REPUBLICAN

November 18, 1887

 

 

            The Oshkosh papers are interesting themselves in behalf of Charles Rollin Brainard, and hardly a day passes but something appears.  Mr. Brainard claims he was hustled off to the asylum without any ceremony except on the examining physicians’ report and one or two charges of a minor nature, and now it is stated on petition of Dr. Burgess of the Northern Hospital, who believes him sane he is going to have a jury trial to vindicate his mental condition and show cause, why a sane man be sent to a lunatic asylum.  He has employed Weisbrod, Harshaw and Nevitt to give their best legal talent in the premises, and as the case involves property considerations also, it is thought there will be more to the affair than most people suppose.  A number have wondered why the Oshkosh Northwestern don’t publish Mrs. Brainard’s side of the story, but if the case is to be brought into the courts undoubtedly the pros and cons will all be weighed in the balance scales of justice.  The property is all in Mrs. Brainard’s name but Chas. Rollin claims some interest, and it is alleged he means to show it through a general legal process.

            The Northwestern says:

            In the interview published in this paper recently in regard to the case of Charles Rollin Brainard, who, it is alleged has been maliciously incarcerated at the northern hospital, only the opinion of Dr. Manchester as to the sanity of Brainard was given, Dr. Kempster not being in at the time the interview was obtained.  The latter physician was seen last evening, however, and upon being questioned as to the sanity replied that the man was perfectly sane.  Dr. Kempster says he has letters from the Harpers and other eastern publishers and also from the Chicago Times commendatory of Brainard’s work. The doctor has also received letters from relatives of Brainard who concur in the latter’s statements concerning domestic affairs.  The unfortunate man, the doctor says, was given an opportunity of leaving the hospital after he had been confined only three days; but he preferred to remain at the institution, fearing that if heleft so soon his relatives would claim he was merely having a lucid interval. He prefers also to have a jury trial, in order that he may set himself right in the eyes of the community. He fears this would nto be accomplished should he obtain his liberty under a writ of habeas corpus, or again go among his friends after he had been discharged as cured. Dr. Kempster says this is the only state which gives a man the privilege of demanding a jury trial.