The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-25
HATTIE oSB0RNES INsANITr.
Creating a Scene in u Bobtan Car-Repeated
Attempts Mt Suicide.

Attempts mt suicide.
Passengers in n bobtul car going up Elm
street late on Wednesday evening began to no.
tice n young woman soon after she had entered
near the Tombs Police Court. She wore drab
dress not very clean. and black hat that had
often been crushed. Her light hair was braided
and the end hung almost to her waist black
bow ut her throat and two brown bows on her
hair improved her looks. Her face was sun
burned. and there were lark heavy lines across
the forehead and near the mouth. But her eyes
wero the most peculiar. The lids were wide
open. showing two light blue eyes that had u
CLASSY glare She moved uneasily on the sent
and n woman who snt near her took another
sent At length she began to humble some dis
connected sentences. suddenly she screamed
and the driver put on the brakes. When tie
women in tho car Jumped M and ran TO tho
front platform. the young woman screamed
louder sprang up, ran to the rear platform and
tried to jump of. Several persons who were
passing ran to aid hcr. and caught her just as
she wns about to fall headlong. Her screams
were heard 10y Oficer Fisher. and he pushed
through tho throng around the car and took
hold Of her. She grAsped MIN around the neck
and hugged MN; WIN diih,uity t9iok n"r 10
street. near Grand. and that her name was
Hattie Osborne"
On being put into n coll she began to scream
and sing. and "A doorkeeper once saw her try To
tear her clothes into strps. She heramn 50
hoist"rous that il WAS deemed prudent tn guard
her all night. and she was taken from the cell
mud given chair in the officers sitting room.
The bright fire in IN" stove attracted her and
she knet IN front Of II and gazrl mt the Goals for
a long time. Then. tearing on ono NJ her hows.
she threw it into the fire. II burned brightly
for n few seconds and the pleased expression
on the young woman : lace remained long alter
the flames died away. Then. seeing scrap OF
paper On IL the floor she picked it up threw II
turned the braid Of her hair fell over her shout
ders and against her cheek. She took hold ot
the end and wound II around ono of her fingers.
Her thoughts seemed to- be wandering until She
saw another strap of paper ON the floor. She
pcked il up but instead Of throwing 10 into the
IRE she lighted one end and touched 10 to the
end VI her hair. An officer snatchcd IL away
before the hair could take fire. and closed the
stove door. But the fire and the braid continued
upuermost in her mind. and while no" OH '"rs
were ont Of tho room for a few minutes she
picked up the half burned scrap Of paper and
was trying to light II NJ one Of the glsiishts
when the ON ers returned. She was more
closely watched aitcrward; and when II WITS
time to take her 10 the Iombs Police Court yes
terday morning. she was quietly fondlng pet
dog Of one NJ the sergeanis
Justice Ottprbourg committed her to the City
Prison TO be examined by a physician. A.
soon ~ she entered the wcmens department Of
the prison she WIS recognized by the matron nA
Hattie Osborne who had been there repeatedly.
having been committed as an insane person.
She was called from the dinner table TO the Of
fee Yesterday.
She's been out Of the asylum only since
Yesterday Matron French eXpn ned.
US anu my ltflkS WhNltlN thN me III.
going there. My brother-in-law lives IN Eighty
sixth street but he and my sister have turned
mo out and sent mo 10 the asylum too often
when my spells come on. And ! can live in
the workhouse. can't be ladyllke there. and
/ don't like 10 associate with such persons there.
| can't help having my spells. | get excited
know ANYTHING But wouldn't hurt ANYBODY
in the world. would |. Mrs French? Ny sister
says she can't give me any more clothes. bee
cause null them all To pieces. but can't help
IlHtfI aH.aI hoo HFN
/. Mrs. French on with an expression "
delight this is n palace for me. and would
rather live here than in any other place In tho
world. III always come back here whenever |
come out OF the asylum Mrs. French, and you'n
give me something 10 do. ] know you Will. he-
cause want 10 work. and I'll do anything. even
scrubhng.'
Matron French knows the prisoner rs crazy
woman found in the streets but police officers
in east side precincts know her n a young WOO
man who has repeatedly ATTEMPTED suicide. Her
tenth attempt was in July last. She s - years
OF age. but she looks ton years older She wa.
a ssamsiress. living with her mother ia SiNth
| street four wears ago. when n srhoolmaie who
married her despite her mothers objections
/ But the HONEYMOON iasted only three weeks. At
small party. Hattie rcprliuhndrd 10y her
! husband for drinking beer. she did not heed
! him. and the party had to be broken up. Her
husband went 70 his room. and. according 70
| Hattie's story. beat her soon aiterward. she
was taken ill.,, and her mind became affected
/ Then her husband abandoned her. The young
/ wife. on her recovery, tried t. get employment.
! but without success. The alteration of mind
returned and her mother had 10 lock her into "A
room In the first week OF August. 1873 She
! escaped. and tried six times 10 commit suicide
/ four by trying TO spring into the East River
/ one" by tnklng luudanum. ana once by
| opening an artery when in Bellevue II lslitnL
| For months aiterward she was rational. hut her
old des pondrncy ovrrcame her one morning.
/ and before night she took Paris green. su plate
| OF zinc and audanum. \ stomach iumr ~tycd
! her. Two weeks altrrwHrd she took another
! dose of laudauum. hut sn" recovered. The
/ latest attempt that the police have record II WIS
/ when she tried tu spring into N"wtown CreeA IN
/ July last. She went with her lster 20 the c.nir-
7 terry In which another sister il buried. While
there. Hattie says. the sister said to Hattie.
You'll be the next one 90 bee put there point
/ Ing to the ground. Hattie ponderei over the
remark. and her dependency returned. She
/ separated from her sister and tried to drown
/ herself Since then She has he"n in the Fau-
7 bush Asylum for the Insane and in the Asylum
4 on Blackweli's lsuni she says that she got
/ leave Of absence on Wednesday 10 come % the
/ city 10 work for a lady IN Seventeenth sire /
who was flnd to her, The situation i-not 10 be
/ open until tn" lst Of Nav. aud Hattie WAS with
| out shelter Sh" wandered through the strarts
to near the City Prison, wher@ she WAS sten
just before she boarded the horse car. Her
mother died two years ago. Her husband is
/ living in Virginia. HIS name Is Morrill,. Hat
tie formerly called herself Hester Jane Morrill,.