Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-09-26
INSANE CRIMINALS.
Noted Persons Kept I'm Confinement
i'm the State Asylum.

Noted Persons Kept In Confinement
i'm the State Asylum.
Located in the heart of our city, says
the Auburn On. " Advertiser, the
Criminal Insane Asylum, though the
only one in this State, is little noticed,
partially because of its retired location,
and partly because of the rules of the
institution, which forbid general ad-
mission to the halls, where the doubly
unfortunates are confined. 1t was first
intended only for those who were
charged or had been convicted of a
capital offence, as place of confne-
ment until the patient should have
been declared sufficiently improved to
proceed with the trial or the execution
of the law. Afterward the scope of the
institution was enlarged, and it was
designated by the State for the confne-
ment and treatment of all insane crini-
nails, then or afterwards immured in any
of the State prisons. About three years
since, the plan was again somewhat
modified by the Legislature, so as to
admit the insane of the numerous city
and county penitentiaries throughout
the State, the county from whence they
came defraying their expenses.
Among the persons now confined in
the asylum, who, from their no toriety,
have become objects of general inter-
est, Frank Walworth, who was trans
ferred from the prison hospital about a
month since, by order of DIR. Ordron-
aux, State Commissioner of Lunacy.
Walworth is being treated for epilepsy,
and seems to be improving. He still
preserves his Characteristic stubborn
ness and family pride, and is adverse to
the society of his associates. AS if to
make himself appear either superior in
some way, or at least different from his
fellow convicts, whenever he exercises
in the yard he wears blanket thrown
about his shoulders. On the first oc-
casion of his doing this, his attendant
asked him if he wouldn't have coat,
to which he rather haughtily answered,
"No, thank you; used to wear a
shawl when was in college, and I pre-
fer this now." His friends entertain
hopes of securing a pardon for him
soon. Last Sunday his mother and her
cousin, ex-Gov. Bramlette of Kentucky,
visited him. While he was evidently
pleased to see them, yet he did not be-
tray himself in any violent expression
of joy.
The yelled murderess, Mrs. Henriet-
ia Robinson, still retains all the char
acteristics of her peculiar temperament.
She is averse to questions or to CONVEX
sation of any kind is very reticent and
says she doesn't want pardon. Not
withstanding her long confinement
over twenty years-she holds her age
remarkably well, not appearing any
older than she really is. From the lit
tie that she does say, as well as from
the circumstances disclosed on her
trial, 1t is evident that previous to the
committing of the crime, the penalty of
which she is now suffering, she was un-
doubtedly the mistress of some man
very prominent and influential in
politics.
Kate Stoddard, the alleged murderess
of Charles Goodrich, is manifestly a
lunatic. Though usually very quiet, at
times she betrays very violent temper
and reveals passion strong enough to
induce any one to believe her capable
of committing the crime with which
she is charged, when once it should be
aroused. When she is in one of those
passionate moods her very look is suffi-
cient to keep stout-hearted person at
a safe distance. She slys she "cannot
keep her eyes off from those gerani-
ums," which bloom so luxuriously in
front of the asylum. It is to be noticed
that she only says this when some one
observes her in her customary abstract.
ed moods, and attempts to question
her. Hence it is quite probable that
she makes this commonplace observa
tion to conceal her real thoughts. Liz
zie Lloyd King is her real name, al
though she is more generally known as
Kate Stoddard.
Mrs. Dwyer, who murdered her three
children and attempted to cut the throat
of her husband, appears the same as
when she executed her triple crime
She still avows, apparently in good
faith, that she had right to kill them.
and that 1t was her duty to do SO for
she says, "they were innocent, and il
I had not killed them, they would have
grown up in sin and wickedness, and
when they died they would have gone
to hell but if they died while they
were still innocent, they are sure o1
heaven"
Her case, like that of many others
similarly confined, is a truly pitiablt
one, and no one can fail to feel the
greatest sympathy for her, even in view
of the awful crime she has perpetrated
There are, however, few persons who
would not, after continual association
with such scenes, become so accus
toned to them as to lose all sympathy
and to regard them more as subjects
for cruel than kind treatment. But
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilkie belong to tha
small class whose kindness seems to in
crease by the diffusion of it, and theil
faithful attention and amiableness are
not only appreciated by those owe
whom they watch, but by every ont
familiar with their difficult duties
Truly they stand almost alone in thei
good works, inasmuch as there are 81
very few who are qualified by natur,
find disposition to do what they ar
doing.