Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1908 — JOHN MUFFLEY FOUND INSANE. [ARTICLE]

JOHN MUFFLEY FOUND INSANE.

Wheatfield Township Farmer Will Be Taken to Longcliff. John Muffley of Wheatfield tp., mention of whose insanity was made in Wednesday’s Democrat, was brought here Tuesday afternoon and an inquest held the same day before Squire Irwin and Drs. English and Gwin, and found to be insane and application was made for his being taken to Longcliff. Pending his acceptance at the asylum the unfortunate man is being cared for in the county jail. Mr. Muffley *is about 60 years of age, a farmer and bachelor. His delusions take the form of talking and swearing loudly, roams about, talking to himself, imagines he is foreman over a large force of men, sounds the ground and digs for gold, imagines he is the owner of his neighbor’s land and stock. He is said' to have had these delusions for some years but has lately grown worse, so that the women and children are afraid of him. He and his brother William, also a bachelor, live on a 40 acre farm left by their father and keep bach. A married sister in South Bend sends remittances often to William to take care of his brother John. The case is said to have been one of the most conclusive of insanity that the court ever had. One of the delusions the man has is that he is a bird from his waist up, and that little birds are under his skin. He will get out and flop his “wings,” it is said, and holler so loud that he can be heard a mile away. The witnesses examined at the inquest were Wm. Dittman, R. H. Morehouse, Everett Finney and James H. Gilbert.