Connecticut western news., 1879-10-22


 fact, as you remark, that the women like to have strip of carpet or rug to set their chairs on. It's queer, isn't it ? It's like the old problem of the debating societies. Why does dog turn round several times before he lies down ? Sometimes they will use strip of calico if they cannot get carpet. This door, which we will now enter, leads into Bedlam itself." Suiting the action to the word, my attendant turned the key and led the way into long apartment, with cells along both sides. On benches placed at intervals sat eome of the wretched inmates. Chattering, singing, self-communioating, others paraded up and down the hall. Not an instance was observed in which one poor creature stopped to converse with companion in misery. It was region of universal distrust. Speaking generally the cells were not go bad as those I have seen and already described at other places. There was no question as to plenty of air and considerable sunlight. The intimate association of at least twenty deranged women, in all conditions of mental dis. ease, cannot, however, be too severely condemned. Where there are so many patients as Broome county supports there should be at least an attempt at classi- fication.
 AN UNvIsITED REGION.
 We had walled to the end of the lower floor, and were about to return to the entrance, when I fancied detected an exchange of glances between my guide and the female attendant who had accompanied us into the ward. This caused me to look towards large, solid door which might have escaped notice.
 "What is in here," I asked, going up and laying my hand on the door.
 "That is where the very bad cases are," said the young woman, with some hesitation, as she jingled her keys.
 "We do not show that room to visitors" said the young man, in utter violation of Horace's well known rule regarding the bad taste of introducing three speakers in dialogue.
 "We mean-we thought you would not care to see any thing so unpleasant" |" said the female attendant, who saw that her coadjutor was making matters worse.
 will not say exactly how I convinced the young man that it was safe to permit me to enter the region beyond the mysterious door. Suffice it to say, after brief barley, he addressed the woman attendant:
 "Unlock the door and see if we can go in. Oh, we have nothing secret here. You shall see all."
 TWO TERRIBLE INVENTIONS.
 The young woman unlocked the door and entered, closing it after her. The explanation was that some of the women might have torn off their clothes while the nurse was out. After few moments waiting, the nurse threw open s'the oak" and we entered. It was low room, probably twenty-five feet square, with four cells boarded off on each side, leaving hallway twelve feet wide in the center. Thrown over heavy wooden chair was "strait-j jacket" of cou rse leather, with all the straps, buckles and thongs thereunto appertaining. It had evidently just been occupied, for it was still warm with the heat of human body. Just below the neck, over the breasts, it had been chewed into holes by the helpless creature, who, bound fast at the ankles, the wrists, the shoulders and the waist, had worked her teeth beyond her lips far enough to seize the obnoxious means of restraint. It was 8 terrible tale of despair and agony that this lacerated garment dis closed. I looked about the place. No stray pieces of female wearing apparel were to be seen. Evidently this wat the only garment which suffering woman wore. But my eyes detected z fact more terrible. I stood face to face with the modern instrument of torture which unites in one machine all the devilish ingenuity of the Vczmeeigrecht and the Spanish Inquisition-I saV before me the s'U tica crib.''
 l FACTS, FAcTs-AwFUL FACTS.
 Imagine box with strong, heavy sides, five and one-haH feet long by two feet wide and eighteen inches deep-f veritable coffin !-covered with slated lid which closes down firmly and is fas tened with paddock In the semi-hu' mane institutions, where the use of thi contrivance is tolerated, it is the rule te half fill this box with the softest ry' straw or hay, so that as little bodil, suffering as possible will be inflicted upon the unfortunate occupant. But was not so here It was evident to m at 8 glance that the recent occupant o the leather strait-jacket was in this ter rible "crib." I stepped within the cell and was about to approach the side o this bed of the mortally damned. Tn attendant came forward and said, "She' naked, you know" This fact had nc occurred to me in the first moment c indignation, and I stopped. But hesi tated only for an instant. It was clearl not question of propriety, but of duty I was present among these scenes of so1 row and pain from no idle curiosity. must see that suffering face. And du1 ing this moment of hesitation mute ar peal for sympathy was addressed to m heart which almost brought tears to eye that have long studied sorrow. A thil white hand-a small, delicate, woman , hand-and arm was slowly pushed or between the slats of the cribs top.