New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-16
STARVING MARY HAMMEL.
THE WOMAN,s BITTER EXPERIENCE.

The WOMhNS bIllEh EAfEhlENCE
THE TALE or The POOR CREATURE FOUND IMPRIs-
oNKD IN TIKI TExDo MANSION AT FLUSHING.
L. L-HER DESCRIPTIONS OF MRS. ALIENS con-
pUcT-rRYiNG TO ESCAPE THE PHILANrHRo-
PIsTs CARE-HOw MRS. ALLEN GOT THE BANK
BooK-THE TEx,DO HOUSE AT NIGHT.
"Mrs. Allen gave me- ive-cent loaf of bread once
in three days. and called that enough for me- said
Mary Hammel. tie young woman who was i'm
prisonod IN the Texido mansion, to q TRIBUNE TO
porter yesterday. But once she left me- for five
days without anything to eat"
Mary HammePs face was pnched. sallow and
haggard. Her elistening eyes shOne almost wildly.
Her upkempt chestnut hair twisted into a long
braid that hung down her back. Her thin fingers,
looking not unlike a birds claws. worked Fer
vously sbe spoke. Her slight, wasted
form. below medium height. was clad
in a light gray sack and scanty
we'll worn skirt There deep lines in
her face. and her expression showed that she mad
passed through terrible suffering. She was sitting
in a comfortless room in the house owned by her
sister and herself at Locust Grove. l.. l.
The hall was entirely bare In room
on the second floor lone of the two
formerly occupied by Mrs. Allen the two sis
ters There was carpet the floor. bed in
one corner. few wooden chairs and table consti-
tuted the furniture. A feeble fire in tiny stove
served only to tantaize those in the room by
glimpse of warmth. On the wall hung a portrait
of Philip Freneau, of Revolutionary times,
who was the grandfather of those women.
Notwithstanding their surroundings and the
fact that they entirely without means OF sup
port, both the sisters seemed comparatively happy
Mary at having escaped from Mrs. Allen and Sarah
because her lost slater restored TO her.
TELLING HER OWN STORY.
Mary who ia tho Younger told most pitiful tale
of her suffering
"When she took me to Flushing" she said Mrs.
Allen promised to got some shirts for me to make.
But when she was there she made mescrub and carry
pals of water all the time. Once said, My
mother didn't make me scrub. If FIN yonr
Then she jumped at me aud chOked me till thought
l going 10 die, and bit her hands 10 make hcr
let 60. She said. pl take away, Your breath 90
you'll never breathe again. and l answered. 70
rather be dead than live in this misery with you.
She choked me several times and used to strike Inc
once in q while suppose was s1ucy.
She always fastened me into the room when she
went away. and there never any fire.. o, how
cold it was" aud the poor creature shvered convul;
sivcly. used TO clasp my feet IN my hands and
double myself up in the straw to keep from freezing
Sometimes though. I'd go to sleep, and then l was
happy. couldn't get out of my room to 90 to the
kitchen. i wouldn't ever have SOL anything ON lire.
and never did" =,
asked the reported.
ono there was never any body at the house except
once a colored woman came for day to wash the
windows" ,..,
81 never heard of her, and there wasn't anybody
else there when Mrs Allen was away. used to DO
so glad to hear her coming when she had been away
three or four days. l was 40 hungry, because my
bread wOnldn't last two days. and | was 80 cold.
She'd LET me out of the room and be very pleasant
for while, but then she'd shut me up again and %
"Why didn't you make your escapeT
81 did lump out OF the window once and nearly
got killed. But if did get oui. had no Clothes.
and never a cent of money! and didn't know any,
b,dy. / would have been arrested for lnn1tic."
do you want to go back to Mrs AilenP
brot" GS'r "e think "e Mrs. Allen pi is any At
boarding houses Mrs. Allen always male ME
sleep on the floor of the room. 1t was in Hoboken
$500 by sewing and i'll other WAYS. Mrs Allen got
Then l. lay, down low. and .,r,n felt t wax
aud all of q sudden turned my head and saw Mrs
Allen standing over lie. She kcpt looking steadily
at me and felt weak enough to do anything Then
she said Mary you had better 1ivo lac your bank
book and couldn't help giving II 10 her. But she
must give it back to me- Don't you think she
Will"
IL was learned that while in Hoboken Mary Ham.
mel was found fastened in her room, by second
cousin from New-YOrk. There was some attempt at
police intervention which failed TO remove her from
Mrs. Allen.
WHAT THE NEIGBBOtS SAY.
From Mr. and Mrs A. b. Wilcox and other neigh
bors of the Hainmels much was learned by the re-
porter in regard 10 their history and various
performances of Mrs Allen. The mother of these
women owned house i'll Brooklyn, aud wos COM
paratvely well-to-do. She had sister Margaret
Brennan, living alone in an old house IN Locust
Grove and on her sisters account she sold
her Brooklyn house and built another next to
her sisters. She then lost most of heI money,
and died about two years ago. The daughters lave
since then tried to earn some money by sewing;
Soon after their mothers death Mrs. Allen appeaiod
upon the scene in search of boarding place, and
these women anxious for any addition 10 their
income the phllanlhrop was taken to board
She did not add to tho pleasure OF the honSeh9ll.
In the autumn OF 1879 she day seized Sarah
Hammel by the hair and threw her 10 the floor III
the presence of visitor. VIC told the reporter the
story. Justice McGOwan, OF NewtOwn. caused Mrs.
Aliens arrest and she was seut t. the Bronx
PeDitentiary for three months bat was released ut
the end OF one.
VISIT TO THE TEXIDO MANSION.
At Flushing the reporter decided TO visit the Tex
lido mansion, where the woman locked up, to
verify some Of her statements. 1t was just after
twilight The full moon lit up the dreary,
cred meadows stretching along by the road that
leads to the house. This stands back from
the road surrounded by bare trees and
gloomy frs at long distance from any other
house. The creaking of the snow under the sleigh
runners entering the drive leading to tho house
was the only sound that broke tbs silence. The
mansion looked deserted and forbiddiug. 1t Is two
stories and a half In height. with basement, of
wood, painted yellow and it has veranda IN front
and at one end. As ring at the
bell elected no answer, the reporter
who had provided himself with
candle and match. opened basement window
and descended somewhat abruptly into coal-hole.
AS quiet and darkness continued the candle was lit
and an exnminatO was made of the house.. Tue
kitchen was destitute of any form of food
except two cabbages. There had been at some time
q fire in the stove
A hall runs through the house from front to rear;
into which open on the first and second
aoors a;v rooroa In the hall OH the first floor is n