Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-22
AsYLUsiHORRORs.
How the Female Inmates are
sDucked" and "CrIbbed"
for Slight Cases.
Louisville Commercial

A thorough Investigation Of the out
rage committed at the Anchorage
Lunatic Asylum upon the unfortunate
inmates will undoubtedly be made BY
the grand jafythis- week, and some
startling Developments are promised.
A reporter called upon Miss Penny,
Who was confined in the Asylum last
spring, and after three months was
released as cured. Miss Penny ex-
pressed herself as grsti6ed to be able
to report some of the dreadful occur
rences OF which she herself had
knowledge. :,
II was in Mrs. Redman's ward, and
tell YOU she is 9 terrible woman.
She knows nothing but treating the
patients cruelty"
"Well, to begin with, there was poor
Mrs. Limbaugh, an old gray haired
woman seventy six years of age, who
was as afraid of Mrs. Redman as she
was of death. In fact we we're all afraid
of her and didn't dare open our
mouths while she was around. Mrs.
Limebaugh was so afraid that one
morning she wouldn'tgo to her break
fast. aud closed herself up in her room
Mrs. Redman went to Mrs. Lime
baugh's room, and shortly after she
had entered the most terrible shrieks
and cries we're heard emanatiDg from
the room. They ceased suddenly, and
after awhile Mrs. Redman and the old
woman came out and Mrs. Redman
compelled Mrs. Limebaugh to sit
down to the dining table. Mrs. Lime
baugh's mouth was bleeding and her
apron was covered with blood.
DUoKING THE WOMEN.
after breakfast DR.. Riley came
into tho ward and ordered Mrs. Lime
baugh to be 'ducked.P Mrs. Redman,
Miss Wright, au assistant attendant,
and Mary Carter, a patient, proceeded
TO comply with the order. The poor
old woman wal stripped stark naked
and her hands and feet were bound.
Then she was lifted up and placed in
tho bath tub on her back. While she
lay 10 this position, perfectly helpless,
her head was pushed down under the
water and held there until she was
almost drowned. This was repeated
over and over again, with breathing
spells Of only a few seconds-just long
enough to allow her to catch her
breath.
"A patient named Mrs. White was
'ducked' one morning in June, before
breakfast. She was 'ducked by Mary
Cunningham. Miss Emma Green, an
assistant attendant from Lexington,
who had only been there a few days,
witnessed the 'ducking, and shortly
after it was committed she came to
me and remarked what a terrible sight
it was. She said, 1 am unfit for work
to-day, and | can't stand it, She was
as nervous as she could be. SIZE
didn't stay at the asylum but a
month"
Mrs. ClOre, a daughter Of DR.. Bon
durant, of Goshen, Ky, was ducked
several times. When went there her
forehead was black and blue, and her
eye was terribly swollen. She told me
that she had been beaten by Mary
Cunningham.
Mrs Loland, the wife Of Professor
Loland, who lives on Second street,
put on her clothes one morning wrong
side out, and for this she was forced
into a straight jacket and put in the
crib where she was kept all day
without food"
PUT INTO THE CRIB,
what is the crib2'
ats a wire box about seven feet
long, two feet wide, and just deep
enough for a person to lie in. 1t has
a lid, which is closed down and fas-
tened with a paddock. In this the
patient is placed, and it is said the
punishment is terrible. ! was threat
ened With the crib one day for lying
down on my bed when / was sick"
Mrs. Montgomery, a daughter OF the
late Mr.. LeCompte, a member Of
Congress from this State, was kept in
the crib almost every night for a
month. She had a habit of getting up
at night and annoying the other pa
%tients, and for this reason she was
f'oribbedn