The morning call., 1894-02-09
STILL A MYSTERY.
The Mental Condition of
Mrs. Trevaso.
AT YESTERDAYS INQUIRY.
Her Husbands Conduct Shows
in Bad Light.
BEAT HER WITH A H0RSEWHIP.
Judge Hebbard Decides Not to COM
nit Her, but the Police viii
Watch the House.
T YESTERDAYS INQUIRY.
BEAT HER WITH A HoRsEwHIP.

L I6SluluS JuuEe heuOdlu YES ttiuHS Oh Il
charge of insanity preferred against her
by the police.
The investigation was the result Of GER
tain discoveries made last week. and which
formed the subject of an article published
exclusively in The CALL last Sunday. 1t
is now some years since the first trouble
arose concerning thls unfortunate woman.
She is the wife of q. Trevaso, scavenger.
and she resides with her husband and
mother-in-law a rs Gilbert street.
Two years ago Mrs. Trevaso was sus-
pected of being insane and arrested.
Eventually, however, Treyaso was per-
mitted TO take his wife home and place
her under gentle restraint No further pro-
ceedings were taken until Saturday last.
when Policeman Albert A. Perrin had
occasion to serve a warrant in the house.
He was accompanied by CALL reporter.
and on entering the premises an eXtraOr-
binary as well as disgusting spectacle met
their gaze. The poor woman was dIscov-
cred to be dwelling in a sort Of cage, with
barred windows, and under strict surveil-
lance from both her husband and his
mother. Inquiries elected the fact that
these parties did not permit Mrs. TTeVasO
10 see the light OF day. but kept her confined az
IN dungeon. In addition 10 this The neIghbOrS
asserted that both The old woman and ITeyaso
Used 10 beat their wretched prisoner until she
Shfieked for mercy.
AS result of this discovery and the cOnse-
quent publicity given to IL I'm the columns OF
The CALL, Police Captain Short of tie southern
district took up tie matter, and on Wednesday
morning Mrs TieVaSo was arrested and taken
before Judge Hebbard. No witnesses. how
ever, save the arresting officer Perrin, APP
y al ed TO testify as to the woman's condition;
nor was there any interpreter present. In the
emergency Attorney ID. NJ. Delmas came 10 the
rescue with a slight knowledge of Italian. and
at lbe request of the court put few questions
10 the unhappy woman.
But no hing could be got out of Mrs Ire
vlSO. She said she knew she had been a little
out OF her mind some years ago, but that she
mad completely recovered, as far as she knew.
AS 10 her husband she haG no fault 10 find
Ie was always kind 10 her, and made good
husband. Mrs TrevasO seemed 10 speak
TdtlonaHy enough and Judge HebDdrd con-
llnued The case for day. with instructions 10
Policeman Perrin to hunt up his witnesses.
When the hour for examination arrived yes
teidaY morning Tie courtroom and passage
outside were positively thrOnged with persons
ali willing TO testify either to Mrs. TfevasO'~
insanity OF TO he brutality of her husband II
every witness had been examined IN detail the
investigation would probably have occupied an
entire day But as most of the witnesses knew
only of Mrs DreYaSo's condition year or two
ago and confessed themselves unable 10 say
what mad become of her lately their services
were not put into requisiti0n.
AS for the subject of these inquiries it must
b. said that If she had indeed been subjected 10
all the alleged ndignities from her husband she
did not bear the traces thereof. Ii was easy TO
see that she was not person of SirOug chaTac-
Ter. but size certainly looked If silly. harmless
while The ccnTenied smile upOn her face showed
that size mad no horrible revelations 10 make
In appearance Airs. Trevaso proved TO be come
~ aud plump and was neatly attired. though
Enthusiastically. after the customs OF her race.
1he first witness called was the woman's
husband, Giuseppe IreVaso, aud after he lad
answered few questions there were not a few
asldes 10 this ehec,: Seems they've arrested
HE wrong marty. This chaps The crazy party"
gible 10 warrant this ASSUMPTION.
