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#Post#: 4086--------------------------------------------------
Sick Again: Fred House 1888 Case
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: January 20, 2025, 7:31 pm
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Fred almost hit the deck in the courtroom in this precedent to
his illness in 1891 right before the Ali trial
when Dr. Tuthill warned that Fred could go insane or turn into
an imbecile if he continued.
And...just like the Ali trial, the following case was presided
over by Judge Fred Smyth.
New York Tribune
April 21, 1888
EXCITING SCENES IN COURT.
A LAWYER AND A WOMAN FAINT.
THE DRAMATIC APPEAL OF AN OLD OFFENDER FOR MERCY PROVES
UNAVAILING.
Exciting scenes interrupted the proceedings in two parts of the
Court of General Sessions yesterday. The court officers were
compelled to carry one lawyer and one prisoner from the court
rooms, and a second prisoner made a dramatic appeal to the judge
who was passing sentence upon him.
The sudden sickness of Frederick B. House, the prisoner's
counsel, interrupted the trial of Samuel S. Brewster, who is
under prosecution before Recorder Smyth on a charge of murder in
the first degree. Brewster, the defendant, was the principal
witness examined. He testified that he entered the liquor store
at No. 36 Grand-st., at the invitation of a white man. There was
a quarrel among the colored men. The prisoner had a knife in his
hand cutting off the end of a cigar, he said, when it
accidentally came into contact with William's arm. Assistant
District-Attorney Parker began the cross-examination of Brewster
and was entangling him in evasions, when Mr. House, who was
seated behind his associate, E. M. Friend, suddenly became pale
and sank to the floor. He was assisted out of the room by Mr.
Friend and some of the court officers. Mr. Friend informed the
Recorder that Dr. Conway had examined Mr. House and said that it
would be dangerous for him to proceed and the case went over
until Monday. Mr. House's attack was the result of nervous
prostration.
New York Tribune
April 21, 1888
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HTML https://i.imgur.com/RN1VFMR.jpg
#Post#: 7113--------------------------------------------------
Re: Sick Again: Fred House 1888 Case
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: August 1, 2026, 5:32 am
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Two more instances where Fred became ill in court:
House Sick
New York Sun
May 5, 1901
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LAWYER F. B. HOUSE BREAKS DOWN.
Nervous Collapse That at First Suggested a Paralytic Stroke.
Lawyer Fred B. House, who is defending Capt. Herlihy, and is one
of the consulting counsel for Patrick, now in the Tombs under
indictment in the Rice case, was just about to start for
Jefferson Market court about half past 9 o'clock yesterday
morning from his office in Park row when he felt a numbness
creeping over him and complained of pains in his head. He
decided to go home and started across City Hall Park for the
elevated station on the Sixth avenue road. He had got about to
the courthouse when he became speechless.
He was found later by a friend at Church and Warren streets. Mr.
House finally regained control of his speech and was able to
tell what the matter was. His friend had him taken back to his
office in a cab, and Dr. A. Jacobi and Prof. Torek were summoned
there to attend him.
They thought Mr. House had suffered a paralytic stroke, but
concluded later that it was a nervous breakdown due to hard
work, loss of sleep, and irregular meals. Mr. House was taken to
his home at 332 West 141st street in a cab. Last night he was
reported to be suffering from very severe pains in his head. The
doctors said they hoped that with several days' rest he would be
all right.
Mr. House is 43 years old and was born at Cooperstown. In 1881,
he was elected to the Assembly from the Ninth Assembly district
as a Republican and served four terms. Later, he joined Tammany
Hall and he is a member of the Tammany Hall General Committee in
the Twenty-third district.
New York Evening World
July 1, 1901
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LAWYER HOUSE HEAT-STRICKEN.
Lawyer Fred House was overcome by the heat while making a motion
before Recorder Goff, in Part 1., General Sessions, this
morning. Mr. House was seen to falter, and several friends
hastened to his side.
He tried to continue, but was not able, and was assisted from
the courtroom. Mr. House took a cab to his home and will take a
vacation.
#Post#: 7131--------------------------------------------------
Re: Sick Again: Fred House 1888 Case
DIR By: HowBrown1953
Date: August 9, 2026, 8:14 am
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A fifth example of House becoming ill in court and a rumor of
his suicide...
New York Sun
March 10, 1892
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MR. HOUSE'S SUDDEN ILLNESS.
It Gave Rise to a Rumor of Suicide and Alarmed His Friends.
Frederick B. House of the law firm of Levy, Friend & House gave
his friends around the Court House a good deal of uneasiness
yesterday for a few minutes. Mr. House has been ill for several
weeks. Overwork in the Sliney murder case resulted in nervous
prostration, and the other members of his firm have been trying
to persuade him to take a long vacation. Mr. House has been
engaged in some of the most important criminal cases that have
been tried in New York in the last three years. In the "Frenchy"
trial he broke down from overwork, and he has been working very
hard on the Sliney case.
Against the advice of his physician and friends Mr. House came
to his office yesterday, and, when talking to Mr. Levy, fainted.
In some way the report got around in the courts that Mr. House
had committed suicide by shooting himself while temporarily
insane. Half an hour later this rumor was contradicted and Mr.
House was able to leave his office. He went down to Staten
Island, where he will rest for a few days.
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