The New York herald., 1878-09-30
MRS. DRINGER'S CASE.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE POLISH LADY IN THE
PAssAIc COUNTY LUNATIc AsYLUM-HER Hus-

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE POLISH LADY IN THE
PAssAIc COUNTY LUNATIc AsYLUM-HER HUs-
BANDS STORY.
The latest sensation In Paterson. N j. is in REFER
ence the Polish lady. Mrs semond Drnger, who, as
At has alleged in court illegally confined in
the Passaic County Lunatic Asylum, an adjunct
10 the Passaic County Almsnouse. What
has brought this matter to the surface just
at present is tho fact that the lady question
was takcn before Judge Dixon on Saturday on writ
of habess corpus the compliments, Mrs. Westheim
and others of the jewish Society OF Women, alleging
IN the afndavits made that she was first confined In
the state Asylum ut Trenton by her husband without
cause; that sbo kidnapped from thcncc
by her husbands pondsman because the hus-
band refused TO longer pay for her maintenance
there; tina, shc brought to the Passa'c County
Asylum an institution not recognized by tho laws Of
the State asylum, and that she was thero sub
jected TO cruel treatment-isolated from hor friends
and compelled sleep with colorsd perssns-and was
denied the prescribed by her religion, &C. Argu-
mont was heard botn sides on Saturday and the
Judge owing the import OF the case, reserved
his decision.
Yesterday HERALD reporter visited Paterson,
cajoed livery stable Keeper in that city OF varied
industries but crude civilization TO trust him with
indifferent horse and rickety wogon. xith which
Poorhouse." The fassac County Almshouse
and Lunatic Asylum is situated on .ne
the that give especial character to that por
OF the country. The edGce itself Is very large
grounds scrupulously neat. tho slope either
beng tcrraced and OF beautiful green.
th,ng oetokcns the utmost order and much
taste. Executing the ferocous dogs. who made some
N M ss u
perintendent, TO whom he made known his crraud at
once; that crrand was 10 see and converse with the
Polish lacy about whom much had been said. No
obi ction was made, and Mr. Petry at once led The
way through the wide airy well kept halls the bire
floor OF which was white and clean enough 10 eat
IRON.
In the wing OF the building fitted up Tor tho lunatcs
conAed there the lady in question was found walking
in the upper hall. Mrs. Regina Drnscr nee Leipoi1t
ia lady about thirty five OF a most refined bea ring
very quiet and declaealy preposessng appearance
talks broken English u was dcuit TO conveis Sc
with her but she Sc med to talk readily OF every sub
jcct except her former history This appeared TO be
70 ner as sealed book. The reporter TOOK the in-
tstive:-
"Wcll Mrs. Dringer, you pretty comfortable
here ?n
Very softly and cautiously. eyes. but want to
"Are they not kind to you-Mr. ana Mrs. pe,ry?"
'Klndr Oh! KIND yes; but 1T IL Paterson city
band. Did you sec nine husbandy"
ayes have seen your husband. DO you ike to
Inpatiently-"Ol / don't want to stay anywhere
but mine own house In Paterson. hal trunks and
clothes, and jewery there ana would 20 there. or
me l would have them-what you call It, expedite
10 me. want mine own clothes"
Mrs.. Dringer was dressed very neatly and looked
really we'll All efforts to induce her to thing
OF the past futile She sad sho had ridden
her husband the tram ana he had lett her just
while TO went TO attend 10 his business. ''You
know" said she, appeangly enc must attend to his
business. stay here hi ne comes
There TO be doubt 0t the Iady's insanity,
though It seems OF mild type. Her constant topic,
the Keynote 10 all her cor versaton is her nome ana
horh hand MI chi
be r she were not secluded from these 1t Is impossi
Bile 10 say.
asylum III Juno last; had been examiued with tho
utmost thoroushness by DR.. y. +. W. Ayers now city
physician, ana pronounced as certainly insane.
There was he salo no truth III the report that she
had been compelled TO sleep with coorcd persons.
with colorea woman, tho only ono in tue
establishment. This woman and Mrs. Dringor had
Mrs. Drlnger.had struck tho other and she struck
back. Mrs. Druger was very troublesome at timcs.
Sho would roam about the room al! night and make
deal She also quick TO fancied
insult but generally she was quiet. she had torn her
clothing or IN a rage. she was always xorse alter
the oi her jewish friends. who excited her
that It was difficult control her a.terward.
Because OF this, under orders from the County
Board, all visitors were excluded about SIX weeks
since. The reporter askod:-''Did you, Mr.. Petry,
refuse to permit mrs. Dringer TO receive such
fooa as might be brought by her iriends-iood
especially prescribed by her religion Z"
WHAT IN A NAMEY
"Never No QUO has ever brought hcr any, nor
has she ever asked Tor it'
"what is there ABOUT this Institution that has
earned for 1t the name OF the Passaic County Bas-
ueY"
with all the indulgence possible, and what restraint
or correction there may be Is only such as Is abso-
luiely oecessary"
''Ii mas been said that her relatives have been re.
"lt's lie. she has no relative but n sister in New
ark aud she has never applied. Her friends nd
mcd as long az their Intrusion could be borno aud
then they shut OUT
| Mr. Petry further stated, and Mrs. Pctry corrob-
grated this, that tho negro woman who slept In the
same room-lll sleep on single beds; there arc no
double oncs-was placed IN the furiEest corner from
Mrs Dringcr's bed; that they haa thought, however,
her out In the hall TO satisfy public claInor
| The black woman was very clean, but sometimes vo-
| lent she had thrown pail OF water over Mrs. Petry
and the pail alter the water, and had
| up a heavy range poker, but was d,sarmed by the
oiher women, who rushed TO tho SPOT.
| TIE HUSBANDS STORY.
The reporter next VISITED Mr. Drlnger. whose story
OF his marital and business difficulties told
stance as ioIlows:-w married Regina Leopold In
| Cracow, 1865. Sac comes OF family In which In
sanity IS hereditary. Her mother was Ivuatic Tor
seventeen years before her death aud was confined
finally died therc Her two sisters are iubatcs, In
GLIDING tho one living in Newark, Mrs. Lsopoidt.
in Paterson. my wife became violently ine
sane. had her committed Ia the regular way
pcaso public ciamor, took her out, but AFTER three
days. trial one night shc became violent that had
to Gull IN SIX poiicemen TO stay un, morning, whom
she was returned to Trenton. Ia 1879 again 10 sp-
peasc public clanor and at The instance OF tho brother
] in-law, Lcopcdt, l again removed ber, ann made a
contract with him TO keep her at his house
vance. she was taken out. bat a week
had scarcely elapsed when Leopold came and begged
| me to tako her away. Take her away, Tor God's
| sake said ne, 'or she vii. Kill US ail.' Then she
was taken back and renamed as long could pay,
and whom could pay no longer, because CT the Erio
tigauon. shc became charge 10 the county and was
removed to the county institution. where she can be
| kept cheapcstp
In answer to question OF the reporter to what
could have Induced tho movement foot ana
what was the animus oil tho ACCUSATIONS, he an-
swcrad:-
"ob, that's easy enough to understand l's all part
OF the conspiracy to ruin me-" t
Tho iacts stated by Mr.. Dringer In regard 10 his
troubles mainly corroborncd by other SLOT tho
first Jewish citizens in Paterson. Judge Dixon
peced 10 render a decision In the case Mrf. Drin.