Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-08-29
Insane in Church.

The members of the congregation o.
the Catholic church of the Sacred
Hear, at Mount Washington, Md,
were abruptly aroused from their devo-
tions yesterday by one of the lady
members becoming suddenly violently
insane, causing great excitement among
the members, andan untimely ending OF
the services. The unfortunate young
woman whose mind gave away is Miss
Jennie O'Connell. She had learned to
know nearly all the wealthy residents
of the little town, and during the at
tack caused one member of we'll
known Maryland family, and who is a
wealthy business man OF Baltimore, no
little embarrassment by questioning
him before the congregation. The
eight o'clock mass, celebrated by Rev.
Father DeWoltf, was nearing the end.
The priest had just read the last gospel,
closed the service book and was about
to begin q short sermon, when Miss
O'Connell leaped to her feet, and,
turning squarely around, facing the
congregation, said to the gentleman, so
that everybody could hear hear: you
had better go home to your wife" The
worshipers were Immediately thrown
into a state of confusion by this start
ling interruption, but the gentleman
addressed remained cool and made no
response, but his countenance showed
his embarrassment. The young lady
then directed her attention to other
members, but her sentences were so in
coherent and without meaning, the pco-
pie saw she had become insane.
After several of the male members
had entreated her to keep quiet, but
without avail, Father De Wolff turned
about at the altar and said, Madame,
sit down" Miss O'Connell then turn
ed on the priest and made several
meaningless expressions. By this time
the excitement in the little church was
intense. The woman had become vio-
lent, and there was every indication
that her mind was unbalanced. She
stamped on the floor and her face as
sumed q wild expression. Seated in
the rear of the church was Policeman
Dennis Starr. When he saw that the
woman would not be quoted, he went
up the aisle and endeavored to soothe
her, asking her at the same time to
leave the church. Hrr answer was,
"No, won't leave here, and you won't
take me, either, unless you tear my
clothes off, The woman then braced
herself with her feet against the side of
the pew and waited developments.
The policeman and another man by
force picked her up and carried her out
of the church. All the way down the
aisle and on the outside also the wo-
man fought fiercely to release herself,
and by so doing took off the watch
chain of the policeman and scratched
his hands considerably. 1t was found
necessary to lock her up, and she was
placed in cell in the station house.
After the cell door was closed Miss
OConnel quoted down, and sat mo-
tionless for over an hour. She was
taken to Baltimore later in the morn
ing and handed over to her relatives.
Her attack is said to be the result of
typhoid fever, from which she suffered
some months ago. Father De Wolff,
the pastor of the church, had like ex-
perience with an insane woman some
years ago when pastor of another
small Catholic Church in the western
part of Maryland. While he was oele=
brating high mass woman deliberate
" left her pew, walked up the aisle
and took q seat within the sanctuary
rail, Requests to yacate had no effect,
and she, too, had to be carried from
the church.