The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-24
TRIPLETTs, AND ILL ORxzF.
Doctors at Bellevue Surprised by the
Bassett Sisters

What the doctors at Bellevue Hospital
New York, regard as one Of the most
peculiar cases in the history OF lunac,
was reported at the hospital the other
day. On the records OF the institution
appear the names Of Elizabeth Bassett
thirty-five years old, and Susan Bassett
| thirty-fve years old, Brooklyn. On the
/ records Of st. Johns Hospital, Brooklyn
| appears the name Of Mile Bassett
| thirty-five years old, Brooklyn.
The three women are triplets and are
/ suffering from insanity, says the New
/ York sun. About six weeks ago Annie
and Ellen Taylor, twin sisters, were ad-
mitted into the insane pavilion al 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 Bellevue
Hospital, and Susan requested a private
interview with DR.. Wallace. the examin-
ing physician. She introduced herself.
and said she feared that her sister Eliza
beth was hopelessly insane. She had
tried TO hide the truth from herself. but
had finally considered IT her duty 10 take
Elizabeth TO the hospital
DIT Wallace had a talk with Elizabeth.
A few moments conversation convinced
him that Susan's judgment had been cor
rect He diagnosed the case as one Of
imbecility. and told Miss Bassett to take
her sister down stairs 10 the reception
room. There Registrar Green took the
crazy woman's name and address. and
assigned an attendant TO lead the new
patient 10 the insane ward. Susan in
sisted on accompanying her sister 10 see
that Elizabeth was comfortably provided
for
When the two women entered the in
sane pavilion Susan began TO explain 10
DR.. Douglass. the physician in charge,
the nature Of her sisters ailment. She
talked nationally az first, but finally be-
came very excited and began to be in
coherent. The doctor watched her close
ly. and then, 10 the establishment OF the
nurses and attendants said:
why, this woman is a good deal
craZier than her sister. I think her his
tory had better be taken also"
Susan did not seem surprised at the
announcement. She gave her name, age.
ard address. and added that she was a
laundress. She said her nearest friend
was Mrs Sarah Wood, Of Brooklyn, and
that she had another sister, Mile Bas-
sett, who was confined in St. Johns Hos
pital. Brooklyn.
The case seemed OF so much interest
that a message was sent to Mrs. Wood
telling her that the sisters were at Belle
vue Hospital. When Mrs. Wood received
the news she considered il her duty TO in
form the third sister. Mile had been a
patient for some weeks at st. Johns
Hospital suffering from a supposed ner-
vous trouble. When she heard the con-
dition OF Susan aud Elizabeth. she in
sisted upon visiting them. The doctors
at ST. Johns decided that serious conse-
quences might arise II the woman's wishes
were opposed, and. accompanied by
physician. she was taken TO Bellevue Hos
pital.
In the mean time the other sisters had
been declared insane. and transferred TO
the State lunatic asylum. The third sis
ter was taken 10 DR.. Wallace. who dis
covered, much TO his establishment. that
She too, was a fit subject for an insane
asylum. The doctor who had her in
charge said that she was all right when
she left st. Johns Hospital The physi-
clans were inclined 10 account for the
sudden development Of insanity in her
case on the theory that the knowledge
of the condition OF her sisters had af-
fected her reason. Mile was taken 10
Brooklyn. and will be transferred either
to Bellevue Hospital or 10 the Flatbush
Asylum.
Mrs. Wood says that the triplets were
born I'm New York. Of Irish parentage.
Susan has been employed In laundry on
Fulton street, Brooklyn. Some time ago
her hand was crushed in an ironing ma
chine and it's place was supplied by an
artificial member. She has begun a suit
against the laundry company. Until her
visit TO Bellevue Hospital, on Friday, no
one suspected that she 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,
Mile, is the widow OF Richard Hussy.
war veteran. and received a pension.
Some time ago she was attacked by a
nervous trouble and was admitted into
the Brooklyn hospital.
A feature of the case is that each
triplet considers the others insane and
stoutly denies that there Is anything the
matter with her own mental condition.