The New York herald., 1878-11-25
WRONGLY ADJUDGED INSANE.

cATHARIEE HESS OF FLUsHrNG CONFINED AS A
IUSATrc AND AFTERwARD REIEAsED-wAs IT
CONSPIRACY?
Some days ago the Of Catharine Hess Of Flush
ing was brought to the attention of the Board Of
Supervisors Of Queens county by DR.. David Rogers.
superintendent Of the County Lunatic Asylum at
North Hampstead. He stated that she had been i'm
properly committed to the asylum lunstic. there
being no evidence whatever in her physical condition
or actions to show that she Of unsound mind.
Inquiry since made leads to the belief that
her committal to the asylum was procured
by improper means and by persons who de-
signed 10 obtain possession Of her property which
is Understood to include several thousand dollars
IN cash Is the opinion 81 nota sne
NJ Wood that she had been drugged previous to her
examination by the Commission in Lunacy. DR..
Rogers states that she admitted to the asylum
the 18th Of october last upon an order of L. D..
snons Superintendent Of the Poor, and that subse-
ouently. on the 29th Of October. he received the
certificate OF her lunacy based upon the testi
mony Of the doctors who examined her. from County
Judge John J. Armstrong. He had meantime made q
thorough examination of her condition, and had
satisfied himself that she was not lunatic. seems
that Judge Armstrong had been led To doubt the pro-
priety OF her comnittsl rs lnnatc, ~ will be seen
by the following correspondence in the case which
was followed by the order for her discharge.
JUDGES MIsGIvISGs.
JAMAICA, L. T., Oct %, 1873
MY DyaR DocroE-Enc,osed send you papers dsy Ger.
tilted IN the matter Of cshsrine Hess person who has
% hs fac, o hsy bens insane bus the pyssi.n's serth
nc Know Your ,is"'' Yours TS'Sns .rusrsoSa -
few days sfterward the following communica-
ton, in official FORM was sent
In the matter Of ca.harne Hess, an alleged lunAtc.
E Pr % Be- o. vns @
q ssTss "df to % s s "s sss
ground that se y MOE nssne win Won DO me the favor 10
whether she , + an me- cr whether, in Your ,as
asylum i0"rS ,iTSSiGyS ) ARMSTRONG. County J.a~.
PHYSICALLY. MENTALLY prEASGgD
Following In the responsc:-
To the Hon. Jndre ANwsrRovG
Mrs. ca,hsrns Iie.s ~au du,y Received October ~ sSs
ad,ai.tcd TO this asylum October ~ 1878 npon
q hs, o"sss - i M mind T.s Sss srS sr t.
make X, ~ s,s s.n.sa' sSy1s 8
s her 1s TO r sn 'na they f S.s msss sss' de
sss: y y, e. l.r. , ssss arrived
for dcing she no. bere She !. ph,s
cai treatment ar physical mental disease ihoash IN
nI sqre sc 20 my % m % % ~
nation must have been produced by her taking strong
~ - son as ~ nv arncn snp
,ed to commit her TO an a'ys% e Yours
supcrin tondent Queens County Asylum.
corrohorate the above.
PiiILiP NJ WOOD, NJ D.. Attending Physician.
The order Of release then issued by Judge Arm
strong as foIlows:-
In tho matter Of Catharine TIess alleged iunatic
Upon the foregoing certificate 81 David Rogers the
ntendent Of the Queons County Asyum and Of Philip
Wood tho attending ply sciap from which II thst
Ca,hsrne Hess I. lnnatic do herbv order aud d.
rect that she be discharged from the Qnrens County Asy
lum. JOHN y. ARMSTRONG.
NovEsBKn4, 1874 County Judge Queens County.
DR. Rogers states that in the bric existence OF
ltfa sa
only. although the most hagrant. in which tn,
examiners should have exercised moro care before
giving certificates cf luDacy. II IL not yet known
whether tile fri.pds of Mrs. Hess propose to take any
legal steps for redress