News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-09-21
A CASE OF KLEPTOMANIA.
An English Woman of Wealth VINO
was Detected in Stealing.

In his experiences of Barrister, Ser
geant Ballantine of the English Bar, re-
lates the following case that came under
his notice "A lady of the name OF
Ramsbottom, the wife OF an eminent
physician, herself of middle age and
generally respected, was suspected OF
pilfering from Diapers shop in Baker
street, Portman Square. She was
watched, followed, and her person was
searched, and several small articles were
found concealed in different parts of her
dress. She was given into custody,
went through the painful ordeal of an
inquiry at the Marylebone Police Court,
and was committed for trial at the Mid
dlesex sessions. At the period when
this occurred, Mr.. Sergeant Adams was
the presiding judge. He was thorough
ly impartial and knew all the law necss-
sary for his position, but it was not very
we'll packed in the receptacle CT his
brain, and the particles constantly came
out at wrong times and places.
The case, however, could hardly have
been confused; the facts were perfectly
clear, the whole of the lady's life, as
far as its history was known, was not
only free from reproach, but thoroughly
rational. The only point that could
be relied upon for the defense was that
the articles stolen were so trivial that
no sane object could exist for Intentional
theft, and the only suggestion that
could be made In her favor was that she
was not responsible for her actions,
being compelled by an uncomfortable
impulse, or. to use techn ical term,
that she was the victim of kleptomania,
not a very popular defense, before a
jury of tradesmen. However, after
having been locked up for some hours,
they were ultimately discharged with
out giving verdict, a result arising
probably more from compassion for the
lady's husband than any doubt about
the facts.
/ I thought at the tune that if, instead
of laying trap for her, the proprietor
of the shop had conveyed a hint either
to herself or to the doctor,i it would have
been the kinder course, and subsequent
circumstances showed that in reality
her conduct was attributable to insane
influences, although certainly she knew
thoroughly well that she was acting
wrongly.
She died very shortly after the ordea-
she had undergone, broken down in
health and spirit with the shame and
disgrace, and was consulted after her
death had taken place by DIR. Ramsbot.
tom, under the following circum.
stances Every drawer and cup.
board in the house was found tc
be full of new goods, which she must
have been in the habit of abstracting
during many years, and 1 believe that
in every instance they were contained
in their original wrappers. Mrs.
Ramsbottom was religious woman,
and cannot doubt that every Sunday
she listened with respect and veneration
to the lessons taught in the church, and
fully realized the commandment Of
"Thou shalt not steal" And it is clear
that she, by the acts she committed, in.
Cured danger and obtained no advan.
! tage. 1 advised DIR. Ramsbottom not tc
make the discovery public, aud the ar.
ticles found were distributed amongst
different charitable institutions. Gan
any one doubt that insanity irresistibIy
controlled her conduct?