The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-01-06
Mystery Of an Insane Asylum.
Trials of a Lady in Love with
Henry Ward Beecher.

Trials of a Lady in Love with
Henry Ward Beecher.
From New York papers Of the goth. s......
A very queer case is now on trial in the
City Court of Brooklyn, before Judge
Reynolds, which will doubtless attract q
great deal of attention. The plaintiff,
Miss Marie @. Underhill, is rather at
tractive looking lady of about forty years,
although in appearance far younger. The
defendants are her own sister and nephew,
and she brings the action against them to
recover damages sustained to health and
reputation by being confined wrongfully,
as she alleges, at their instigation, in the
Bloomingdale Lnnatic Asylum, until re-
leased by her brother, who took her to bis
house in New York, where she remained
some weeks, and finally came back to her
house in Jay st., Brooklyn, from whence
she had been taken by q brother, Edward
Underhill, paying teller in the Mechanics
Bank of Brooklyn, aided BY George W.
Olcott, her nephew, and one Of the de-
PENDANTS in this action. They again forced
Ler into the asylum, but she managed to
make her escape to her brother in New
York, who has provided a home for her
ever since. She wore vail in court, and
was neatly but plainly attired She gave
her evidence with perfect self-possession,
and with distinetness and cohereney, H.
Mics Underhin is author Of q number of
well-written poetical effnsions, among
which is the popular one Of "a Fisher
Boy" Commencing: 800
He lay upon the sands to rest, VI. e.
His hair chung with the salt sea wet"
TESTIMONY OF THE BROTHER WHO CARRIED
HER 10 THB MADHoUsB.
The first witness called on Saturday was
Edward Underhill, brother of the plaintiff,
who testified that he drove her to the In
matte asylum, under pretence Of taking her
to water-cure establishment; he was in
connivance with George Olcott, whom he
met there; it was in July, 1868; he did
not know who had paid her board at
Bloomingdale; she had whooping-cough
and was generally Frustrated before that
time; after her temperance, she seemed
improved, but he thought it best to send
her back; she had asserted that Gen. Du-
ryea was in love with her, and also Mr..
Lyon, of Columbia street, Brooklyn, who
rented a part Of the Underhill and Olcott
pew, in Rev. Mr.. Beecher's church she
accused him (Olcott of breaking off those
matches in favor of one of the Misses OF.
colt. The witness thus described the plain
tltf's manner:
She seemed 10 undergo a complete revos
luton Of feeling-as times very buoyant,
and then extremely melancholy her time
was mostly employed writing; that con-
tinued on until the time of her confine-
ment; l have heard her speak in high
terms of him 4; che looked upon him as al
most supernatural; before her frs. con-
fnement, she said she had written letter
to Mr.. Beecher; she seemed to regret
very much having sent it, and it seemed
to weigh upon her so as to produce this
melancholy state Of mind don't know
that ever heard her say anything about
Mr.. Beecher going to Europe, in conneo-
ton with this letter; she said that the ef-
feet of the letter would be to prejudice
Mr.. Beecher against her, and that the
church might take action in the matter.
TESTIMONY OF THE SISTER WHO "PRRvRnr-
BID THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN MISS UNDER.
HILL AND THE REV. HENRY WARD BERoH-
En-"
The next witness was Mrs. Maria Q. o.
colt, sister to the plaintiff. She testified
as follows relative to the Beecher smbro-
Clio: ...#
She said it was we'll understood in the
church that she was to be Mr.. Beecher's
second wife; when she first told me che
did not mention the gentleman's name for
several years, until Mr.. Beechar sailed for
Europe, and then she admitted that he
was the one; / asked her what Mr..
Beecher's wife thought about it, and she
said that Mr. Beecher and his wife were
not congenial, and she was perfectly salts
fed with the arrangement, and that it was
well understood in the church tried to
reason with her, but she insisted that she
was just as much engaged to be married
as my daughter, who was engaged to be
married at that time; she was very indig-
nant when tried to reason with her, and
said was jealous; on the day Mr.. Beech
er lett, she sat by the back window, watch
ing the vessel; she was very melancholy,
and could not be aroused; she was sitting
in the second story, at the back window;
she had been in the house about two
hours that day; l tried to cheer her up,
bat it didn't seem to do her any good;
she continued to visit the house afterward;
was in state of despair about the letter
she had sent to Mr.. Beecher, and said she
would give fifty millions of dollars to get
it back; she said she had gone to the
Postoffice three days in succession to try
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
Bloomington Asylum, next testified. He
stated the circumstances of her reception;
when he first saw her, her physical condi-
ton Was one of apparent debility, followed
upon some previous acute physical disease
as ne supposed; mentally, she was evil
IDENTITY under some great depression of
spirits, with considerable ar,n.;onol AZ,