Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-25
A LIFE IN ASYLUMS.
Members of an Anti-Kidnaping So
ciety Trying to Prove That
MARY E. LEWIS IS NOT INSANE
She Claims to Be the Victim of Con-
spiracy of Relatives.
SEVERAL EXPERTS UNABLE TO AGREE

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.J
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Dec. 24.-The exam
ination in the case of Mary E. Lewis, who,
it is alleged, is improperly detained in the
private lunatic asylum at Amityville, L. l.,
and who was brought before Judge Cullen
in the Supreme Court in this city yesterday,
on writ of habeas corpus, was continued
to-day. Miss Lewis is 48 years old and the
daughter of Thomas Lewis. retired mer-
chant of 5S2 Lexington avenne, New York.
The habeas corpus proceedings were lnsti-
tuted bv D. Clarissa Lathrop and Mrs. E.
L. Demarest, representing the Lunacy Law
Reform League and the Anti-Kidnaping
Union, who alleged that Miss Lewis was
not fit subject for a lunatic asylum.
Miss Lewis was examined by Judge Gull
len, and testified that when Is wears old she
had brain fever, and when % years old
severe attack of typhoid fever, followed
by meningitis. Since then she had spent
most of her time in asylums. She was first
sent to Bloomingdale, then to an asylum at
Morris Plain, N. j., where she spent nearly
II years, and afterward to an asylum in
Philadelphia In November last she was
committed to the Long Island home at
Amityville. She was a passenger on the
City of Washington when that vessel was
wrecked on the coast of Nova Scotia.
Miss Lewis Claims a Conspiracy.
Miss Lewis said she had been delicate all
her life, but perfectly sane, and that her
sister. Rosetta, had conspired to get her out
of the way. A few days after her removal
to Amityville she wrote to Mrs Lathrop to
have the present proceedings instituted.
xl1k ~ l,nl
times been driven to use forcible language.
Mr.. Lewis. the father of Miss Lewis, is
nearly 80 years old. He testified that his
daughter had no means of her own, and
was entirely dependent on him for her sup
port. He had been in the habit of bringing
her home from the asylums when her condi-
tion justified it. So long as the weather
was fine and they could take her to places OF
amusement, she was tractable, but if the
day was rainy she became violent and
noisy. When her brothers baby cried
she made loud noise, and they did not dare
to speak to her. If witness remained with
her she would say it was ascheme.
Some Of the vagaries of the Lady.
On one occasion she came from Brooklyn
without an attendant. and became so violent
that she was never allowed out again with
out a nurse. She would not consent to
remain at home in charge of nurse. She
wanted companion of her own selection,
and she never exhibited any repugnance to
return to the asylum.
The sister and brother of Miss Lewis gave
similar testimony. The presence of the
housekeeper in Mr.. Lewis family in the
court room seemed to have an exciting
effect upon Miss Lewis, for she looked to-
ward her with flashing eyes and addressed
her angrlly.
The hearing was interrupted for short
time for the purpose of giving DR.. John B.
HAYDEN and DR.. Douglass an opportunity to
examine Miss Lewis in the ante-room, so as
to testify as.to her present mental condition.
The examination was conducted in the
presence OF Mrs. Lathrop DR.. HAYDEN
testified that he considered Miss Lewis in
sane, but admitted that be based his opinion
partly on the history of the case as it was
given to him by the Medical Superintendent
Of the Amityv lille Asylum. DR.. Douglass
testified that he was undecided in his
opinion, the presence of Mrs. Lathrop and
her. Interruptions having prevented him
from making q careful inquiry.
Slightly Excited, but Not Incoherent
Miss Lewis was then recalled to the stand
bv Judge Cullen, and again related the his
tory of her long Incarceration in asylums.
Her statement was substantially the same
that she had already given. Her manner
was slightly excited, but she was entirely
coherent.
When Dr. Douglass was recalled and
asked his opinion as to Miss Lewis mental
condition from his observation of her on
the witness stand he admitted that her
statement did not indicate insanity.
Judge Cullen appointed DR.. John G.
Shaw, former Medical Superintendent of the
Flatbush Insane Asylum and an expert in
mental diseases, to examine Miss Lewis and |
report next Wednesday, to which time the
hearing was adjourned. Miss Lewis will in
the meanwhile remain in the custody of
Mrs. Lathrop and Mrs. Demorest.