Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-29
THE SCHEME WHICH FAILED.
Attempt to Send a Sane Woman
to an Insane Asylum.
Mrs. Mary Ann Wheeler the Subject
of Annoying Inquiry.
The Jury in the Morris Seduction Caso
Fail to Agree-Court Notss.
New Suits Filed Yes
terday.

At II 80 O'Clock yesterday morning
little group of people assembled il
Judge Clark's court room, cast curiou
glances at an elderly, well-dressed lady
who sat apart from everybody.
Drs. Cochran and Wernigk came intt
the court room, and Judge Clark takin,
seat at the table in front of the bench
the sitting resolved itself into an exam
ination of charge of insanity made
against the elderly lady. Mrs. Mary Ann
Wheeler, by Mrs. William Burghardt.
Mrs. Burghaidt was sworn, as we'll az
several other Witnesses, and che was
asked to make a statement, which she
did in a deprecating way, as If she did
not wish to injure the patient. The wit
ness was a nervous little woman, and
spoke very low. She said that Mrs.
Wheeler lives in house next to her
own, and has acted 30 queerly of late
that che had become afraid to be alone
in her home. She had threatened IA
kill her boy, and had gone into Mrs.
Hyde's house and whipped her children.
This she knew, because Mrs. Wheeler
had told her about it. She acted in a
queer manner, that was the burden of
Mrs. Burghardt's testimony. She had
seen her talking to herself, and believed
that she would certainly do some injury
II she was not restrained. She denied
that she had had any quarrel with Mrs.
Wheeler. When asked if her boy had
done anything to Mrs. Wheeler to cause
her to say what she did to him, she hes
itatingly replied that he might have
madedun OF her hat.
At this point the examining board dis.
pensed with Mrs. Burghardt and had
the defendant take seat by them. She
had sat very patiently without uttering
q word while the lady was testifying,
but as soon as she began to speak it was
seen that the prosecution was either q
very malicious one against an estimable
lady, or that Mr.. and Mrs. Burghardt
had been wofully deceived by their son
IN his accounts of Mrs. Wheeler's ac-
tions.
Mrs. Wheeler gave clear and COM
prehensive account of her life, and |
while naturally excited over the charges |
against her, defended herself in an ex-
tremely refined way and without anv |
display OF temper.
She gave her age as between 80 and |
- SssASy ssAN n0Au VIM 6uo CduAS tO LOB
Angeles in 1886. Before coming to Los
Angeles she taught in the public schools
OF San Francisco for l3 years, and had
been school teacher for 80 years past.
Her health gave way in San Francisco,
where ste was teaching in the Golden
Gate eehool, and she was given a years
leave OF absence. She and her husband
came to Los Angeles, where che went
INTO business aud established her health.
She conducted the Hollenbeck until che
was crowded out by the addition of two
stories to 1T, and then took the Argyle
on west Sec nd street, where she re-
malned until the water undermined the
house and her business was destroyed.
The hotel was sold by the sheriff. Mrs.
Wheeler's husband died in this city and
The had been living alone ever since.
She rented house from Mrs. Burg
hardt's sister, who wanted to 20 east,
md she paid her two months rent in
ADVANCE or the lady could not have
zone.
In regard to the charges by Mrs.
Burghardt she said that her life had
,eep made miserable by that woman's
-l-year-old son, who was leading spirit
With other boys. They did all manner
II tricks to annoy her, from making fun
u an old hat she wore in her garden, to
lhooting her chickens. There was a
ive-foot fence around her back yard
where she had the chickens, and the
boys would lift dogs over the fence to
worry the poultry. Naturally she be-
;ame indignant and told them several
lines to quit their mischief. One
evening, after putting dog out once or
vice, she told the boys if they did it
my more she would shoot them. On
me occasion they opened her door and
hrust in large dog, while she was eat
ng her dinner.
As to being up at night, she said it
vas true, but it was her own business,
he thought. She was frequently sick
It night, and got up to take foot baths.
Mrs. Burghardt was loath to let 90,
md leaned over to DR.. Cochran, telling
him that Mrs. Wheeler's mother and
ther relations had been insane. Upon
icing asked about this, the lady said it
vas not go. Her mother had been queer
Turing the later years of her life, but
lone OF her relations were ever in an in !
ane asy ium. She said she has brother,
dr. Button, living at Wslla Walla, re-
pected gentleman, and that 7. D. Slim
on OF this city could vouch for her state
nents.
Judge Clark brought the examination
ummarily to close at this point by
skiing the physicians if they desired
my further testimony. They at once I
eplied that they did not, and the lady {
vas discharged. She fingered about the
'ourt room few minutes, seeming
'reatly relieved from the strain. she had :
'een laboring under to narrate her per-
onal history in the face of the. specta-
ors, who were strangers to her, and at ,,
irst looked at her in the curious fashion
'eople do at those whom they think are
lemented.
NEARLY ACQUITTED.