Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-21
A PLEA OF INSANITY
To Be Entered by the Relatives of
Miss Josephine Madison,
THE SLAYER OF JOHN HOBBS.
Her Father Claims That She Was the Vic
tim of Brain Trouble.
THE POLICE GIVE HER A HARD NAME

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 20.-Insanity is
likely to be the defense that will he set up
by the family of Josephine Madison, the
young WOMAN who killed John Hobbs,
Saturday afternoon. at Powleton avenue
station, afterward attempting to kill Com
modore Hendricks. his companion, and her.
self.
DR.. Samuel A. Henszey, who has been
the Madison family physician for years,
stated to-day that until three months ago he
treated Miss Madison for nervous prostra-
tion and melancholia, "Her physical, as
well as her mental condition." said DR..
Henszey, "was, during my treatment, ex-
tremely feeble, and besides these complaints
she was, her father himself told me, con-
frmed monomaniac. Mr.. Madison, in or
der to keep her from associating with her
husband, James, the medium, even went to
the length of sustaining a separate estab-
lishment, where he lived in utter seclusion
with his daughter until about a year ago.
A Sad Christmas for the Father.
IT saw the old gentleman to-day, at his
residence, and he was almost prostrated.
This will be a sad Christmas for me DOCTOR
he said. He has been always kind and
indulgent father, and his daughters be-
havior has been a source of terrible grief to
him. I do not think" DR.. Henszey con-
cluded, "that the woman was sane when
she murdered Hobbs"
The residence of the dead man to-day was
filled constantly by mass of his many
friends who visited his parents throughout
the entire day.
night, "has tormented my brother for the
last five years. Hundreds of times she has
called at our house in pursuit OF him, and
once she even asked my mother to let her
live with u.s. She has waited for him on
the streets, sent countless messages for him
to the house, and, in short, made his life
very hades on earth by her constant hound
ing.
''Once before" he concluded, "she drew a
revolver upon my brother and threatened to
shoot him. He wrenched the weapon from
her hands in time to save himself. Her
object in pursuing him was to compel him
to elope with her. His refusal to do this
was, 1 am positive, her reason for killing
him.
Tough Testimony Of Policeman.
A police officer, who happened to be pass
ing the Hobbs residence at this period,
stopped to hear the conversation, and ex-
claimed: "Why, that woman has always
been disorderly character. Five or six
times 1 have found her drunk on the streets
and been restrained from arresting her only
through respect for her family"
Edward Hobbs, Sr., the dead mans
father, said to-day that he was positive no
love affair ever existed between his son and
Miss Madison. "My boy pitied her forlorn
condition" he exclaimed, "and often gave
her money and took her home when she
claimed, as she often did, that her father
had driven her away. She has called here
time out of mind to see John, has sent mes
Eengers to see him by the score, and has
waylaid him at every street corner. In re-
gard to her insanity" he concluded, 'T
sw ear she was not insane, and she shall an
swer for this murder as sane human being
must"
The Mellison residence was closed to all
reporters, to-day, and no infor-
nation could be cleaned from that quarter
in regard to the girls past life or the de-
tense that will be set up.
The Murderess Resting Easy.
Josie Madison was conveyed late last
night, after her written statement of her
motive in numbering Hobbs had been taken
bv Chief Wood at the Central station, to
prison, where she is now
locked up. No one has as vet visited her,
but her condition, it was stated tonight, is
very good. She is not at all prostrated,
and no physician is attending her. District
Graham, who at present is holding
her statement, refuses to make it public.
A post mortem examination will be made
tomorrow at the Hobbs residence, and the
inquest will also take place tomorrow.