Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1909 — “INSANE” MAN DISCHARGED. [ARTICLE]

“INSANE” MAN DISCHARGED.

Lewis J. Lane of Near Sharon Convinced Squire Irwin of His Sanity. Lewis J. Lane, residing one mile west of Sharon, wa*s arrested Wednesday afternoon on an affidavit filed by his daughter Edith, a girl some 17 or 18 years of age, charging that he was insane and dangerous to be at large. He was brought to Town and made satisfactory explanations of all the alleged acts of “insanity” charged and told Squire Irwin if 'permitted to go free that he leave the family to themselves and

go away. This seemed to be they wanted, and he was discharged and left town Thursday morning for Farmington, 111., and will go from there to Oklahoma. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lane have been in rather poor health for the past few years, and this particular trouble seems to have been started through stories told Mrs. Lane’s physician, Dr. Washburn, by* the children, about the refusal of their father to allow their mother to take the medicine prescribed, or of quarreling with her over these medicines. .On these statements, it seems, the doctor concluded Lane was insane, and the affidavit and arrest followed. In explaining matters to the court Mr. Lane said that he had urged his wife to take the medicines according to prescription; that she was very lax about this and he at times may have spoken more harshly than he should have done, that he was nervous himself and not well, and became vexed sometimes at her actions.

Regarding the report that he had beaten one of the smaller children nearly to death, he explained that he had slightly punished the child after it had repeatedly disobeyed him, not severely at all, however, and he was perfectly willing that the child should be examined by doctors for any evidence of brutality. Domestic infelicity rather than insanity seemed to be the difficulty, the court thought, and on Mr. Lane’s promise to leave town and not return to bother the family in any way, he was discharged. The farm, which is of about 80 acres, is in Mrs. Lane’s name, we understand.