The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-11
A FATHERS PREMONITION.
Verified by a Telegram and a Post Nor
tenn.
New York Truth.

New York Truth.
A remarkable case of premonition OF
trouble and death is now agitating the
people of Jersey City. Some time age
Miss Laura l.. Bunnell, aged % years,
daughter of Mr. William j. Bunnell,
well-known wealthy resident of Jer-
sey City, spent few weeks on a visit
TO an aunt of hers in New York. She
attended series of Methodist revival
meetings. and soon became a convert to
that faith.
On her return home her mind seemed
to dwell almost wholly on religious
subjects and, from her conduct, it soon
became apparent that her mind had be-
come unsettled. Sve believed herself
possessed of supernatural power and
that she possessed the gift of restoring
the sick by laying on of hands
Finally she became imbued with the
idea that her family friends were en-
deavoring to kill her with poison, and
she would neither eat nor drink till
her father had first partaken of the
dish She was sent to the hospital in
the hope that relief could be afforded
by physical treatment, but after few
the state insane asylum at Morris Plains,
where she was accordingly taken August
8. She was then very quiet and harm
less, her parents getting frequent tele-
phonic communication with the institu-
ton
On last Friday week Mr.. Bunnell
went as usual to his place of business,
but sense of great oppression weighed
upon his spirits. II could not work.
said Mr.. Bunnell to a reporter, ''if 1
attempted to look over my books
found that l could not concentrate my
thoughts. My ideas all seemed cen
tered upon my daughter, and l felt
that she was in trouble. 1 finally re-
quested my son to telephone to the
asylum and make inquiry concerning
her. He did so, and the steward re-
piled that he would call the physician
and ascertain. Presently he came to
the telephone again, and said that the
doctor said that the girl was doing
well. That while she could not be con-
sidered as being really better, still she
was no worse. =,
''But this assurance did not relieve |
me and 1 could not rid myself of the |
impression that something terrible was
about to happen. was so affected
that l went home and lay down, but the
idea continued to grow upon me and
cried like a child. My family became
alarmed and sought to learn the cause
of my singular conduct. But l could
only say that Laura was in trouble.
Il suffered terribly; nor was it of any
use to attempt to reason against my
convictions, although Ihad positive as
surance that my daughter was all right.
At last a telegram was received stating
that Laura had grown suddenly worse
and had died during the night"
Subsequent developments have re-
vealed the fact that during the time
Mr.. Bunnell was laboring under the
conviction his daughter was in trouble,
she was in straight-jacket, strapped
to bedstead. He made inquiries into
the case and finally received letter
from DR.. H. A. Buttolph, the manager
of the asylum, in which he stated that
the morbid excitement under which
Miss Bunnell was laboring took on a
form so acute as to render it necessary
to restrain her in recumbent posi-
Lion."
Mr.. Bunnell was not satisfied with ,
The explanation, for the doctor added in |,
4 postscript to this letter: at occurs to
me to add that, with the strong suicidal
.endency existing in your daughters
mind during the day and night before :
Ter death, she would probably have
Effected her purpose had she remained $
thus making it duty to t
lse this means OF safety"
L r
endencies of the nature alluded to in
he doctors letter 1t was wholly un-
,alled for to employ the means used, as q
hey alleged to restrain her at the asy- C
UNI, and hold the asylum managers t
for her death.
A post-mortem examination of the !
emains of Miss Bunnell revealed the t
vidences of very severe usage. +