New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-11
THRUST INTO AN ASYLUM.
MISS ANNA DIcK1NsoN's STARTLING STORY
THE BRILLIANT LECTURER CHARGES HEf
SISTER WITH AN ATTEMPT TO IMMURE
HER IN HOSPITAL FOR
THE INSANE

months ago her friends were shocked D! Vc pun
lshed report that Miss Dickinson had been aoluueeo
insane and committed to an asylum in DanVhie rem
Now she comes from DR.. scwards Home for lhvalns
at Goshen " " and has authorized the bringing
of a suit for false imprisonment II such an acuoh
is brought the chief defendant will be Miss Dickinson
sister, Miss Susan Dickinson. whom she charges WIZ.
the planning and carrying out Oh Conspiracy '"
deprive her Of her liberty.
Briefly Miss DickinsOn's story Is that on FEBRUARY
o. 1891 she was brutally dragged from her nome
in Pttston Penn, under the most humiliatng crcum-
stances by men acting at the nstgataon OF her sscr
She asserts that she was then and is now perlectS
sane and that, without examination or oppor'uhl!
of securing aid she taken 10 the insane asylum al
Danville. where for than five weeks she was
subjected 10 inhuman treatment On April she
was removed, under her sisters direction, 10 DE-
Stewards home at Goshen, where shc says IL was
thought she could be kept with less opportunity lor
relief than at the public institution at Danville III
Seward, however, became convinced OF her SAMMY
Investigated her statements, and finally accompanies
her to this city TO aid her, If possible, In securing
legal redress. DR.. Seward says he VIII STAKE HIS
professional reputation Miss Dcknson's sanity.
The commitment papers under which Miss Dckn-
son was sent 10 the asylum were dated FEBRUARY 10
1891 In them il said that Anna Elizabeth DICK
nson "lecturer and actress" had been examined AT
banville and at West PittSton and had been found
insane @reQuiring her commitment to ali establish
ment for the insane" The papers were seneu Dy Dts
G. Underwood, of Pttston, and james Ogesoy' Oh
Danville and were certified before James Mantamo'
Justice Of the peace in Luzerne County, rem. a"
order for tho reception Of the patient addressed to the
Danvile Hospital for The Insane, was signed by DIS.
7 & Courtwr,ght and j. s. Hilcman. The statement
attached 10 the order gave the symptoms OF MISS DICK
uson's insanity to be decisions and e1usa OF Ioou
and medicine" and said that her med'cal atuehta's
durinc the last two years lad been Thomas NJ john
son, of Ptston; S. L. Agar, OF No. '2o broau-st''
N
On the same day. February 25 after MISS DICKINSON
had been committed to the Danvlle Asylum, the fol
lowing certificate was signed by Dr. ;. g schhN' inc
SUPERINTENDENT of the institution nave uii1 uaS
seen and personally examined Anna T. Dickinson oe
patient mentioned IN the above notice (oi a"iiSSon
TO the hospital and hereby certify that WIFI TsPe'e
TO mental condition she has MANIA ana WIN rcSpc''
IN hodilv health and condition, II is unimpaired"
While in the asylum at Danville Miss Dickinson
vrote, on such bits Ct paper as she could accuma-
late a letter containing statement OF her case ~
Howe & Hummel, of this city. The etter bears h'aNS
of feversh haste and apparent difficulty OF comhuh
cation with the outside world. 1t was as follows;
state Hospital for Insane,
DanyilIe Penn, March II, 1891.
