The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-14
SEVEN YEARS OF MADNESS.
Mrs. Anna Agnew Tells of Her Expert
ence in Indiana's Insane Hospital.
A Patient Who Claims to Remember the
Treatment She Received from an Assistant
Superintendent and Some Attaches.
lpaeia, "a thu 1nal.nano,i. Journal.

Of Lawrenceville has written book entitled
s'From Under a Cloud, the manuscript of which
she has just placed in the hands Of publishers.
The title scarcely gives an idea of the contents,
but If the story is as graphically written as it
was told to a representative Of the journal last
night the volume will be the sensation of the
literary world. &c records the remembrances
and observations of the seven years life of
patient Mrs Agnew herseif) in an asylum for
the insane-a patient who was supposed to be
hopelessly insane, but who unexpectedly recov-
cred, and with her recovery developed most
wonderful memory for details.
Mrs. Agnew Is lady of middle age. Her
dark bair is mixed with gray, and her face bears
the impress of great sorrow. yet the observer
would never guess from her appearance
tho wonderful burden she has borne
Her experience, perhaps, IL the same
that thousands have passed through. but have
never recovered to tell. In her book she has an
object in view outside of relating her own per-
sonal experience, and that is to for the in
sane better treatment, and especially to keep
them from being made an object Of interest by
curiosity seekers. It will undoubtedly arouse
storm in the State of Indiana where the public
lead to the publicity Of great many ward
secrets. Her story graphically outlined in her
own words is here given:
Insanity came on me like fash of lightning,
and the chief feature of it was a desire to take
my own life. did not want to shed my own
blood by cutting my throat, for instance, but vet
wanted to end my existence. There never was
insanity in my own family, but even
as child / was always feeling desire
to take my life. If some of the little
crosses which come into each child's life
happened to fall on me, wanted to go off and
end my existence. The feeling though, left me
to great extent as l grew older. and married
and settled down in my beautiful home near
Cincinnati. After the birth of my third child,
In the spring of 1876, was attacked with Derv-
Gus prostration. l had retired, seemingly in
good health and awakened unable to move a
muscle. / was this way for several months, but
was haunted all the while with fear that might
become insane. l recovered, though. /
travelled, and was outwardly well. In the fall,
though, was attacked with nervous prostration
the second time, and awakened one morning in
sane. knew it. and think now my friends did
me mistaken kindness in not sending me to an
insane asylum at once. For three years was at
home, insane The ruling passion all this time
about my kitchen shoe knife, which
was very sharp: that knife haunted me-
j would see it by day and night. became afraid
of it. II was horrible. l would hide it, and
AIt6rWdrQ L govern
would lead me to it. The fear became SO terri
bic that at last threw it in we'll one day, and
then was unable to get it again. / tried other
plans to rid myself of life. but they failed Ny
home, so far as was concerned could have gone
TO ruin. wanted to do nothing, and / wouldn't
do anything.
1.-The next step in the disease was the desire
Co take the lives of my children. watched for
opportunities, and my great hope was to be able
TO kill them and then myself ] feared had
and ia hoet
do would be to take them out of existence l
did give the youngest poison, one day, and then,
with the vacillaton of insanity, l went
and told my husband what
had done. The remedies were applied
and the child's life was saved; but was sent to
the Asylum for the Insane at indianapolis. This
was In 1879, and was there for nearly seven
years. My case was considered hopeless OF
the years / was there it will take the record to
tell you. The superintendent were invariably
kind but the doings in the wards were secrets
sealed from them. was unfortunate enough to
secure the ill-will Of the assistant superintsnd-
ent DIR. Walker, and he made my life perfect
hell. He placed me In an epileptic ward, and
kept me there for year. He told the attendants
TO not give me any more clothes unless l asked
for them. When was taken out of that ward
at the end of the year, l had on the same calico
dress, the sleeves were worn away, the shoulder
blades had worn through, and it hung in tatters
The popularity of my disease was that
i could find no words in which to
express myself. Ia I could think. but
most horrible manner An impulse would seize
me- and had to do something I would pick up
chair and break it in pieces; l would run my
hand through panes of glass, or | would swear
IN the most violent manner. Why, when that
assistant superintendent died / expressed my
Joy by cutting off my hair. Oh but he was
katedi l heard, one night when the windows
were raised away over in another part of the
building, woman swearing and shouting with
Joy because he was dead.
But the ward attendants were the worst.
They were mostly inexperienced young girls.
They would heap all kinds of indignities upon
the patients. There was one lady there from
the South who thought she was Mrs. President
Hayes. have seen the attendants drag
her by the hair to the bathroom
and make her wash their stockings, telling her
that the State of Indiana paid them for making
her do such things. l have often been dragged
by my hair to the dining-room. have no doubt
but that was troublesome patient, but not
deserving such treatment. Then, have been
beaten; but all tho things are spoken of in my
book. and the names and dates given. The first
time was able to speak was to report how two
Of the girls had stolen beer prescribed for poor
old patient. named Aunt Bette Baker; she was
Very weak, and the beer had to be forced into
her month. The assistant superintendent, who
committed suicide-the one hated so-came to
my room one morning. He looked at me, and
said: Mrs. Agnew, you want to tell me some
thing one of the girls was there, and shall
never forget her look of surprised as l
faltered outs DIR. Thomas, Miss and Miss
are stealing Aunt Betty's beer
He turned and looked at her for moment, and
said For the Lords sake, Miss -, if you want
beer ask for it; don't steal that poor creatures
medicine
shortly after that the desire to sing came
over me- There was piano in the ward, and
one evening got up from my corner-the DEVILS
corner-I called myself the devil-and walked
over to the instrument i was weak l could
scarcely lift the lid. My hand trembled, but l
managed to pick ont few accomplishments and
sang oft in the Still Night The spirit was on
me, and sang until could sing no more. AS l
was singing Then You'll Remember Me- one of
The attendants. who had always treated me
kindly came running out of her rooms threw
her arms around me- burst into
tears, and said: oh, Mrs. Agnew,
didn't know you could sing; you'll
oct wall iobt away After that I sang every