New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-15
LEFT ALONE TO sTARvE.

A WOMAN LOCKED UP IN AN OLD HOU6E.
EXCITEMENT IN TIE QUIET TOWN OF FLUSHING. L
I.-MARY HAMNrEI, A DEMEHTED PERSON. FOUND
STARVING IN THE ILD TExIDo MANsIoN-HoW
SHE CAME THERE-THE STORIES OF HER FRIENDS
AND OTHERS.
thinly clad woman, without food or water, was
found Thursday, fastened in a room in tho old
Texido mansion, near Ireland Mills, about mile
from the centre of Flushing. The only other living
creature in tho house was halfstarved dog in the
same room.
The woman. whose name is Mary Hammel. and
who is partially demented, had left her home, IN
Locust Valley to ne with Mrs. Caroline Allen, who
is said to have been long interested i'll various
Dhlanthropic works. Mrs. Allen rented the house
of its owner, Miss Clarkson last summer, and since
September Mary Hammel has lived there. The
land about the house belongs to ChIef-Justice
Prince. of New-Mexico but has been leased for
five years. The sister of Chief-Justc Prince, Mrs
Edwin Henry. in company wi Ia Miss Clarkson, con-
veyed the unfortunate Mary Hammel TO her home
in Locust Valley after she taken from the house
by Poormaster Sullivan.
TRIBUNE reporter visiting Flushing yesterday
found knot of men in Supervisor Dennetps office
discussing the story told by Mr. Sullivan. "When
be got up to the rOom." said one, che found clothes
line fastened to the handle of the door and tightly
attached to a door knob the other side of
the hail. The door was also locked and
nailed up. lie broke in. and there stood
the woman dressed in thin skirt
and sack with the remains of the loaf that the
ladies' had brought her before calling him under her
arm. The dog, only skin and bones, was barking by
her side In one corner was heap Of short hay,
looking like the clippings of lawn, on which was
a small coverlet. A pail near. and that was all
there was in the room, which was without fire or
.Nn1
her hair disheveed."
There were many comments on the case, which
seemed to have caused considerable excitement in
Flushing and Locust Valley.
MRS. HENRY's STORY.
The reporter called upon Mrs Edwin Henry, who
lives in n quaint old-fashoned house in Br1dge-st..
near Flushing Bay. Mrs. Henry, who is familiar
with the history of the case and was instrumental
in rescuing the poor creature and restoring her to
her friends, told the following story;
/" The house formerly known as the Texido place
was rented in the middle Of last summer to an
elderly lady who gave the most unexccpionabe
references-whose father had been a well-known
judge in Western New-York. her husband much
respected bank cashier and her brother-n-aw late
Attorney General for the State Her name Mrs.
Caroline Allen. and she a person Of pleasant
manners Although few gray hairs showed
themselves, ner age muBC nave DePn
between fifty and sixty Her dress was very pecul-
lar. contrasting strangely with her manners. She
is known to many ministers in New-YOrk, having
frequently obtained large sums of money for chart
table purposes, as she states. 49,.
having worked on the wharveS IN New-1Ork for ten
years under the Rev. Dr. VlntOn-as she SAID. She
also claimed to have been a visitor at BackwrlPs
Island, aud to have caught the smallpox while
reading prayers there Her life, indeed. seemed 10
be devoted 70 philanthrOpic work and the reason
she assigned for renting 80 large house when she
had no Immed ate family was that 1t would enable
her occasionally 10 harbOr some o. her charges
while endeavoring to supply them with other suita-
BILE and more permanent homes. She had uader her
charge at the tme' ana LOT year previous Young
woman, by the, name OF Mary Hammel
of rather weak mind and subject TO
occasional fits of insanity. Mrs. Allen, while
occupying part Of house belonging to the woman
and her sister in Locust Valley had obtained an
almost limitess influence over her by kindness and
tact while at the same time she entirely alienated
stating that they intended to put her IN insane
asylum. A glance of Mrs. Aliens eye would
annihiIate what little will power the poor
persuaded her charge to sell to her
the right held conformity with sister to the house
and lot where they lived at Locust Valley This
was about two years ago, when Mrs. Allen was
living in Locust Valley and pursuing phlanthropIc
works. Her line of duty was largely in getting
From the time Of the sale, Mrs. Allen. fearing
the counter influence of the sister compelled to
went. The charge of n semi-iusane person, of
course greatly trammelled her. She fully
inended to put her IN an insane insane asylum at
lest doing so might throw doubt on tho validity Of
the deed executed IN Mrs. Aliens favor few months
before. On September ID, very soon after Mrs.
mansion she bit Mrs. Allen severely both hands.
Mrs Allen said that she had visited her charge at
way of kissing her hands, but that night she sud-
denly bit one, and then the other The bite was
almost like that of mad dog. aud great fear was
felt that If no other effect followed Mrs.
Allen might lose one hand or some
of the fingers From. the after-effect
of the bite Mrs. Allen was Obliged to go to the city
about December /, and so left the poor woman
alone in the house imprisoned in one of the upper
rooms. Mrs. Allen returned to Flushing at intervals
of two or three days to renew the supply Of bread
crazy woman and OF hack drivers who
took Mrs. Allen ont to the house once
said to T me also, am taxing supplies to competent
woman whom l have engaged TO take care Of the |
house. In this way Mary Hammel remained with |
ION Wednesday Miss Clark son. the owner of the |
house. which contains sixteen large rooms and has
very lonely situation, made sie visit to the place
the bill without success, Miss Clarkson was sur |
prised to hear the sharp barking of dog which for
merly belonged to her. She then went to the rear
of the house. when window on the second floor was
suddenly thrown mp. The thin worn face Of Mary |
Hammei appeared. She cried out that she had had |
food since Monday, WDen MIS- Alien lett ner lOaI
of bread and some water, and bad been without fire.
1t was night by the time Miss Clarkson reached the
village The next morning accompanied ner In |
sleigh to the house. We were unable 10 get into the
building and after efforts to throw q loaf Of
bread into the window, lifted il 70 her rail- |
She was the most afectionato creature ever saw.
Hungry as she was she fed the starving dog |
before she ate anything herself Then, tear |
ing off pieces of the loaf she devoured them.
She asked for water and lowered pail from the
window. 1t was partly filled and she drew it up.
and drank eagerly. Then Miss Clarkson aud myself |
drove to Locust Valley to inform the wOmans sister
aud friends. We returned in the afternoon with |