Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-23
B1RBdKITY IN HALTIHoR E.
A Negro Lunntic Chained TO the
Floor OF IA Garrer for over Two
Xears-IiorrIbIe Details OF am In
spectiOn OF the Premises,


Xears-IIorrIbIc Details OF am In
spectiOn OF the Premises.
baltimore, MD, Sept. IA remark
able and shocking case of depravity came
to light in this city this evening, as will be
seen below. Investigation revealed the
fact that for nearly two years past Moses
Garter, n negro lunatic, has been kept
chained like beast to the attic floor of
the house No. li3 North street. The case
would probably never have come to the
knowledge of the public had it not been
for the investigation made by several
prominent gentlemen doing business in
the neighborhood where the brutal treat
ment has beon going on. A reporter went
to the house to investigate the case. The
building wherein Carter is secured is three
stories high and almost in the centre of a
neighborhood famous for depravity and
vice. Opposite it is the Northern Central
railroad freight office and it il surrounded
by machine shops and foundries. When
the reporter reached the house the front
women. To one of these the reporter
addressed himself and was shown Matte
Garter, the wife of the man who was said
to be secured above.
"Are you the wife of the man who is
crazy 2" asked the reporter.
Eyes, SIR" said she.
"Well, how long has your husband
been out of his mind?"
Nearly three years now, sir. He was
first taken with it while he was driving a
dray, and at every change of the moon
hei.gets worse"
After little further talk on the subject
the reporter, who was accompanied by DR..
Gordon, of Virgiuia, expressed wish to
see the man and the woman invited her
visitors in. ''Sit down minute till / get a
light" she said, and left the room. While
she was out the visitors examined the
room. It was a double apartment, and
except table and two broken chairs it
was without furniture. While sitting thus
the reporter and his companions heard a
noise and presently mans voice calling
out from above, "Give me some water
Give me some water You amt going to
let me die, are your" Presently the woman
returned with candle, when she again
went up stairs, telling the gentleman below
to wait awhile. Five or ten minutes after
she called down, 'You can come up now. u
There appeared to be no one in the house
but the woman Carter and her husband.
She stood at the head o! the stairs, and
the light from the candle showed the re.
porter and the physician the way up. As
the top of the last flight was reached a
sickly stencil was perceptible, and this was
increased tenfold as the door of Carriers
prison was thrown open. The sight was
sickening. The room contained not 0
single piece of furniture. Behind the
chimney place and in the furthest corner
the man Garter sat upon the floor. He
was perfectly nude, and the play OF
muscles as he wrenched and tugged at the
leather band that secured his arms showed
that lie possessed great physical power.
lie was securely bound to the floor by a
linked chain, which enveloped his waist
and which was held to the floor by an iror
staple. A leather strap, with buckles
secured bis hands, and they were drawn
down and fastened to the floor thus pre-
venting his moving either arm further
than two inches. lie was bound in thi
way-only able to lie down on his bacl
and sit up. He could not turn over OIL
either side, and his head and legs wer,
the only portions OF his body be coult
move ut will lie talked rather coherently
although it was evident that he was
lunatiG. tie showed no signs o
being violent, although his wifi,
had stated that it was hi
wont to be SO. She pointed to the doc
az an evidence of this. Ii was broker
almost into splinters. There was no win
dows in the room and during last winter
1t is said, the only protection made agains
the weather was by stutfing bags in tn
aperatures. The woman seemed to thinl
nothing of keeping the wretch in that con
dition, aud answered all inquiries wthou
hesitation. She did not mean to be cruel
and yet it would be hard to tell what coul
be her motive in keeping the man in tina
condition. Ia explanation she said tina
he could not be left lonse for fear that h
would kill somebody. ...
She had put him in Bay View Asylum
but the physicians there could do him IL
good and she had taken him away.
"Why don't you put him in some othe
asylum then ?" asked the reporter.
"Oh, I've got a better way of treatin
him than they have" she answered, wit
laugh.
"Do you ever let him loose ?"
every seldom; he hasn't been up fror
there for three weeks now"
/ "How long has he been crazy? ?"
'For three years, and during that tim
he has torn up nearly every bit of be
clothing and furniture in the house."
''Did he ever break loose from hi
chain ?"
"Yes, sir; once Then he walked OF
on the ledge and clmed on the roof of til
house. He was nude and we had gret
trouble to get him again.
"Who fastened that chain in the floor
II got colored man to help me and "
did it."
"Why don't you put some clothes o
him Don't you know the law can punis
you for this 2"
The woman gave Il startled look au
said she didn't know that she was doin
anything wrong. Her husband was
years old, she said, aud came to Baltimoi
from Madison county, Va, some eigl
or ten years ago. From that time unit
he went crazy he drove Il dray. He III
one child. The man at the least word wi
obey her.
1t il almost impossible to describe Il
condition OF Carers prison. Vormin "a
crawling about on the walls and floor. II
most remarkable thing about the who
case is the utter indifference of the peop
living in the neighborhood. The negro
know about it, and crowds of them viz
the house every day. During the stay
the reporter and DIR. Gordon, Mrs. Cart
had thrown blanket over the nude for
of her husband, but he had contempt
ously kicked it of, saying, what do "
put that on now, for? You don't do
when there amt anybody here"
This speech was received with Taught
by the woman who tossed the discsrdt
cover, in the corner and left the M,
exposed. AS the two visitors prepared
; depart, the woman turned to the physics
who had accompanied the reporter, al
asked him if he thought her husbal
would recover. He replied by asking h
how she treated him. and she said 80
give him some medicine new and then
This medicine. il was learned was
bitter decoction and worthless. Exact
' how such condition of affairs rs this C
exist in the midst of thiekly populat
A section is difficult to ;tll, but il III matt
which calls for immediate attention a
investigation and, will, doubtless, recei
it when the particulars are made publ
q That human being should be chained
a the floor and not allowed to move, and ke
g in foul and filthy room without even
g pallet of straw TO lie upon, is withc
: parallel here. .-s ...
2 j. w. Bond Dead.
Mr.. j. w. Bond, of Baltimore, the Ii
who offered prizes amounting to 5000
the farmer boys and girls of Harft
o county for the best yield and cultivat
| - L. i.. dind