Barnes - Dr - insane - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The friends of Dr. D. E. Barnes, formerly of this city, will be pained to read the following from the Indianapolis News:

“Dr. Dawson E. Barnes, living with his wife and two children in Woodruff Place, went violently mad this afternoon and was taken, naked and bleeding from several self inflicted wounds, to the police station. Dr. Barnes is a man about thirty five years old, of fine physique and good appearance. He is a man of considerable property. Until last October there was nothing unusual in his life or conduct. At that time he had an attack of melancholia and his brother, Dr. Carl Barnes, was called from Chicago. Dr. Dawson E. Barnes was taken to Pennsylvania and placed in a sanitarium where he apparently recovered his health and normal condition. He was brought back in December, and has been living with his family since.

Yesterday his wife noticed alarming symptoms and she telegraphed Dr. Carl Barnes to come down. About noon Dawson E. Barnes went out to the stable, saying he was going to wash a buggy. He stripped off all his clothes and began to rave and act like a maniac. The police station was notified by some of the neighbors, and patrolmen Wallace and Holtz, the bicycle police, went to the place.

When Dr. Barnes saw them he became worse than ever and refused to allow anyone to touch him. Assistance was obtained, and six men were finally able to overcome him and fasten his legs with a strap.

The madman was so powerful that he snapped this. Finally his hands were handcuffed behind him and his legs were tied with several straps.

In spite of this it took the united efforts of six men to place him in the patrol wagon. On the way to the police station Dr. Barnes butted his head against the door and would battered it down, but that two policemen stood on the steps and pressed against it. The madman cut his head and knees severely, and when put in a room in the police station he tried to butt his head against the wall. An effort will be made to have him sent to the insane hospital at once.”

The Sentinel this morning contains the following additional information:

“The desperate condition of Dr. Barnes, with the consequent necessity for having him placed where he can be properly treated, led to the filing of the affidavit of insanity late yesterday evening by his brother, Dr. Carl Barnes. He filed affidavit before Justice Lockman, who appointed a commission to consist, in addition to himself, of Justice Nickerson and Drs. L. L. Todd and Thomas E. Courtney. Evidence was taken and in addition to the details already published it was discovered that Dr. Dawson Barnes’ unbalance of mind was first noticed about six months ago when it was discovered by the examination then made by Dr. Todd, that a tumor was forming on the unfortunate physician’s brain. This formation has steadily grown and increased its malignant character. It is this, as was determined, that has finally led to the total breaking down and collapse of Dr. Barnes’ mental energy. Dr. Barnes will be removed to the Central Hospital for the insane early this morning.”