The New York herald., 1872-11-06
THE ROSA M'CABE LUNACY CASE.

Continuation of the Examination Be
fore Judge Scdgwick OF the Superior
Court-Partial Inside View of Life in
the Bloomingdale Lunatic Asyium--A
Doctors Definition OF the Various
Forms OF Insanity.
Only one thing relieved the vast fnnereal pile as.
pect OF the new Court House yesterday. This was
the examination in the case Of the nun Sister Mary
OF Stanisaus otherwise known as Rosa McCabe.
with this exception, the day was observed as
legal holiday, and judges and lawyers, and clients
and the court room attendants were devoting the
day to voting politics. Judge sedgwick, of the
Superior Court, before whom the examination as
to the sanity OF Miss McCabe is pending Is anxious
however, to bring the investigation to close and
on account OF his other pressing judicial duties,
having but little time to spare, set the case for
further hearing at one p. M. yesterday. Notwith
standing the fascinating allurements OF election
day, there was large crowd present, whose in
terest, instead of diminishing, seems to increase
as the examination progresses. Mr.. John d.
Townsend as heretofore. conducted the examina
ton on behalf of Miss McCabe while Mr.. Wander
WORT appeared in opposition.
A BLOoMINGDALE ASYLUM ATTENDANT
The first called to the witness stand was Miss Eliza
Riley She testified that she was assistant attend
| ant at the BlOOmingdale Lunatic Asylum, and had
been there for five years past; her attention was
| first called to Rose McCabe year ago last May.
Miss McCabe was in her ward fourteen or fifteen
months; there was no end to her talking; she told
over and over again the same story; she imagined
some priests were around there all the time and
plotting to keep her there, and that they were
using brbes for this purpose; she considered her
very insane woman Miss McCabe once purloined
q knife and fork she sent in her dinner without
knife and fork and then they were returned: Miss
McCabe insisted that various priests were perse-
cutting her; her talk about the priests and bribes
used by them to keep her there became so fre-
quent that she paid but little attention to them.
on her cross-examipation witness stated that she
was a Catholic; Miss McCabe was received in her
hall about the 1st Of May year ago; Miss McCabe
had parlor organ and she (wtness) practised on
1t, but Miss McCabe never gave her lessons; dur
ing the first month Miss McCabe told her the his
tory Of her life; she told among other things that
Father McAeer had treated her very badly; as for
herself she did not believe word of the story
because she did not think.a priest would be guilty
of such conduct; Miss McCabe said there was moth.
ing in the annals OF Christianity comparing with
the treatment she had received; she witness,
thought her insane at the time, as shown by her
story about her sister starving her; she concluded
that the fact OF her being in the Insane Asylum
was proof that she was insane: the
fact was that she paid very little attention
McCabe, but had laid her hands on her; she denied
enphaticaly the story Of Miss McCabe before Judge
Leonard that she beat her sixteen times; Miss Nc
Cabe's sister gave her (wtness) biscuit and some
| tea also; the latter was used In the hall
q. DO you know OF any stories she told you being
untrue A. Yes, sir.
q. Well, tell some OF them. A. don't know
where TO begin.
O. Begin In the middle-anywhere A. really
don't remember any OF them.
q. thought so how do you know Miss McCabc
purlOined the knife and fork ? A. At breakfast
time they were missed and on inquiry IL was as
certaned she had taken them: meantime she had
been to another lady and asked her to secrete them
for her.
Redirect-Miss McCabe was never beaten by any
one; at times 1t was necessary to put her in her
room, and force had to be used, as she was unman
ageabe.
Crossexaminati0n resumed-Q. How was she un-
manageable2 A. She was annoying.
q. State some irritations2 A. They are two
innumerable to mentio1.
O. Well, mention a fewS A. She would stand at
the door, in the way
O. What nextS A. don't think OF anything else
O. And 80 You put her in her roomY A. Yes sir.
a. Did you do IL aloneY A. helped to do It,; she
was powerful, and resisted we locked her up; q
good deal OF valerian was given to her: she spent
considerable time playing on the organ; she was
kind to the patients; Miss irwin never spoke TO her
about the treatment she gave Miss McCabe; Miss
Johnson gave medicine to her. she could not tell
whether Miss Johnson was shown BY Miss McCabe
bruises she twitncss) had nnicted on ner; Miss