Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-16
TRIPLETs AND ALL CRAZY.
Doctors mt Bellevue Surprised By the
Bassett SfsterS.

Bassett Sisters.
What the doctors at Bellevue Hospital,
New York, regard as one Of the most pecu-
har cases in the history of lunacy was re-
ported at the hospital the other day. On
the records of the institution appear the
names Of Elizabeth Bassett, thirty-fve
years old and Susan Bassett, thirty-fv
years DID, Brooklyn. On the records Of st.
Johns Hospital. Brooklyn. appears the
name Of Millie Bassett. thirty-hvs years old.
Brooklyn.
The three women are triplets and are SUI
fering from insanity. says the New York
Sun About six weeks ago Annie and Ellen
Taylor. twin sisters. were admitted into
the insane pavilion at Bellevue Hospital.
The case of the Bassett women is the first
on record at the hospital where triplets have
been discovered to be crazy at the same
time.
Late last Friday afternoon Susan and
Elizabeth Bassett walked into Bellvue Hos
pital, and Susan requested a private inter-
view with DR.. Wallace, the examining ply
stefan. She introduced herself, and said she
feared that her sister Elizabeth was hope
lessly insane. She had tried to hide the
truth from herself, but had finally eonsid-
cred 1t her duty to take Elizabeth to the
hospital.
DR.. Wallace had talk with Elizabeth. A
Few moments conversation convinced him
that Susan's Judgment had been correct.
He diagnosed the case as one of imbeciity,
and told Miss Bassett to take her sister
down stairs to the reception room There
Registrar Green took the crazy woman
name and address and assigned an attend
ant to lead the new patient to the insane
ward. Susan insisted on accompanying Ter
sister to see that Elizabeth was comfortably
provided for.
When the two uoroap ontarad bo Tn az a
pavilion susan began to explain to Dr..
Douglass, the physician in charge, the ma
ture OF her sisters ailnent. She talked
nationally at first, but finally became very
excited and began to be incoherent. The
doctor watched her closely, and then, to the
establishment OF the nurses and attendant Is.
said:
why. this woman Is a good deal crazier
than her sister. / think her history had
better be taken also"
Susan did not seem surprised at the en-
nouneement. She gave her name. age and
address, and added that she was a laun-
dress. She said her nearest friend was Mrs.
Sarah Wood of Brooklyn, and that she had
another sister, Mlllie Bassett, who was con-
fined in St. Johns Hospital, Brooklyn.
The case seemed Of SO much interest that
Q message was sent to Mrs. Wood telling
her that the sisters were at Bellevue Hos
pital When Mrs. Wood received the news
she considered II her duty to inform the
third sister. Millie had been patient for
some weeks at St. Johns Hospital suffer-
ing from a supposed nervous trouble. When
she heard the condition of Susan and Eliza
beth she insisted upon visiting them. The
doctors at St. Johns decided that serious
consequences might arise If the woman
wishes were opposed, and. accompanied by
q physician, she was taken to Bellevue Hos
pital.
In the meantime the other sisters had
been declared insane. and transferred to
the state lunatic asylum. The third sister
was taken to Dr. Wallace, who discovered,
much to his establishment. that she. TOO,
was mt subject for an insane asylum The
Doctor who had her in charge said that she
was all right when she left st. Johns Hos
pital The physicians We're inclined to &C
count for the sudden development of in
sanity In her case on the theory that the
knowledge Of the condition of her sisters
had affected her reason. Mile was taken
to Brooklyn, and will be transferred either
to Bellevue Hospital or to the Flatbush
Asylum.
Mrs. Wood says that the triplets were
porn In New York of Irish parentage. Susan
mas been employed in a laundry in Fulton
street. Brooklyn. Some time ago her hand
was crushed in an ironing machine and its
place was supplied by an artificial member
She has begun a suit against the laundry
company. Until her visit to Bellevue Hos
pitaI on Friday no one suspected that she
s was insane. She was a member of the
Marcy Avenue Baptist Church. Elizabeth
has been weak-minded since her birth, but
has been considered harmless. The third
sister, Millie, is the widow of Richard
dussy, war veteran, and received pen
sion Some time ago she was attacked by
q nervous trouble and was admitted int
the Brooklyn Hospital
feature OF the case Is that each triplet
considers the others insane and stoutly de-
niles that there is anything the matter with
her own mental condition.