his hair, and would have done worse things had not the sheriff been called in, who with the aid of the other prisoners, secured, handcuffed him and confined him in a separate cell. He will probably be sent to Mt. Pleasant for treatment.