, 1864-12-29
MYSTERY OF An INSANE A3y.
:"'>
A Poet Lady Of Brooklyn,
Sues Her Brothers
and Sisters.
Trials Of a Lady in Love with
Henry Ward Beecher.
IFrom the New York World, Dec. 80.

hattllL1uu. 1Ac PlaiHLlA. Ala5 MuElb -. VI.
derhill, Is rather attractive looking Indy Of
forty years, although in appearance far young
CT. The defendants are her own sister and
nephew, and she brings the action nEainst
them to recover damages for mi iuries sustained
to health and reputation by being confined
wrongfu1ly, as she alleges, at their instiga-
tion, in the Bloomtngdale Lunatfc Asylum,
to bis honse in NswYorf, Where she remained
some weeks, and tinally came back to her
house in Jay street, Brooklyn, from whence
she had been taken By bruther, Edward Uu-
dcThin, paying teller in the Mechanics Bank.
Of Brooklyn, aided by George y. Olcott, her
nephew, and one Of the defendants in this
action.' They again forced her into the asy
her brother In New York, who has provided q
home for her ever since. She wore veil in
court. and Was neatly but plainly attired.
She gave hcr evidence with perfect sclfpos-
session, and with distinctness and coherency.
Miss Underllill is author Of a number Of
rcll.Written poetical effnsions, among whic1,
is the popular one l.: "A Fisher Boy" COM
mencing:
"Me 1ay upon Il = fnds to rest,
His hair chung :.h the salt sea wet"
TESTIMONY OF THE coTuER WHO CARRIED
HER TO tt, -tADHDUsE.
Tic frst witness called On Saturday was
Edward Underhill, brother Of the p1aintiff,
who testified that he drore her to the lanatic
asylum, under pretense Of taking her to
vance With George Olcott, whom he met
there; it was In July, 1868 be did not know
who had paid her board at Bloo1ninsda[e; sho
bad whooping.cough, and was generally
Frustrated before that time; after her reap.
thought It best 10 send her back; she had
assertcd that General Duryea was In love
with her, and ALSO q Mr. Lyon, Of Columbia
street, Brooklyn, who rented part Of the
Undcfhill and Olcott pew, in Rev. Mr..
Beecher's church she accused him (Olcott)
Of breaking off those matches in favor Of one
scribed the plaintiffs manner:
She seemed to undergo complete revolu-
tion ef feeling at times very buoyant, md
then extremely melancholy; her time Tas
mostly employed writing; that continued on
until the time Of her confinement j have
heard her speak in high terms Of him; she
looked upon him rs almost supernatural be-
fore her first confinement she said she Ind
written letter to Mr.. Beecher; she seemed
to regret very much having sent it, and 1t
seemed to weigh upon her so as to produce
this melancholy state Of mind I don't know
that ever heard her FAY anything about Mr..
Bcccher going to Europe, In connection with
this letter !; she said that the effect Of the
letter would Be to prejudice, Mr.: Beesher
action In the matter.
TESTIMONY or THE SISTER WHO "PREyEy1RD
L MARRIAGE BETW1EN MISS UNpERH1LL AND
THE REV. HENRY WARD BEEcuRR+''
The next witness was Mrs. Maria G. Olcott,
Blster Of the plaintiff. She testified as fol
lows relative to the Becchcr inbrog1io:
She said it was well understood in the
church that she was to be Mr.. Becter's
second wife when she first told me she did
years, until Mr.. Deccher sailed for Europe,
and then she admitted tbat he was the one /:
asked her what Mr. Beecher's wife thought
about it, and she said that Mr. Bcecher and
his vile were not congeuial, and abe was per-
fectly, sati1fied with the arrangement, and
tried to reason with her, but she insisted tint
she was just as much engaged to be married
as my daughter, who was engaged to be mar
tled at that time; she WIS very Indignant
when tried to reason with hcF, and s1id I
was jealous; on the day Mr.. Beecaer left, she
sat By the back window. watching tue vessel !;
she WAS very melancholy, aud could not he
aroused she was sitting in the second story,
at the back window she had been about two
hours In The house that day s; l tried to cheer
her up, but1t did not seem to do her my good;
Sue continued to visit tue house afterWard !;
she was in state Of despair about the letter
she bad sent to Alr: Beceher, and said she
back she said she had gone to The postotIice
three days in succession to tTy to get It out !;
said If there Was nothing Improper In the
letter she need not give herself any trouble
about it.
