The New York herald., 1876-12-14
MADHOUSE HORRORS.
The Experiences Of a Brooklyn Lady
at BloOmingdale.
MRS. NORTON'S TREATMENT"
The State Commissioner Of Lunacy Col
lectlng Evidence.

For several weeks past there have been rufnors in
Brooklyn society regarding the injuries inflicted upon
the wits Of public Official In the City OF Churches
during her ,ncsroerasionin asylum for the insane
IL Was impossible first to ascertain the name OF tho
lady, but the excitement Ugradually crystazed into
san for public meeting. II also transpred that the
lady Ia tho wife OF Jonathan T. Norton, OF
Brookiyns Asssssors Tho facts ascsrained are as
follows:-Mrs Jane C. Norton, OF No. 2a' Livingston
street was the request Of her husband, Assessor
Norton, admitted patient. at she Bloomngdale
Asylum for he Insane, in this city. her hus-
band paying SIS per week for her maintc-
nance aud proper treatment Mrs Norton's
complaint was peculiar phase Of pucrpera
insanity, under which she entertained the most ex
travagant ideas In regard TO her family but which
never any occasion, led her to personal violence.
Hor mania that certain indelnits powers
comprising the death Of her husband and children.
and that the safety Of those dear depended
her abstinence from food. With this in 7iew che
resolutoy abstaned from eating and fell into such
condition Of smaciaton that her husband doomed it
necessary 10 commit her TO the care OF asylum for
the insane This led 10 her committal to Blooming
dale, whore she remained for year. Her husband
then applied for and removed her. the resident ply
sycian declares, s uncured, and since then she has
been residing with family In Brooklyn betraying
NO evidences OF her former malady. About a
year after her release she complained TO her husband
Of affection OF tho throat, caused by brutal
Treatment the part OF one OF the at the asy
lum, and OF which had previously spoken TO her
sister, q married lady who resides her house Her
statement led examination by Or. Robert ormls
ton, which developed the fact that tho unfortunate
Iadys palate had been hacked and cut pieces and
cha. her thorax condition of chronic innam-
nation . consequence or tho wounds The cause OF
these hurts due TO the under whom she
bad lived Al the asylum Her husband consequently
applied 10 DR.. John Ordouneaux, State Commissioner
pf Lunacy. for an investigation of the case. The Doc
lor's report was rendered yesterday and the result
IL the meeting proposed tor Monday night next
NORTON HOME
Armed with these facts a HERALD reporter boarded
= Smith street and amused himself by contem.
pation Of the heating apparatus Of that vehicle until
Livingston street reached. No. 247 Is modest
cottage with high stoop, in which Mr. and Mrs. Nor
lon wore iound at home. Mr. Norton is quiet gen.
neman, and evidently suffers considerable annoyance
~ the publicity with which his wifcs troubles have
brought him face to face The lady herself however,
4 spurred by her wrongs to active enor: and Is In
nowse reticent in impartng her story. Mrs. Nor
ton ID lady OF the middle age, and although
not absolutely comcy stili bearing OF former
beauty. shc dresses in plain black, glasses and
despite her experience at BloomngdaIc displays
by means Insignificant nguro.
NY lie at tha. place Of horror, she said
settling herself into tho dainty frled collar which
circlod her neck. .Nr. Norton objects to my speak
ing about It, but desire 10 have II made public, and
viii give the HERALD outline OF my experiences
with such sad pleasure have recalling
awful past. brief rcvcw Of the story ia this For
the nrst three months after my arrival at Blooming
dale was In charge OF Llzzy Reilly, nurse in Of
The upper wards From what hear and recoIlect
was at that timo very Ill, both mentally and physi-
cally, but know was violent. Nevertheless,
was treated to the stratjackes daily 10 quiet my
nerves,' ~ the said. She and slept in the
Sams room, aud Al the time Thought my treat
ment brutal In the extreme. IL way a mercitu
eourse TO what endured afterward. At
the end or the third month was by tue advice Of my
husband transferred 10 a room on the ground floor.
whence could 20 into tho inclosuro formed by tho
east wings OF the hospital for exercise Previous TO
that time had never been OF the floor which
2 lived | had asked by the nurse whether de-
sired exercise, but the Systematic III treatment had
endured had 50 cowed me that really was afraid 10
scccpt the offer. During my stay up stairs was CON-
monty naked TO tho bathroom, at the further
end Of a corridor at whose other extremity my room
was. In bathing they would hold my head under
pnl,i was nearly drowned. Alter bathing was re-
Invested with the strajacke. and driven back again
Ike a beast Ill as was then my mind still
capable of feeling the dcrradasion II had been
man oil twenty, could not have suffered worse
JAxE EAToN
ssWhon was removed down stairs came, unfortu-
natcly for myself into tho charge OF Jane Eaton She
is q Scotch woman about fortyivc years old and OF
berinning Of my existence under her hands sho
seemed TO have singled mo out Tor persecution. No
method capable o. causing me pain was lett untouched
BY her. In my distracted frame oil mind every idea
that cashed with miuc was necessarily torture
Nevertheless. she hesitatcd IN her verbal any
more than In her personal abuse. The strait jacket
was common resort with. her. At limo
lay for seven days in that awfui instrumcnt
Df tortufe-oniy being released in order to
be driven, naked, TO the bathroom, and then
back again For I'VE months no single rag OF clothing
ana ae
longer had not caught cold and been forced TO
be provided with covering. which even then con-
ustcd solely Of one garment. During this period Of
martyrdom my husband and my son called frequently
70 see me, but were almost invariably dismissed with
the report that I'll 10 bc disturbed was
never allowed to know thar they were there. was
ill,ll from effects OF blows upon my i'll IRON
having had my head taken between Jane Eaton's two
hands and beaten against the wall III having had
my throat cut TO pieces as u Is.
THE sCLGARiAS ToRruREs oUrpoxE
.sfIow dill that occur Mrs NorionY' was asked
ain this way was troubled with an idca that II l
stc anything should endanger the lives OF my hus
band children So rejected iood and the nurses
were compelled to feed me by force. They went about
Il In this way Jane Eaton caught me by tho th.oat
with one hand and with Tho tried to force the
food down my throat with q broad, sharp pointed
s,tver spoon 0 course struggled; but. although 1
am The larger woman | was so weak that she easily
forced me back and compe led eat As would
swallow moutniu she would jam Ihe spoon into my
lhroat my palate, each Time innictng wound.
This TOO, occurred but nty times, until she
broke through the roof OF my mouth as you shall see.
Mrs Norion's moaih and throat are awiuly disdg-
urcd In roof OF her mouth semi-lunar
openings, such as would bc made ny pushing spoon
through card board
..rhus Tor weeks daily routine OF persecution. ,,
4 Mrs. Norton resumed ''My husband, sister and-son
called several times week and each time feed tho
nurse her supposed attentions To me. such attcn-
hon Three times week they wrote TO me mplcrlng
mo TO reply. Az hrst dared not, but finally mus
tercd up courage enough 10 ask Jane Eaton paper
Hhe brought hall sheet OF note paper ana yell
low envelope aud stood the door OF my watch
Ipr me Cowsd by her presence yet dcsiriog
send nv dear ones some message, simply wioie on
tho sheet addressing the lino to my hus-
band gwo and sister, Il love you.
AS attempted to seal tho envelope
lane Eaton snatched u from hand ami alter read
Ing the note up saying. 'Wodont sena out any
,urb crazy stun az that, She then started Tor tho