Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-28
A Young Woman's Most Pitt.
able Condition.
The Explanation ola Mysterious
Local Incident.
Identity of the Woman Who Jumped
from the Train at Glendale.
Mrs. George and Her Mania for Liquor.
A Habit Which Has Become
Mania-Drunk on the
Streets.

from the northbound train at Glendale
on September 9th may be remembered.
The woman was in company with two
we'll known young men about town at
the time. The affair was shrouded in
mystery, which the following story taken
from the San Francisco Chronicle of
Thursday will somewhat explain. The
young woman referred to is quite well
known in this city.]
The pitiable sight OF young woman
being taken to the receiving hospital
under the influence OF liquor attracted
much attention yesterday afternoon.
She was dressed very we'll and neatly,
and her general manner was that OF
person of refinement. Though not
staggering from the effects Of the liquor
which she had taken, she gave evidence
of intoxication in her wild speech. She
stated that her name was Mrs. George;
that her husband was in England, and
that as she had nothing to live for she
had attempted to commit suicide by
jumping from ferry boat. After say
ing that much the police authorities
would not let her speak any more, and
refused to give any information regard
ing the unfortunate, except to state
that she was OF very wealthy English
family, but strongly addicted to drink.
A Chronicle reporter learned that the
young woman was Mrs. Josephine
George, and that she was the step
daughter of E. G. Clarke, wealthy resi-
dent OF this city, but now in England.
Mrs. Georges husband is a young Eng
lishman having prominent govern
ment position in Japan. Though but 26
years OF age, Mrs. George has been ad.
dicted to the inordinate use of liquor
many years, having acquired strong
desire for it while young. She has been
in the Home of the Inebriate several
times and has been placed in nearly all
of the reform institutions in this state
and about all of the converts in this city,
as we'll as St. Mary's hospital. She
strives hard when not under the influ-
ence of whisky to keep from taking any
liquor, but cannot help doing so when
not closely watched by others.
About year ago, when she was being
taken to the Whittier reform school in
Los Angeles county, Mrs. George
jumped from the train when it was in
motion, and was severely injured. The
matter was hushed up on account OF the
Vi ucT COLucCIlOu5s
About eight or nine months ago Mrs.
Georges sister was married in this city
to an Englishman of rank. Mrs.
ebriate at the time, but was quietly
taken by DR.. Jewell OF the home to the
marriage and then back again. The
cause Of MRS. George being in so many
different institutions is her own uncon-
trollable desire for liquor. If under its
influence she causes much trouble and
when sober her actions and demands
for liquor make her unbearable, though
she is lady-like in the extreme. She
becomes insane while intoxicated, and
is almost the same when desiring it.
About two months ago Mr.. and Mrs.
F.. G. Clarke, the parents Of the young
lady, who lived at the Marechal Mel.
404 Ellis street, left for England, and
placed Mrs. George in the Wolfe pri-
vate asylum at Napa for safe keeping
until their return. About two weeks
ago she escaped from there and came to
this city, going to the residence OF Mr..
and Mrs. Smith of 127 Turk street,
whose daughter Mrs. George had met
at one OF the converts in which she
had been placed. There she was we'll
taken care of for week and completely
sobered up. Last Thursday, however, she
went out, saying that she would visit
some friends. She did not return. Mrs.
Smith knew that Mrs. George had the
habit of hiring rooms and sending mes
sengers out for bottles of whisky. Then
she would lie abed for days, eating
nothing and drinking continuously.
Mrs. Smith searched for Mrs. George
but could not find her.
Mrs. George was seen at the prison
hospital last evening by Chronicle
reporter and said that the suicide story
was without foundation. She said that
for the past week she had been going
from place to place drinking all the
time, and not eating anything. She
said she had been taken to the hospital
from the Office OF a prominent hypnotist
by a detective. She begged most
piteously to be let out, making promises
not to drink any more. Her sad case
was too well known to permit this, as
several times Officer Anthony has been
summoned by her parents to hunt her
up when she would disappear. Not
withstanding her dissipation Mrs.
George has no other stain on her char
acter. The drinking seems to excite
her brain and to keep it excited, as she
never sleeps for days when under the
influence of intoxicants,