"DO you say that your wife is insane?" asked
Judge II bbard.
NO; sh- not insane. She COOK, wash, sweep,
do everything about The house"
Then why do you keep her locked up?"
ION. they play tricks on her. They frighten
my wife, 50 l keep her where ste cannot see
Them"
Trevaso was pressed on this point and finally
made statement TO the effect that abou
year ago when his wife was about to be con
fined and was very sick, They" used TO play
tricks on his wife. They" would break up
fStraw chairs and SET fire 10 them. and would
build up straw men," and other ingenious de
wees were resorted to for the express purpose
OF destroying the peace OF mind OF his poor
wife. SO he locked her up ID the house, taking
the precautiOn TO put a grating over tile win
dow so that lis captive should not fall out. Be
sides They" couldn't bother her there.
.fWhO aIe 'they?" asked the Judge.
"Children IN tie street. / guess"
Malvern NJ. Foote, representing the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty TO Insane Per
sons, then asked a few questions. He asked
TreVaSo 10 produce the certificate under which
he had been permitted TO take charg of his
wife on the first occasion when she was ar
rested fot insanity IT vase pulled piece OF
paper from his pocket aud handed ii TO Judge
HebbaEd, who read as follows:
OFFICE OF
COMMISSIONERS on INSANITY,
NEW CITY HALL.
san FRANCISCO August IS, 1892
G. Trevas o., lives ' at i18 Gilbert Street. San
Francisco, with his wife. child and parents.
No one has right TO interfere 10 this household
without proper legal authority.
\ mans house is his castle.
Mrs. Trevaso has been AFT lcted for some time
with form OF harmless dementia.
Her husband states that she IS improving. and
ing In an asylum among strangers
As she is not dangerous TO herself nor to others
nor TO property he certainly has the right to keep
her home and under gentle restraint
He says he has always treated her, and Will con-
time TO treat her kindly and well, give her su fiji
Gent good and healthy food proper clothing etc.
That he will watch over her physical health gi We
her sufficient exercise fresh air, etc. an will no
all he can 10 restore her mind to It's norma con-
diton.
Such being the case no outsider should inter
fere without the consent OF Dir. Irevaso.
q. J PHELAN. MD,
Commissioner on Insanity.
DR. Pbelan was present In court representin,
the Interests OF the husband and some of his
remarks at this point led TO an alteration be-
tween himself and Mr.. cote, in The progress of
which Mr.. FOote ELECTED from the worthy doe
Tor the precise amount Of fees he had been paid
for various visits, DR.. fheian denying, however,
that ~ expected any remuneration for the pres.
emf occasion.
3 Trevaso was told to step down. and Mrs. {.
Carson took his place AS one OF The nelghbors
this witness knew all about the IreVaso fam
lily. She said that Mrs. Trevaso was undoubt-
edy insane as she mad seen her do some unac
countabe things. she would walk around the
yard in a state of Dudity, and she was very UNI
clean regarding her habits. The witness had
no use for TreVaso and said so. She described
how that the poor wOman's husband would beat
her day after day, her screams and hoWis being
pitliu to hear. His favorlte weapon OF castiga-
lion was borsewhp, with which lie would fol-
low his wife all over the house. or late Mrs.
Irevaso had not been seen, but IL was under
stood that she was locked up.
Lawrence Can0ya, nephew OF Treyas0. said
he saw his aunt at the Southern station when
she was arrested. lie mad not visited her
house for three and half years. There was a
big sign up forbidding persons to enter, even
relatives.
Judge Hebbard said he would hear no more
testimony that did not bear upon recent events,
and he called for any who could testify as 70
such TO come forward.
Mrs. Ann Williams, another neiehbOr then
took the stand. She had seen Mrs. Treyaso
about three months ago. There was nothing
apparently wrong with her then She knew
that Mrs. Trevaso had been In bad way about
year ago.
Mrs Bridget Sweeney saw Mrs Treyaso a