Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-12-13
A PECULIAR CASE.
Mrs. Lavina Harris Sent to
Agnew Asylum.
She Claims Her Relatives Want
Her Money.
The Outcome of Lunacy Commits
siOn's Work Yesterday.
The Result OF Study of spirituaiism.
Mrs. Harris and Her Alleged Pc
culiarities-She Appears
to Be Rational.

Mrs. Lavina M. Harris was adjudged
insane in department one of the supe-
rior court yesterday and ordered COM
mitted to an asylum.
The case is very peculiar one. Mrs.
Harris is widow aged 81 years. She
is native of New York and came to
California about ten years ago from Ne
braska, and during that time has resided
in this city and at San Diego.
She was taken into custody Thursday
evening on complaint sworn to by Po-
lice Officer Fay and the examination
was begun before Judge Smith on Fri
day afternoon. but the matter was con-
tinued until yesterday in order that she
might secure witnesses. The court was
informed that Mrs. Harris possessed q
comfortable fortune and the examina-
ton was gone into with extreme eau
ton.
From all the testimony given in the
case by relatives and friends of Mrs.
Harris it appears that che has fallen
into the clutches of a crowd OF spiritual
lists who have gained so firm hold upon
her that she is constantly haunted and
followed by spirit forms who direct her
movements and instruct her what to do.
Several years ago, they say, -Mrs.
Harris had All attack as a consequence
of the supposed presence OF these
spirits, and at different times since she
has acted as though under the influence
of these invisible forms, which she says
are with her all the time.
Her sister, Mrs. Ellsworth, who re-
sides at San Diego, came here with her
husband to take care OF the unfortunate
woman. She stated yesterday that Mrs.
Harris imagines she has a telephone
wire connected with some portion OF her
body by which she receives messages
from the "clique," as che calls it, that
is constantly with her.
It. was also brought out in evidence
that Mrs. Harris should have about
$4,000, but that within short time
she has drawn nearly $20,0 from the
bank, according to her own statements,
and what she has done with it no one
knows.
Some time ago she took a trip to
Chicago, and while away lost
all the jewelry and money she had with
her. She imagines the ''clique" has 1t
because, she says, che was followed
throughout the entire trip.
Witness stated that upon her arrival
in this city she went to her agents
office, and while there threatened to
draw all her money and burn it and
then kill herself.
Mrs. Harris is well-preserved woman
and talks very nationally, but cannot, it
seems, rid herself of the idea that she is
constantly attended by the spirits. She
talked very clearly to the court and the
examining physicians about her bust
ness affairs, and claimed that her
relatives are DESTROYS of get
ting her money. Several physicians
who examined her yesterday morning
testified that in their opinion she is OF
sound mind, but others disagreed with
them, and after long consultation Drs.
Kierultf and Moore, the doctors sum-
moned to sit as commission, decided
she had better be committed, and the
order was made.
In their report on the case the ply
sicians state that Mrs. Harris has a
suicidal tendency. Mrs. Ellsworth, her
sister, was appointed guardian OF her
person. She will be taken to Agnew
asylum TODAY and her treatment will be
paid for