Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-31

! who belonged to No. Is hall, telling her what
| had happened and to call the doctor
| Drs. Palmer and Marshall oame up i'm
mediately. I went into the room, and when
they came in started to tell what had hap
| pened, but was interrupted by Miss Emma:
and DR.. Palmer. with an aggravating shake Of
his fingers, said: "Never mind. Mrs. Kewley,
| never mind; 60 to your ROOM"
If you will examine her head, doctor, you
| will probably find her skull broken" said l.
hoping to arouse his sensibilities and be di-
| rected to tell my story.
''Mrs. Kewley is very much excited, DOCTOR"
said Miss Emma.
go to your room, Mrs. Kewley," said DR..
Palmer; you are excited; go directly, or l shall
have You taken there and put under restraint"
they led mo away, as also all the other
patients, and locked us in tho dormitory, a
large room which was originally intended tas
sitting-room. Mrs. Fl. was carried awayha at
night, in accordance with the usual custom,
and buried-or her body sold never knew
A tragic incident occurred in the fourth year
of my stay. Mrs. Rittel was patient who
had bad melancholy spells, but no violent ones
She used to wash dishes, mop the foors sweep
and make beds. She had long, auburn hair
that reached nearly to her feet. One day Miss
Lemon, ono Of the cruelest women ever saw,
told DR.. Palmer Il heard her) that the woman's
hair smeIled musty, and asked leave to out it
seemed too bad. But Mrs. Rittell objected and
| resisted desperately; but three of them, Miss
Lemon, Miss Welch and another after putting
the muff her hands, throwing her on the
floor and struggling with her, pounding, chok-
ing, cutting and slashing, managed to get it
1t was popular color and beautiful hair.
During the struggle poor Mrs. Rittell was
bruised black and blue, her face and neck
swollen and distorted. They would hold her
nose and strangle her; they would raise her up
and slam her head down against the floor. Be-
coming almost frenzied on witnessing the suf-
ferings of the unfortunate woman, seized
chair and threatened to strike if they did not
stop. But dared not strike, and one Of them
came and showed me out of the room and shut
the door.
When they got done the poor woman was re-
duced to idiocy, and believe never improved:
saw her clasp her hands before her face in an
attitude of supplication, and say, "Please, God,
let me die" Please, God, let me de-
She was Catholic, and previous to this used
to pray and sing in the night quite loud. This
annoyed Miss Lemon, and have seen her come
into the room (there We're four beds in the
room) and choke her to stop her. Some times
she would throw the quilt over her head and
smother her to stop her. Often she would bite
Mrs. Rittells hands till the blood would run.
I have examined them in the morning and seen
the marks.
h1ItE Cue cruel ualF-CuGGlQg experience only
saw Mrs Rittell for two or three weeks, during
which time she did not know any thing. They
had made her ten times as insane as before Isup-
posed that she died, for one night heard them
come to her room and carry her away, just as
they always did those who died of disease or
We're killed, and I saw her no more.
One custom in the asylum was that Of carry
ing medicine to the patients and forcing nm
willing ones to drink it. This was natural
enough, but it led to this tragedy l was fold
ing clothes in the hall near the room Of one of
the patients who always objected to the medi-
cine. This night Miss Lemon. Miss Caffrey
and Miss WEIGH were together. Miss Lemon
was in haste it seems, and was intending to go
down town. When the woman refused, she and
assistants threw her on her back. put wedge
between her teeth, and poured her medicine
into her mouth. She strangled and expired. I
heard the words, Il believe she's dead, say
nothing about it till morning" ! never saw
her afterward, and heard the usual heavy
tread of the pail bearers the next night. The
death of patient was never told to other
patients.