St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-13
LIKE A WILD BEAST.
Horrible Treatment Of An Insan
Girl.

Horrible Treatment OF An Insane
Girl.
Mt. Carmel PENN Special.
Insane and shut in cellar, to be kept
out of the way, is the story of Amelia
Shehnskie. The police authorities
made the revolving discovery last night,
and Amelia's step-mother was arrested
and placed under bail. According to
the testimony of those who examined
the girl when she was taken to the
county aims house, she has suffered
frightful treatment. DR.. SamuelS says
that her mind is gone. Her appearance
resembled that of wild beast more
than human being.
John SheShinskie came 10 this town
from Warsaw perhaps eighteen years
ago, bringing with him two sons, An
tt!hony and John, and Amelia, then a
little girl three years old. The wife and
mother was dead. But soon after set
thing in home on the mountain here
SheShinskie remarked. While build
ing new double house five years ago
he died.
Amelia was then an intelligent, ODE
dent and exceedingly comely-looking
girl. When the fathers coffin was put
down in the grave Amelia's happiness
seemed to be buried with it. The per-
secutlonS began and grew more terrible
until Amelia was driven into damp
cellar beneath her fathers cellar raw
ing maniac.
The double house was finished. The
brothers married, and Amelia and the
Step-mother lived with a brother-in-law.
1t was not long, however, until rumOrS
OF ill-treatment were heard, and the girl
went to live with her brother John.
From there she went in short time to
the other brothers house. At last she
came back to live once more with the
step-mother, Mrs. Sheshinskie. The
dwelling stands in a portion of the bor-
Ough known as GooSetown. 1t is a
Polish colony, and few English-speak-
ing people live there.
For the past twelve months the neigh
bors say they have heard at frequent in
tervals strange noises in the SheShinskie
, home. Horrible screams, grOanS and
wild shrieking laughter have been heard.
These are commingled with curses and
oaths at times. The neighbors grew I'M
easy, but no one liked to interfere.
-Four weeks ago it was said that the
girl was horribly beaten, and James
Manney had warrant sworn out for
the arrest of Mrs. Sheshinskie. When
the officers of the law went to the house
ana inquired Tor the girl, the STEP
mother led them down into a cellar
underneath the house. 1t was dark and
damp. What light came through a
window revealed fearful spectacle.
Amelia crouched against the wall as
If frightened by any ones approach.
Her face was black with coal dirt. Her
hair, matted with filth, was hanging
down her back. Her eyes were sunken
deep in her head. Her lips were GOV.
cred with froth. A foul-Smelling dress
skirt and an old flour bag scantily
clothed her body. The filthy surround
ings and her own condition made her
look inhuman.
AT one side of the cellar deep cav
ern had been dug into the black dirt,
evidently by the insane girl. Into this
little cave she retreated when the Of
ficers wefit into her prison. When she
was taken out and placed in the aims
house thorough examination was
made. Marks and scars covered her
whole body. On her face was a fright
full scar. Amelia said her stepmother
had put hot stove lid against it and
burned her face. She herself tells other
stories of cruelties practiced upon her.
A crust of bread was her meal.