The New York herald., 1878-11-27
MRS. HESS STRANGE EXPERIENCE.

HER INCARCERATION IN THE QUEENS COUNTY
INSANE ASYLUM GROWING MORE AND MORE
MYsTERIous-E EXPLANATIONS BY ALL THE
PHYSICIANS CONNECTED WITH THE CASE.
The case of Mrs. Catharine Hess. who an inmate
of tho Queens County Lunatic Asylum from October
is till November 4, and who then discharged by
order of the Judge who committed her. grows
daily more mysterious. From the Investigations
made yesterday it could only be determined
that IL any faith is to be put III tho opil-
ions of the most reputable professional
men--soemn!y sworn to--she vase insane
the afternoon of October Is, and the other
hand that she was unquestionably sane in the even
ing Of the day after she had been incarceratod
in the asylum 1t will be remembered that Mrs. Hess
visiting her half f-sster. in Flushing, when she
was declared insane, and DR.. Rogers, the Supern-
tendent of the Asylum. says he il convinced that
her arrival at the asylum she under the influence
of some drug. II therefore obviously interest
ing to know what medicine she had taken while in
her sisters house That foul play to be
peeted somewhere is tho opinion not only of Mrs.
asylum, and OF Judge Armstrong; who first approved
the physicians certificate and aiterward ordered the
woman's release.
BADGER SAYS.
The three physicians Of Flushing who were men
toned III yesterdays paper as having been connected
with tho agree perfectly III their Judgment of it,
DR.. Badger, who treat. her from October to Octo-
Der Is. said: d:-"Shc undoubtedly insane. / was
not of the certifying physicians, but if had been
called upon would not hvo hesitated to certify that
she was insane. l saw her several tines At first
nothing seemed out of the way with her mentally,
but she grew gradually worse judged she was in
false assertions about her sleep, her diet and other
things, and from her loss memory and wrong ideas
of facts. Her general appearance not that OF a
person in her right mind by any means"
"Can you give instances Of this ncoherency, false
hood and loss Of memory, asked the reporter.
No. replied the doctor, except that she told me
she took pills prescribed and aftcrward admitted
that she had not insanity may be more
points. physician cannot give any positive
proof of insanity he has judge from all the facts
In my treatment of her first ordered pills for
her fever, and aftcrward prescribed nothing but
bromide of potash
DIR. GoopRrpcE's VIEWS.
DR.. Goodridge said -"She was unquestionably in
sane. l examined her on the 18th ult. At first it
was difficult to get her to say anything. She was
very uncommunicative. l persuaded her to talk
after little time, and she grew ncohercnt and Wild
She said she saw people in the ar all about her who
wanted to hurt her. Then she talked about her
friends in Germany whom she had not seen for
twenty years or more and spoke very incoherently
caly, and understand suffering from trouble
that might or might not produce such a condition
of mind. made examination. however, of her
physical condition. She was unsettled, irresponsi-
ble ncohcrent and in fear of invisible things She
required rest and an asylum don't think there
any impropriety i'll her committal or any wrong
conception of her case.
Being asked if asylum for the insane
proper place for person in Mrs. Hess condition
DIR. Goodridge admitted that he did not think but
said there nothing else practicable except to send
her there He said in conclusion :-.Sho was insane
nctn nbar / cJrp W hat he on ha
18TH.
CRAZY FREAKS
DR.. Lever said. - certified to Mrs. Hess insanity
on October IL. She certainly insane when
her. She very violent and in my presence tried
to tip a stove in which there was fire. asked
her what she wanted to do and she said she wished
set fire to the house. Iasked her why she did and
she said she did not know that something in her i'm
PEELED her to do it. She was very violent and con-
sidered that her sister i'll danger from her pres
ence. ! know of no drug that would cause such
symptoms.
All three physicians concurrcd in the statement
that Mrs. Hess symptoms not caused by the
OF any drug and the prescription book Of the drug
store i'll the neighborhood showed that the medicine
which DR.. Badger said he had prescribed was liquid
mixture of bromide of potash, bromide Of ammonia,
water and oil of cinnamon. According to the direc-
tons only about ten grains Of the bromide Of potash
to be taken ut each DOSE and the ply sicians all
declared this harmless.
THIS?
But questioning Mrs. Hess sister, Mrs. Shnepf,
it found that liquid mixture at all had been
obtained for Mrs. Hess, and the only medicine given
her after the pills. which she refused to take in
the shape OF powders. Mrs. Shncpf told. with in
finite attention to detail, the story of her sisters
visit declaring that she seemed out of her head from
the time of her arrival on October Z. This mental
trouble increased from day to day until she grew
violent and ungov and it found necessary
to send her away. Mrs. Shnepf declared that she
knew of no property which MRS. Hess owns. but said
she supposed she had saved up few hundred dollars
said that Mrs. Hess instead Of having $50 $40
with her when she visited her sister, had only 81
JUDGE ARMSTRONG PUZZLED.
Judge Armstrong said he was fairly puzzled by the
The physicians who certified to the patients
insanity were unmpeachable, but on the other hand
there seemed no doubt from the reports from the
asylum that she sane. He was inclined to think
she had been druggcd but did not pretend to say
under what circ this done. He said he
understood that of Mrs. Hess relatives had
been trying, since her commitment, to obtain pos
session of her money. He referred the reporter to
certain persons in Mineola for further information
on this point, but those persons proved unable or
unwilling to give any information.
NOT EXACTLY ALIKE.
Certain differences in the certificates of Drs Good
ridge and DR.. Lever worth noting Ono says
.she is suffering from great and undue anxiety rs to
the whereabouts and condition of her only who
has deserted her: also loss OF memory hallucina-
tions, apprehension of impossible dangers. such
personal violence from unknown persons. snspi-
cion of everybody immediate attendants and
relatives. She attaches greatly exaggerated im
portanco to trivial matters and gives incohcrcnt
swers to many OF the Questions pu. to her.. The
other gives her name Mary Hess, age "a, and says
he is very violent toward her own family, threaten
ing to kill them. separately and collectively; wants to
burn the house down. and cannot BE- lett alone Tor
moment Her pulse is very rapid Sho needs attcn-
ton which she cannot get At nome.
DR. ROGERS EXPLAINS.
DR.. Rogers. of the asylum, explicitly denies Mrs.
Hess statement that she handcufed while uIcer
his He says she not restrained in any way.
She forced 10 bathe in spite of the resistance she
made. which was evidently inspired by tear This
resistance obstinate that she was put into the
bathtub before her clothing was all removed bat
after the bath, which was of tepid water, she was
much quicter. He says, also she left the asylum on
November 3. five days before the order OF release
came, he giving her pass in order to expedite mat
ters She was kept ~ the request OF hsr friends ne
says for time after his legal right to dctan her had