The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-07-06
STATE Oh WISCONSIN, ..
KENosHA COUNTY. 90

Elizabeth Dickinson, being sworn, says
that she resides in the city of Kenosha;
has resided in the county twenty-nine
years; is acquainted with Joshua Nj.
Whitley, his father, Joshua Whitley,
and Richard Whitley, alleged insane,
for many years; has lived in the family
of Mr. Joshua Whitley about twelve
years, from about 1870 to 1882; lived
there as one of the family ten years, and
afterwards made it her home when out
sewing; when she first knew Richard
Whitley he was not a sane man, but he
was not confined at that time; he at
that time would walk out in the pasture
without shoes or hat, and would put his
hands together, look up and talk in an
incoherent manner; he wandered away;
they had just brought him from Apple
ton; he had been gone all summer; that
fall he did not sleep in the house at all,
but would take some covering and 60
and lie out in the front yard and some.
times talk to himself all night; witness
was there at the time he was confined;
he would wander away and would
open doors and windows in cold weather
he would let down peoples fences and
let the cattle out; great many people
were afraid of him, and so he was con-
fined: don't remember the size of the
room he was confined in; it was not
lined with iron there was a stove in it.;
there was a bed in it; before they put
him in, they asked him which he would
rather do, 60 to an asylum or 60 in theres
he said he would 60 in there; they put
in an ordinary bedstead, and he took it
apart and put it out Of the window: then
they built frame and he wouldn't keep
his bed in that, but threw it out on the
floor; witness has been in the room;
has helped to clean it; there was win
dow at one end of the room and door at
the other, with lattice work Of joist be-
tween it and the hall; in the summer
time the. ventilation was as good as
could be; there was also window in
the hall; in the winter the window had
to be closed; the snow would blow in
there, and he never would close it thu
ventilation was of course not as good
when she was there the room was clean
ed out every day, and he went out two
| or three times q week in the air; hi
sister would take him out anti he would
60 back without any trouble; had tt
coax him little, but didn't need any
force at that time; he did not won't any
body to touch him; never saw hin
violent; they never scolded him, no
punished him; they were kind; ther,
was a time when perhaps if they hat
been little sterner he wouldn't hnv'
broken his furniture, and perhaps Woult
have kept his bed in place; he wa
washed and bathed when she was Their
levery day; his limbs were a little swollen
4 and his sister used to battle his limbs il
salt and water; thinks he was kept clear
as. could be under the circumstances
and his clothes were changed freque ntl.
whenever they were needed; he hat
food whenever he wanted; he would no
generally have the; food which the fan Ill.
| had; he had usually milk porridge CIR
whole pumpkin pie; would throw
away. if only piece; would not ofte
take coffee or tea; when he was first pu
| in there he had all the tobacco he wish
L ed to chew; he stopped of his own az
Icord the stove was in the hall and tn
, sheet-iron lining was around the stow
!, on the joists which divided the hall fron
, the little room, and around the bottom
only; it was not higher than foot tn
] window IN the room had small iro
bars; the family treated him very KING
j ". ELIZABETH DICKINSON.
Subscribed and sworn to before m
! this 18th day of June, A. d. 1888.
i ANTHONY VAN WICK,
i County Judge.