, 1866-01-01
STRANGE CASE OF ABDUCTION.
PAttAburEh Merchant Sends His Wife
10 . Lunatlc Asylum after Grossly
mAltreafjuw Her.


Hfaltreatin= Her.
the name Of Shaw, stands charged With lay.
ing caused the abduction of his wife. and her
confinement In the Lunatlc Asylum, on the
plea that she was insaue and dangerous.
~ SOME means he obtained the certificates III
twe physicians to that effect, and few da7s
the heast-ren ding cries OF the helpless woman.
she vas forced Into the street cars, aud hnr..
ried to the Asylum. On her first interv}ew
with the experimenting physician, be had
grave doubts Of her insanity, which was con
drmed BY subsequent examinations. She
maintained the most wonderful composu7e.
The Pittsburgh 0.paseh gives the following
version OF the case
She had been serubbing the floor just before
they pounced upon her, and her dress and
aleeEes were still tucked up as when they
found 70 her, giving her an appearance, which,
LOW upon her, would have gone for 10 verify
the truth Of her reported uaadness. Some re-
marks passed between the doctor and Mira,
s., when her husband intertered, stating that
she was very violent and dangerous, and even
then had pistol upon her person, with which
she would, If not watched, certainly harm
some one
Mrs. shaT's reply was not characteristic OF
mad woman. Turning to DR.. Reed she said:
"You must not believe this wicked man. I
have no pistol, Doctor, and for what would I
wnnt one here? Am not surrounded by
friends, who, at least, will not harm me, or
see me harmed, aud how different from the
life OF fear led at home: I never want to re-
turn to that mans house ngain'' To satIsfy
himself ns well Of the fact that she had no arms
concealed about her person, - to test her YER
acity, the doctor had her stripped and aram-
ined by one OF the female nurses, when It
was satisfactorily ascertained that she had 40
weapon OF any kind about her. The examin-
alton resulted, however, In one discovery OF
Importance. The poor creatures body was
covered With sores and bruises, showing that
she had been subjected, at the hands ofsome-
body, to the most outrageous violence. These
bruises, ETC., abe said were inflicted BY her
husband at various timeE-a statement which.
lftrue, shows that she ought to regard her
removal from his power blessing rather
than calamity.
The doctor Informs rs that nothing could
be more correct than the demeanor Of the pa
tient since she, had been placed under his
charge, aud both his assistant and the attend
ant nurses agree that thus tar, at least, she
has not exhibited the slightest symptoms Of
insanity The evening succeeding her admIs-
sion, the female patients, as usual, were as-
sembled in one Of the rooms for dance, Mrs.
Shaw among the. rest, and during her stay
there she was narrowly watched, md her con-
versation carefully noted, with a view OF as
ce1taining how far, II At. al1- har mind van
Auecteu' 1T. heeu apPIoacAeu Ae1. ana q
long conversation easued, IN which she ex-
pressed herself highly pleased with her treat
mcnt, and spoke at length OF the lie ahc had
been leading, the cruelty to which she had
been subjected, and the great relief she felt In
living among those who would not beat or
abuse her. She repudiated Indignantly the
fdea Of being mad or crazy and stated that she
would Voluntarily remain IN the Asylum un-
I'll such time as the doctor would have the
fullest opportunity to examine her, and de-
eide whether she was insane or not. An e1-
cellent house-keeper herself, she praised the
neatneas With which everything asound her
was Kept, and expressed herself satisfied to
pass her LIE there If it we're not that In being
kept there the public would believe her Ia.
sane.
The case has created much excitement in
Pittsburgh, and the revelations nre most dis
graceful to the husband Mrs Shaw's friends
bare taken steps to procure her release, and to
punish the miscrennt to whose cruel mercIes
she has been so lon. subjected.