The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-02-07
Imprisonment for Twelve Years.

finemcnt of lunatic in private house
has just been brought to the notice OF the
authorities by DR.. Arthur Mitchell, depu-
ty inspector Of lunacy for Scotland
From inquiries made regarding the cases
to which attention has thus been drawn,
the following facts have been elicited
About fourteen years ago young wo-
man named Janet Campbell, u native OF
the village of Reay, and then about twcn-
ty years of age, was domestic servant IN
Edinburg. Cholera was raging there at
the time, and, whether from predlsposing
causes or the excitement occasioned Dy an
overwhelming dread of the terrible dis
ease, the poor girl became seriously In
iurcd in health and prey to morbid mel
ancholv. At last she disappeared from
her place, and made her way home alone
to Caithness On her return to her friends
it was evident that her intellect was de-
ranged, and she soon became so violent
that it was found necessary to confine her
in straight jacket. Her clothes were
torn to pieces and, at last, after she had
been about two years in this condition.
she was shut up in Il small room destitute
of furniture, miserably lighted and worse
ventilated, and in that room she has now
been imprisoned for about dozen years.
Her mother and sister, with whom she
lives, are poor people, occupying small
plot of ground and keeping ono COW, and
have barely the means Of eking out a
scanty subsistence for themselves and her
From ignorance and feeling Of mistaken
kindness they have hitherto resisted all
attempts at Interference in behalf OF the
poor creature whom they have thus I'M
INJURED; and, several years ago, when the
parochial authorities offered to lace her
in an asylum for proper treatment, they
positively refused to consent SO great Is
their reluctance to entertain the idea OF
her removal that they have not OILY kept
her entirely out of sight, but the very ex-
istence of the wretchcd prisoner has al
most faded out OF mind, and many OF
their nci.rhbors in the village were entire
lv ignorant of the fact of her being con-
fined there at all. When visited recently
she was found crouched stnrk-naked on
the b.t.om of O box-bcd in the room in
which she has spent her miserable captlv,,
ity Of q dozen years, seven or eight OF D,
these in almost absolute darkness as we'll
as absolute nudity.
About eight years ago the windows of
the room in which she is confined were
built up with stone and lime, and since,
that time the only light that the wretch
ed creature has seen has been admitted by
- small sliding panel in the roof, only oc-
casionally opened, asst can he reached with
difficulty. The room contained no t'irnl-
lurc except the old box-bed, on which she
souat1ed more like Gagged wild beast
than y human creature. Her guardians
admit that she has been naked for about
ciaht wears. Her hair is fclted on the
scaln. and has not been combcd for years.
Il is impossible to describe the appearance
it presents When the tattered and filthy
blanket that was Oh the bed was removed
the mass of rottenness that was oeneath
can only be described rs a dung.heap.-
On this she crouched night and day, ex-
cent when n crept to the fire for Il little
warmth. Crawling is the only term to
describe her manner OF locomotlon, as
from long confinement and dsuse,. the
muscles Of the legs have become lncapa
bic of exercise, and the legs are bent to-
gether and permanently stitfened.
Such is brief outline of the condition
ofthc poor crcature-a woman yet young
and by no means so greatly wasted as hel
long confinement would lead one to sup
nose-a human creature who has endured
IN imprisonment of twelve years, and
who for seven or eight years has neither M
been in the open air nor seen full day
light, and has lived for that time without
rag of clothing, and Wit o t being prop
nerly cleaned. The case was made the
subject of judicial inquiry on Thursday
last, in petition to the sheriff for Dr., remov
nj Of the lunatic to an asylum. The peti
ton was at the instance Of the Commls
sioncrs in Lunacy. After hearing ,:vi evi
Jencc. Sheriff Russell said he had no ditfi
Guilty whatever in agreeing to the prayer
of the petition, and Immediately issued ar
interlocutor ordering the removal OF thu
woman to Montrose Asylum as soon n'
possible, and finding the mother liable II
the expenses Of process.