The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-09-07
A wIFE'S ESCAPE.
Conspiracy to cOnans n Sane woman In
an Insane Asylum.

Mrs. B. Coleman, native Of Ger.
many, and for many years a resident OF
this city, says New Orleans paper,
was married some years bRck 10 Mr..
B. Coleman, OF Natche7, Miss. She
went with her husband 10 her new
home, and there the couple, although
childless, lived comfortably and pleas.
antly together.
About year ago Mr.. Coleman's dis.
position underwent a great change
from excuses. Ho believed, or rather
pretended to believe, that his wife was
insane, In support OF this theory he
invented and circulated ridiculous SLAM
ders about her. He told the physicians
that she was dangerous amonomaniac
on the subject Of Jealousy, and that che
intended to poison him ; that she was
experimenting on herself by taking
poison to see inst what amount would
kill him. By these stories he formed a
sort Of prejudice in his favor.
OF NIL these stories Mrs. Coleman
knew nothing. Physicians visited her,
but she was ignorant that they and her
husband were watching her every ac-
ton to see il they could not detect some
sign OF insanity or monomania.
With these preparatory stories, the
husband brought suit in the Natchez
court for the Introduction Of his wife, a
decree declaring her insane. OF this
also she was utterly Ignorant; the
papers served on her were appropriated
by the husband, and without lawyer,
witness, or evidence her case went be-
fore the court. She could not defend
herself, because she was entirely ignor.
ant Of the existence Of the suit. ~
Mr.. Coleman knew that the presence
OF his wife would be necessary for the
Introduction. BE persuaded her To the
court room; but luckily for her the
Judge did not come, the court nd
iourned, and she went homo free
woman still.
A friend OF Mrs. Coleman, Mr.. Nor.
ris Marks, parish attorney OF the parish
OF Ascension, happened accidently to
hear Of the case. He hurried up TO
NAtcheZ, not second too soon. Vol.
unteering as Mrs. Colemnn's attorney,
he examined the case, showed, its ille-
gality, and how lady was being de.
priyed Of her liberty and property er
pdrte without hearing or defense.
Theappearance OF the case immedi.
ately changed, md the Judges refused
peremptorily to grant the decree Of in.
Introduction.
The husband became outrageous at
this swore he would carry his point
judge or law to the contrary-that his
wife was insane, and would have to be
SO declared. He threatened to take an
appeal to the Supreme Court md have
tho decision wiped away. he also offer.
ed to settle $1,000 on her il she would
go to Europe.
Mrs. Coleman became somewhat
alarmed at her husbands threat.
About this time q lady called, who pre-.
tended TO sympathize deeply in her mis-.
fortunes and troubles. She advised
Mrs, Coleman 10 leave Natchez, where
she was underthepowerand authority Of
her husband, and come to New Orleans,
where friends would welcome and care
for her; that her husband would ever
be setting plans TO get her into tn in.
sane asylum, and that II the appeal was
4 decided in his favor, she would be Seri-
ously annoyed by him.
Listening and agreeing TO these spe.
cious arguments, Mrs. Coleman con-
scented to como to the city. She and
her lady guardian set out on the Lee
for this city, where they arrived safely
Saturday. The guardian tried to in
duce her to go to an uptown hotel, but
that lady refused to do so until she
could pay visit To some old friends OF
hers, Mr.. and Mrs. Kaiser, living on
Carondelet street, near Thalia.
Mrs. Coleman spent several hours,
conyersing with Mrs. Kaiser in ration
al and sensible manner. Mrs. Kaiser
noticed that the lady guardian nudged
her several times. She was curious
about this, and was anxious to under
stand 1t. The lady guardian told her
that she was insane, and that she (the
GUARDIAN had been sent down by Mr..
Coleman TO take his wife to tho Louisi.
ana Retreat for the Insane. She then
exhibited an authenticated certificate,
which declared Mrs. Coleman insane,
and which was signed by three phySi.
clans OF Natchez, Messrs. McPheeters,
Metcalf, and the third an old and 70.
spectacle physician, who had not seen
Mrs. Coleman for two years. All the
accommodations had been made for
Mrs. Coleman at the asylum; com.
Portable room had been obtained by q
large cotton broker OF this city (; every.
thing indeed was in readiness Mrs.
Coleman would even then have been in
the asylum had she not insisted on visit
ing her friends.
Mrs. Kaiser could not, Of course,
deny these doctors certificates, which
were perfectly authentic and in order.
AS, however, Mrs. Coleman was a friend
Of hers, and had conversed in such a
sensible manner, she insisted on fur
Their examinationinto ersanity by New
Orleans doctors, and that Mrs. Coleman
should stay with her until the doctors
had made the examination.
The examination was made, and three
OF tho most respectable physicians Of
this city, Drs. Armand Mercier, Fran.
co.'s Alpuontc, and Felix D. Gaudet, all
declared, without the slightest hesita.
ton, that there was mott word OF truth in
the story that Mrs. Coleman was not
insane thus putting an end to q dan.
gerous conspiracy that came very near
copsummatisn.
There cannot be the slightest doubt
about Mrs. Coleman's sanity. She
talks we'll, though witha strong German
accent, and is bright and intelligent in
appearance.
The lady friend. Of course, disappear.
cd Immediately after her great fasco.