A Mental Health Crisis on the Waterfront
Judge Humes committed Charles W. Burton to the state insane asylum after he brandished an axe on the waterfront.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Charles W. Burton was ordered committed to the state insane asylum yesterday after a hearing before Judge Humes in the superior court. He is the man who was caught brandishing a big axe over the head of a man on the water front last Saturday. He imagines that he owes an Italian money and that the latter is seeking his life. Up to a year ago Burton worked for the city water department, but for that length of time his mind has been failing. He has a wife and three children.
“He imagines that he owes an Italian money and that the latter is seeking his life.”
The report captures the tragic intersection of untreated mental health struggles, family poverty, and public safety that frequently appeared in 19th-century courts. It serves as a reminder of how limited the social safety net was for workers who lost their livelihood due to health issues during this period.
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