Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1874 — A Remarkable Case of Absent-Mindedness. [ARTICLE]

A Remarkable Case of Absent-Minded-ness.

If a premium were offered (says the Baltimore Gazette of a recent date) for the most absent-minded man in Baltimore, it would without doubt be awarded to Dr. Friedenwald, of North Eutaw street. On Friday morning last Dr. Friedenwald called at the Western station-house and stated to Lieut. Fitzgerald, the officer in charge, that liis horse and buggy had been stolen from in front of liis residence. Such thefts are not unfrequent, and the Lieutenant at once notified the other districts by telegraph of the robbery, describing the doctor’s team, as is customary. The doctor then departed, but in an hour or two returned, and, finding that nothing haa hern heard of his team, visited the Marshal’s office, who had inquiries at once made by telegraph to know if the horse lmd been found in any of tlie districts, but received a negative reply. Dr. Friedenwald was in quite an excited mood, and, after requesting the Marshal to place the matter in the hands of the detectives, took his departure in a carriage lie had procured for pressing purposes. A couple of hours later a message was received by Lieut. Fitzgerald that the doctor had recovered his team, and upon inquiry the following amusing denouement was made: Dr. Friedenwald was called to visit a patient on Howard street in the morning, and drove there in his buggy, which he left standing in front of the house. After prescribing the necessary' nostrums the doctor walked quietly out, forgetting his horse and buggy. He did not discover liis loss for an hour later, and at once jumped to the conclusion that it had been stolen. After it had been standing where he left it about three hours some one sent word to him. The story of the doctor’s absent-mindedness soon circulated, and considerqgße merriment was created at liis expense. The man who failed to detect the whereabouts of his spectacles ou his nose was nothing, in point of absent-mindedness, to Dr. Friedenwald.