Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-05
INSANE JULIA FORCE
EXTRACTS FROM HER VERY REMARK.
ABLE FAMILY HISTORY.
TAINTED. Provoked, Stinted. Slapped. In
suited. and Threatened. She Il Driven
to Madness and Murder.


ruary 18th, end has since been declared in
sane by jury. has written statement
covering the whole period OF her life and
which she had under preparation for FIVE
years. says tho Atlanta Constitution.
In the FIRST few pages she tells OF her
early years and OF the neglect of her
mother. She says she was left to the
mercy of on Irish nurse. who drove her to
frenzy by rough treatment.
She tells Of her motherly care OF her two
sisters IN their youth. and says Florence
was always untruthtul, deceitiul, and
selfish. Florence, she alleges, was domi-
neerlng in spirit and took every advantage
of Minnie. She cites incidents TO make
clear her assertion. OF her father she
speaks IN the most respectful and loving
manner.
After fathers death brother Allie gradu-
ally became head Of the family. although
~ growing about expenses and his nose
beng held TO the eriLdstone.
This continued reference to the grind
stone made me leave home and relleve him
OF my support entirely.
She tells of her second going away. and
OF her brother coming 70 her in tears and
entreatlng her TO- come home again. She
came home only when her brother Allies
v1fe. Irene, was on her death-bed. She
went home 10 give her the benefit of her
experience as nurse.
NURSING Der BROTHERS. WIFI.
She says: After nearly Eve years ac-
cepted a position from Bishop Wilmer.
of Alabama, to 20 to New York and be
trained for nurse at Bellevue Hospital
so that ! might take charge of the church
al IN
for two years engagement. The summer
before was to leave the hospital Allie
came on and again begged me TO come
home. Putting bis head on the table he
cred like a child. saying between his
sObs, Come home, Julia; come home"
Irephed, "Allie. if | should return it
would only be the Old troubles over again;
Florence Is the same"
No, julia" he SAID, come home, and
Will guarantee that You Will have no mere
trouble"
! made no promise. but when, in the
following spring he wrote me of Irene's
illness; told me what had been done for
her and her terrible condition, entreatlng
me II / knew anything that could be done
tor her 70 let him know. l replied:
have had about two years experience aS
nurse. After what YOU said last summer
II you wish me- to come home and help
Irene and will send the money l Will
Gomez
He sent the money az once with letter
begging me 10 come. With difficulty | OBJ
tanned an excuse from the committee to
be excused from the six weeks service
still owed them. upon condition that L
forfeited my diploma. IT was a hard con-
dItion, Tor | had gone through fearful
work To cain It, But Allie needed me and
under the condition j knew the Bishop
would be content without the diploma.
/ returned home and Irene vas put IN
ny charge. As soon az | saw her l knew
she could not live. 1 thought she must
die IN few hours. She lived, however.
one week. II was glad release tor her.
for her married life after the first two years
had been a most unhappy one.
Old hGGRAyATtOSs.
For six months after Irene's death
time ped smoothly enough. Then l To-
renee began her old aggravatlols. Finding
that paid 20 attention - .hom or her,
she became more ald more aggressive.
treating me with every iudignity and an
nOyauce that years OF practice mad gwen
her skilled use of. After abu1t eighteen
months of that kind OF thing my patience
became exhausted Indeed, 70 be patient
with her was invite aggresslyenesss), anu
Presented al she dld.
She next tells of her leaving home aud
g.. her return. brought about by the plead
ing oil her brothers. Mothers room was IN
my care. she says. Florence had never
troubled il before. but finding that Minnie
Lad swept their room determined TO anger
.ue some way.
/ went to the room and said 70 Florence.
Tins door must be closed. | will not let
yot serve me this way again." II shall
not" she replied. violently. why are
Won sweeping mothers room? You never
did II before.n ." will sweep l: whenever
I>,'e4se.' was her answer. Then l sald.
tne door must be closed, and turned TO
close 1t.
SLAPPED her FACE.
She drew her hand back and slapped my
facs with all her strength; the PRINT OF
he- fingers remained for hours. / had
never received o blow in all NV life. My
father had always said that his children
should never be slapped IN the face; that
ii was an inlignity he would never suffer
them 10 endure. | was speeches. with
astonishment for few moroents after the
blow and stood gazing at Florence. She
gave one OF ner ugly laughs. then the temper
which had inherited nom my father and
mother took possession OF me, and, eaten
inc her. j would have thrown her cut Of
the window bur. fortunate for us both, she
fell over chair. and Ill disentangilng her
had a moment TO think, and turning her
over. gaye her ono OF the worst spanklngS
She ever had. When mother returned aud
heard of Il She didn't blame Florence at all,
bu; poured out al her wrath on .le. Later
on when ] reproached her with the mus
tice that she mad always treated me with,
sae sand, IL haze gone down on my knees
10 Florence and begged her 10 behave her
SELF. bu, / can DO nothing With her.
WOULD NOT LEAVE ZONE.
She tells Of q time when. provoked to
madness. she threw a cup Of hot chocolate
over her sisters head. For this her
brother abused her roundly and threat
epel to drive her from the hOuse. She
says: -,
/ suppose she meant that she would kill
meif tie brothers. at her or her mother
instieatlOn. failed to make me pay for It.
Well. lf she could have ONLY heard the
brothers bullying and insulting me she
would have felt avenged. George even
went 20 the length Oh threatening TO get
out a writ TO eject me from the house.
Why did not leave the homer Because
I had resolved when determined to ac-
cept Allies promise OF protection anu
came home that the women OF the family
should never under any proyocation dTlye
me from my home again. 1t was as mhcn
.
george were none tho less culpdble II their
bru.ality and cowardly bullying, knew u
was the women of the family who mad
entnem 10 II, for | had frequently heard
both Florence aud Minnie urge mother TO
tell Allie and George OF every EVIL thing
that had been said or done during the
dav. she would have forgotten muen or
II. tor she IL an old woman, II Lorenzo
and Minnie had not only reminded her but
so worded mere nothlngs until they ap,c
peared evil things. For instance. when l
told Allio of Florence's threat that L
should die or pay for throwing the choco-
late at her. he denied il the angriest way
that Florence had made any such threat.
She said he repeated that you would re-
gret ~ always Here you, then" re-
Piled. affirm what she tells you so posi-
lively"
OTHER FIGHTS.
The las. pages OF Miss Forces statement
contain the following:
Again. / weat into mothers room one
day and said Mother. how can you. as
a Christian woman who took communion