Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-06

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 d.
ected to tell my story. -,
Mrs. Kewley is very much excited, doctor"
said Miss Emma.
go to your room, Mrs. Kewley," said DIR.
Palmer; You are excited; go directly, or shall
have you taken there and put under restraint.
They led me away, as also all the other
patients, and locked us in the dormitory, a
large room which was originally intended tas
sitting-room. Mrs. H. was carried awayha at
and buried-or her body sold never knew
A tragic incident occurred in the fourth year
of my stay. Mrs. Rittel was a patient who
had bad melancholy spells, but no violent ones.
She used to wash dishes, mop the floors, sweep
and make beds. She had long, auburn hair
that reached nearly to her feet One day Miss
Lemon, one of the cruelest women I ever saw,
told DR.. Palmer Il heard herr that the woman s
hair smelled musty, and asked leave to cut 1T
off. 1t was given, after some remark that it
seemed too bad. But Mrs. Rttel objected and
resisted desperately; but three of them: Miss
Lemon, Miss WEIGH and another, after putting
the muf on her hands, throwing her on the
floor and struggling with her, pounding, chok-
ing, cutting and slashing, managed to get 1T
off. do not know whether they sold it or not.
1t was a 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, l seized O
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 vase.
duced to idiocy, and believe never improved
l saw her clasp her hands before her face imam
attitude of supplication, and say, "Please, Go
let me die" Please, God, let me die"
She was a Catholic, and previous to this used
t. pray and sing in the night quite loud. This
allhoyed Miss Lemon, and l have seen her come
into the room (there were four beds in the
ro0m) 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. Rittelrs hands till the blood would run.
have examined them in the morning and seen
tn marks.
After the cruel hair-cutting 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. lsup-
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
were killed, and I saw her no more.
One custom in the asylum was that of carry
ing medicine to the patients and forcing I'M
willing ones to drink it. This was natural
enough, but it led to this tragedy: 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.
heard the words, Il believe she's dead, say
her afterward, and I heard the usual heavy
| tread of the pail bearers the next night. The
death of a patient was never told to other
| patients.