The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-20

BEAUTIFUL GERMAN GIRL NEAR MENDOZA
ILL.,, LOCKED UP FOR SIXTEEN YEAEs-sHE
Is NOW DEFoRMED AND INSANE.
Chicago Tribune letter Of February II, dated Men
dota, Ill., says:-
A case of cruelty and inhumanty is being brought
to light few miles south of this city which. it
to be hoped is without parallel in this generation
If not in this century. 1t is that OF young
named Margaret Rcck. daughter of Peter Reck a
wealthy German farmer, or Troy Grove. who was
shut up in q room over sixteen years ago and kept
there to this day in solitary confinement without
ever having lett it.
country and previous to his locating on farm in
Troy Grove, his wife died. leaving him chill.
dren--hve daughters and two sons. He married
again, and had two daughters by his second wife.
The daughters of the first wife obnoxious to
her, and for the sake OF peace they were driven from
shelter. Margaret, the girl finally locked up. was
too young to shift for herself and in order to get
away from the stepmother's harsh treatment was
taken to Peru and placed In school kept by the
Sisters of Charity While there she is said to have
given proofs of acquiring the branches taught with
facility and to have evinced quite taste tor draw
ing. in which she exceled. She returned home. She
the belle of the neghborhood; full Of life and
fun; courteous and kind to all. aud possessed OF
beautiful voice tho young and tho old would often
go to hear Margaret sing. The estimation i'll which
she was held by the people not calculated to
raise her in the estimation of the stepmother. who
looked upon her with jealousy as possessing advan-
tagcs and attractions which she herself lacked.
The stepmothcr insisted that she should be de-
graded and her spirit broken and she was finally
forced into room, where she has been kept under
lock and key to this day. Through all these weary
years of solitary confinement not living soul was
permitted to her two three inmates of
the house. Not her sisters nor her cousin,
Roman Catholic priest, could obtain that privilege.
notwithstanding their oft-repeated demands. In
answer to inquiries by the noighbors they
first told that Margaret was unwell. later that
she was insane, and that, as she would
clothes. they not allowed to her. That she
became insane is now beyond all question of dis
pute, but that she was so when first confined
not generally credited 1t is thought that being
high spirited GIRL she reyoltcd against such harsh
and unjust treatment, and that her father, in his
obstinate tenacity of parental authority determined
that she should be the first to yield Neither wavered
in the determination not to be the first acknowledge
the wrong; Margarets confinement continued,
and with nothing to relieve the monotony but the
bare vhitewashed walls of a small room her food
passed i'll through square aperture i'll the wall.
placed on shelf the shutter replaced, and not
word spoken.
father sought to atone for his wrong by building
church. The stepmother died last April and the
his death was the result of foul play By the will
the heirs were to get forty acres Of land
each, Mary. the youngest daughter. ap..
pointed custodian over Margaret, with the use Of
the house and eighty of land while she
tMargaret) should live. There three trustees
and executor appointed. The trustees visited the
room in which Margaret was confined ana found the
unfortunate creature. whom they had known sixteen
years before the belle Of the place. crouched in
corner on the floor perfectly naked old army
blanket that she had drawn over her. The room was
destitute of furniture, pictures of any
broke the monotony OF the dismal place. Food was
showed i'll through hole. and slight heat came from
a bit OF stovcppe which entered from the kitchen
stove. Strange to say the trustees, after shedding
tears. disagreed to the improvements necessary to
ameliorate the unfortunate creatures condition.
Of them maintaining that she should remain
in the condition her father had kept her. The
more humane men, fearing that she would
freeze to death, consulted DR.. Corbus, who. in his
capacity of Commissioner of Lunacy and Public
Charities, visited her. in company with DIR. Crook,
and ordered her clothing, bed and hard coal stove
lx.,G n,A IN
degrees. Even after stove put in she would
crouch on the floor. roll up in the corner and sink
drawn under her. Thecorrcspondcnt says:-"Stoop-
ing down took that pale, emaciated hand in niue.
1t cold not exceeding temperature of As degrees
The pulse was about sixty-five. The body quito
warm the temperature beng between 9S and l02 de-
grees Tho contour Of the head is shapely the fore
head high broad and suggestive intelligence rather
than dcmcnta frcnzied insanity. The eyes, that
were once large, blue and expressive, now sunken
in their sockets and have Jos their ustrc forever
The lids are relaxed; the functions of the optic
nerve seem to have been destroyed The
skin is still SOFT white and delicate looking,
though the morbid condition Of the nerves will
be apparent from the fact that pin can be stuck
into quite deep without any evidence of pain The
lower limbs are much contracted and devoid of
cular power The feet are much dcformed and
bent back as il by muscular contraction acquired
through long accustomed crawling When told by
the inmates that she has been like that tor years;
that she crawls three times u day. as regularly Us
clockwork, to the shelf for her food that she
sumes at each meal goodly quantity of sopped
bread, milk and coffee. and sometimes meat that she
is strong and would tear off any clothing put her.
and that she is quite lively at night has to be
credulous indeed not to doubt it, Tor she did not
look if she could tear tissue paper. she won't
stay in that bed. said her half sister she just
obstinate she be; she will crawl out Of II M
if 1t did not feel good to her. and into the
where she is now; she always goes there; she likes
the cold boards best !"
DIR. Corbus describes her manner of moving az that
of wrggling shutting gait at the hips propelled
by the feet, the hands taking little part. He
left orders that she should be dressed several times
nv he tn n lott and
that the bed be constructed that she cannot get
out The doctor speaks of her being not
only the worst he saw, but the worst he ever
heard Of How long she has been kept in a nude
condition no one. can ascertain. IL Is thought by
that she was Invested Of clothing at the time
she was first confined, lest she would make her
escape through the window. The bars that there
would certainly not have prevented her, for u child
could tear them down as they are.