Dr.. Brown, principal physician Of the
Bloomlngdale Asylum, next testified. He
stated the circumstances Of her reception !;
when be first saw her, her physical condition
was ono Of apparent debility, followed upon
some previous acute physical disease, rs he
supposed mentally, she was evidently under
some great depression OF spirits, with consld-
eraele emotion1l disturbance, agitation at'd
feeling, which she ascribed to cruel aud unjust
treatment on the pnrt Of certain relations.
The following Interesting question and au-
swer was given on the examination Of this
Witnc6s.
Q. Now, Doctor, is it not possible that
poetry, such us this plaintiff claims to hnYe
written, or to excel in any other art? 4.
Certainly. I suppose the best rrplY can
make to that question Is to state that Adlcr's
German and English Dictionary, which is
used Us q STANDARD text book in the principal
Blooiningdale lunatie Asylum, bs person Of
insane mind might also mention numtcr
OF the standard text books which were writ
ten in that Institution and will state as a
conclusive fact, that one of the leading news
papers in New York is principally edited in
the Bloomingdale lunatic Asylum, and the
leading editorial Is written three or four times
q week By person Of unsound mind confined
in that Institution.
THE PLAINTIFF d1vEs HER OWN HISTORY AND
An INTERIOR sKKTcu OF THE .1ADuousE
Miss Marie C.. Underllill, the plafutif, then
gave her testimony at some length.
Her family had spoken for d long time of
taking her to the asylum. Early in the spring
George said, because spoke i'll of the family,
he would have to take me to the asylum i
tried to convince him that hid never spoken
Ill Of the family; he did not stute what
should have said Ill ofthe family.
THRILLING FAMILY LETTER lSD1TED FRoN TIE
MADHOusE.
The following letter was produced in COURSE
by Mr.. McCne's counsel. It was written By
tile plaintiff to Edwin Unde5hill: d S, >, 900,
MI poor de1aded brother: when meet you
in the street, you do not Look happy; you did q
dseadfal Wicked deed; and hcfore yon arc again
The Olcott way of helping person is to their own
destruction. The Olcott money is accursed. Your
hypocritical purse-proud sistet, who went to the
M 5f'Es t s sf 5 a
her two oldest children. Instead Of the few Iguo-
rant women who enjoyed the tragedy, aud w6ose
eociety Leave shall bare the friendship and
support Of tho best men and women Of the COM
munfty. ! ehall, o. much as can be. screen you
mDm the disgrace OF putting human being ont OF
Tie world, Maria aod George both hated me be-
prevent #, as he can prove; General Dnzyea ha-
ted re because ~. Lynde dld notm.rry bis sister,
and because did not choose to receive bis a.ten-
heng after was acquainted With his character;
and Dr.. Cullen vas in the plot please the Ucots
poor miserable George came and told me to shoot
mysclL or account Of my old age, aud threatened
d1sgraccd htmRelf forever; twice he has sneaked
up to B1oomingdale to seal my Imprison-
ment for sifc, or until life would be use-
was induced to take me; he said yon did not nn-
deretand me; nor, presume, you cannot under
dtgnit'es and insults from you-tac defamation Of
ny character in the yilest manner, aud do not
teet revenge; there fs mighticr Avcnser than
ployed several old fcnnales, among ths rest Mrs.
Slocum. to- GO about telling that ''tf she ie not
crazy, she has bad temper" Il they we're worth
per; no cultivated lady or eentlem1n, acquai 1ted
With the circumstances and acquainted with me,
can be a,ade to believe my Of yoar slaaders; you
Church you use quite ls'aken; / bare Intimate
friends there, whose friendship you cannot break,
and who honor nc; haye 70 wish toatscnd there
have supplied seat i lid shaii soon u easn 2
means Of my Own, ~ the genius which God gave
ne, testtend church wheEs please; you tbosgbt
fashionable aa Brooklyn; do not now reSretask-
3ence Of noble and honorable effort to
get meana TO- escape ltta with rillains.
fhaye made much Improvement in poetry, aud an
not crazy on that subject Ga1iieo vas twice
thrust into dungeon for his discoveries ia
astronomy. Ifyou had read history, IS you oRrht
1t might have kept you out Of such trap as these
wrctched creatures set for you That miserable
animal at home threatened to destroy You, md
now her effect on you is terrible. You were once
s3andered In Brooklyn, but did not turn against
you. You and that miserable jew, George, sent
Stephen to me Just before he went awuy, 10 offer
nc to bea7t in Brooklyn at yours and his expense
refused TO cast myself upon tho charity OF any
my then unreeovcred state Of health. You then,