Gentlemen: There appeared to De some CURIOUS OeS
misunderstanding and play at cross purposes a NOUN
ago, in regard TO my suit against inc Nauonai
can COminlttee-in your hands Whatever was dC
fault then, may be found 70 be 50 nov, ~ d icaT
solution OF the mystery OF my Journey " anu hi'
SO many matters in my life have been mared ioF
me by the explanations aud interference OF others anu
prominently OF one other, that must Geb ?V tn ~
suspend Judgment yourselves III you see me- aha t INK
mar YOU viii then that, with my light there mas
been something amiss at the other emu OF the nne,
tho doubt not that too VIII be eApaneo ~ s"|iT s
faction one thing Is certain. IL lad frankly tolu
You long ago that while have not been well, have
more than once delayed coming 10 sraid if die
lose my suit, would not have the money TO pay you,
been clearer between us; But as Laurence stone Se
hath it, Disguise 1t as thou Wilt stu r2VerS1 saS
Il Without insomnia and without nervous prostItl-
ton" III the place called my home oo mo- ode y "
than etnslon~aa low besides should have expected
sEu s'i 1 Interest in such an affair
If were put face to face with an audience now
iSinr Sn q ought M to now and could tell II Om
sOundness Of head, iron of heart better taa Dy any
dues aud thereby Go what have long both desired ana
needed to do -. a., ., ,ho. ,,o, will os
sumo the care Of the cause since 1T is one n0t oi
dollars ana cents, but of a life. / have written Written
sary papers from Philadelphia on tie sqpp0slton INA,
You will accept them Ana IS see by f part 3 se see
%, OF Lunacy law this letter can Otherwise be IN.
definitely reaned as my teegTs 10 SS MAR Willie
was in my room in Plttston with the KEY
turned attending to my Own ana mass 1u OF prvats
papers, sorted and nnsor d. on the Moor (way Jae
door locked shall be related Gf d the 0c a6 w nd
one woman. part known, part unknown. A young
physician, who seems 10 Know niue o. meulcle Ihu
was his aunt--since am not acquainted win hcr
cannot vouch for the statement but would Ike TO hane
but his name and who never spoke with me save as ne
stood for moment in my open doorway a hesno9 9
and small shopkeeper; the agent OF my sisters
landlord ths agents chief distinction being that ne IS
and now the female of his police speech sends
greeting and who announced that he assumed all re
eenonsibtv for what was done; man never seen be
thop IN
these supplemented at the tram by yet announcer hesh
w NV hands and arms were wrenched till they were
bruised and the blood oozng through re pore Co. Al
Sufficient underclothing an old autumn wrap thrown
around inc, straw hat put on my unbr1shed halr,
pitched down the stairway dny sister and her insoen
and dangerous Welsh servant woman, who also has
nlayed and is 10 play further In this miserably done
farce tragedy nowhere in sgh and into the carriage
All my worldly possessions my garments my few
nscrpts we're left absolutely at the mercy Of those left
h t s 5hs W 0e Sbse SG'' yonS man Who
left tile train few miles down the road leaSiy
Sg I6 N ms PaG rsa T 20 p mt e With
phone speech OF the Western Union agent at Pttston
hg% Who had been II will stop cannot
tell the tale in this fashion, and what need ! know
and have been refused any Information. Neither has
there been any pretenee Of medical examinaton
The how Of my coming can be told you later,
" Directly after reaching here wrote kilograms to
Of Los Angeles CAL and to t1O Others. Evidently
which makes the head of such place this more alb
solue than the Garland / have been without any
day few back number newspapers have been
placed where ! could see that some one had kindly
notified the public that ] i'll: that was in an
insane asylum. that sunk in sllent stupor, or
iot i'm some slouGht OF despOnd that had been sent
here by tho toner's of the Poor of the borough
Of West Pitston, with more of the same ink y has
needless 10 answer any Of this stuff what want 10
know is who put nc here When You know that,
think you viii speedy find the means to take me
have not talked since have been here. needed
nv strength 10 observe aud 70 live, but ! have
listened 10 what has been said to me. The most i'm
poian sentence have heard from the superintendent
was when / wished 10 communicate with my brother
Do You not wish to write TO yonr sister y How
do yon know ] have sistcr7" asked. Oh yes
we know you have q sister, was the reply. 30 then
think we reached here the kernel OF the nut;
II as ] judge my sister is IN this matter she
has brought at last 10 issue the straight and
awful test Of sanity between be IT, but let it be