Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-07
A WOMAN'S APPEAL
For Relief From TOrtures of
the Mind or Body.
HER LIFE ONE OF MISERY.
She Declares Suicide Preferable to a
Home in DiXmont.
A PITEOUS CRY FOR ASSISTANCE

Yesterday piteous appeal for relief'from
the insane asylum at Dixnont was received
BY the Humane Society. The letter was
addressed to Agent 0'Brien, and ran as
follows:
DEAR SIR-Act quietly on this appeal, and
bring my husband with you. L cannot stand
this another hour. have begged and pleaded
for mercy from them all, and they said yester'
day that all that would end my misery would
be dose Of poison. They say they are fixing
me for my husband to take me home. If cry
and beg for mercy they lock me up and pull
my hair out of my head, and have given me SO
much poison tnat am in so much torture that
it is martyrdom. You will have to act quickly,
for cannot stand this abuse another day. My
husband thinks they are kind to me, and does
not dream OF the truth, although have written
and written to him. If he knew, he would go
wild, and would make all parties suffer to the
full extent of the law.
FEELS LIKE NEEDLES.
mo one can stand this feeling of torture, as il
needles were all over your flesh. They use car
bolic acid on me. One could not stand it. even
if they were insane. No tongue or pen in the
universe can describe my feelings. When my
husband was here would have told him all,
but he had drink or two in him. AS matter
of course they had lied 10 him, and l could
convince him of nothing, If you have the
least bit of humanity give this your first atten-
tion and believe him not Compel him to come
at once and put me even in prison, where 1t
word be palace to this place. There must be
law preventing the torture in which they
have put me. They say here that they Will not
send for my husband, and that they intend to
experiment more on me.
my ewes all prick me where DR.. - rubbed
poison on them, and all over my face. MIS-
and Miss - held me. DR.. - said he had
given me enough poison to kill five women. 1t
only put me in the most terrible torture. II
something is not done at once l will have TO
commit suicide to end it. For heavens sake
get me free at once, SO that can tell my story
before it is too late. Ny father is very wealthy,
and he would punish them to the full extent OF
the law. Such martyrdOm never existed on
earth.
II sent you a letter yesterday that 1 Snug
gled out through friend l hope you will give
it your earliest attention. cannot sit or stand
quiet for the terrible burning, and the green
poi son they put on me makes 1t worse God
knows this will have to end somehow as l am
driven distracted.
AS SHE SEES IT.
'If the cruelty and tyranny that was practiced
here was brought before the public it would
bring the world to symparhize with the in
mates. But it is only my own case wish to
draw attention to- as that is all 1 am able to do
now. Attend to this at once, and do not be-
heve my husband. My suffering is worthy of
attention. In addition to that, there is the in.
heartless attendants. They have Dragged that
they are experimenting on me for the sake of
medical science, and want to see how long 4
human being can live in such torture. Give
this your immediate attention. Praying you
may be successful, remain the most miserable
wretch in existence"
Agent O'Brien yesterday afternoon called
upon the husband of the writer OF the letter.
and had a talk with him. The husband SAID
that his wife was sent to the asylum on August
p 1889, as a private patient. She was exam
lned, he said, by two East End physicians, who
recommended her commitment The woman,
he says, is subject to hallucinations, and has
suicidal tendencies. Her father is a prominent
and wealthy physician of Philadelphia. Until
q few years ago he was a resident Of this city.
further to-day, it being his intention to call
upon the physicians who recommended the
woman's committaL
DOCTORS SAY SHE'S INSANE.
Dr.. ]. S. Nelan. one of the physicians who
treated the lady previous to her being placed in
Dixmont, states that there is no doubt of her
insanity. She was repeatedly calling upon HIM
in reference to her imagined Affections. Her
most peculiar hallucinations were that her
touch was poisonous and that snakes and worms
were crawling under her skin in proof of which
she would point to the blue veins the back
of her hands. He treated her for six months
and knows beyond question her actual con-
dition. He also AYERS that pronounced streak
of insanity taints her whole family. Several
he could mention, one in particular, sister
has been confined in Dixmont for the last 20
years, but be refrains from mentioning names
on account of her relatives who are vell-known
ard highly connected in Philadelphia. DR..
Nelan particularly requests a visit by the
Humane Society's representatives if they wish
to secure further information in the case.