Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-19
THE ARGUS.
TUESDAY. July 10, 1892.
MISFIT AFFECTION.
Strange Case of Alice Mitchell
and Freda Ward.
A BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE DOCK

On Trial for Murder, the Sequel to q
Most Unnatural Passion-Story of the
GirIhood of the Fair Prisoner and Her
Love for Her Victim, as Told by Her
Counsel I'm Hypothetical Case Sub
mitted to Expert Alienists-Is Alice
Mitchell Insane:
MEEPHIS, July l9.-As the facts in the
celebrated Alice Mitchell Freda Ward case
were uDfolded yesterday in the criminal
court a story was told that not even lola,
in his widest realistic flights into the SEN
sational, and into those things of the earth
earthly, has ever conceived in his mind.
One would think from the history of this
case that new passions have been devel-
oped in the human organism, and that in
their force they draw humanity into the
commission of acts which are so unreal as
to appear supernatural but for certain
revolving circumstances attending them.
Her Old Father a Witness.
Alice Mitchell is 10 years old, fair of face
and figure, fresh looking and self-pos-
sessed. Yesterday morning her aged
father, Robert Mitchell, tottered to the
witness stand and told the story of her,
his and his wife's life, emitting no details,
and drawing from the family closet all the
skeletons and exhibiting them before the
gaze of a curious and motley crowd. The
deepest family secrets were revealed. The
memory Of some brought tears to the old
mans eyes; he was convulsed with emo
ton. But this daughter of his looked
coldly at him and was unconcerned as
If she were an idle spectator. and not one
for whom a desperate battle was being
fought to save her neck from q halter.
Submitted IA Hypot he teal Case.
The fathers story is similar to the
Hypothetical story of the life of Alice, in
which her infatuation for Freda Ward
and the killing is told. This case was
submitted to some of the most eminent
physicians in the country, and they were
asked their opinion as to the subjects
sanity. Alice Mitchell, is the subject.
The case was submitted to Dr. BeIot. of
Paris; DIR. Hammond, Washington, and
DIR. Calendar, superintendent of the in
sane asylum of this state.
Her Mother Mentally Unbalanced.
The following is synopsis: Her father,
Robert Mitchell, married Ellen Scott, of
Pennsylvania, in 1856. During her first
pregnancy she was the subject of men tai
alienation, both before and after the birth
of her child. After its birth she was taken
to the insane asylum at Fulton, Mo-,
where she remained two months and re-
covered. The day she returned home Il
message was received informing her that
her baby had died an hour before her ar
rival. Her condition then became almost
as bad as it was before her Incarceration.
She conceived an idea that her step
daughter would try to Kill her child the
second born, and it was necessary to send
this girl away. Alice Is her eighth child
Before the birth she exhibited some signs
of mental alteration.
Boyish Pastimes of Alice.
One of Miss Mitchell's brothers was in
sane. was also one of her uncles and
several of her cousins. Alice from child
took no delight in the pastimes of girls.
AT four years of age, she spent much time
in a swing performing such feats as
@skinniug the cat" climbing trees and
hanging by the arm and leg. She de-
lighted in marbles, tops and base ball, be-
ing a member of a chIldrens' ball ball club.
Later on she practiced target shooting.
She was fond of horses and took great de-
light i'll feeding them and riding bare
back, boy fashion. She would not learnto
sew or wash. She unmusical and
was unequal in the manifestation of affec-
tion. She had no intimate acquaintance
or child sweethearts.