The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07
NURSED BY A MAD WOMAN.
THE THRILLING EXPERIENCE or
MRS. MACNlMEE AND HER BABY.

NurWe Tries 20 Nhuri the thnM frnw =
windov-Overpowered After = strueeis
Mrs. Mscnamee Of 90 Perry street, the wife of
Joseph Macnamee, = butcher in Washington
and a. the Macnsmces are not very well on .
trained nurse was not hired TO attend her dur
ing her Illness. Instead, Mrs. Lewis, whose hus-
band, William Lewis, IL an engineer in Craw-
ford's factory In Twenty-eighth street, was
asked to como and look after her sick friend.
The Macnanlee and the Lewis families have
been friends for n long time, and Mrs. Lewis
gladly accepted the Invitation. She went to
Mrs. Macnamee's rooms, taking her twelve
year-old son. George, with her.
On Tuesday a week ago Mrs. Macnamce give
birth to n fine boy. and Mrs. Lewis BY her kind
ness won the gratitude of the sick woman and
her husband. After the arrival Of the baby
Mrs. Lewis offered TO stay and nurse the mother
until che was well and strong again, an offer
which was gratefully accepted. Everything
went along nicely until last Friday. On that
day, after Mr.. Macnamsc had left his wife and
baby to go to work, Mrs. Lewis suddenly
began to mutter things and TO act in a queer
way. Mrs. Macnameo was at first surprised, but
she attributed these eccentricities on the part Of
her friend To fatigue. She begged Mrs. Lewis to
lie Town and rest. This she consented to do and
fell asleep. About 1 o'clock in the afternoon
she arose, and. passing through tho sick room
where Mrs. Macnamee was asleep, she went out
into the hall.
The Macnamees live In the back apartments
on the fourth floor. When Mrs. Lewis went
into the hall sho knocked at the door of the
apartments in the front Of the house on the
same floor, which are occupied by a family Of
the name OF Hanna. Mrs. Hanna was the only
one in and she came TO the door.
"Good afternoon - said Mrs. Lewis, and with
p,t ,vaftIna fnr m rouly ahn continued. ssINnn't
you please come in, | want you to be witness to
something"
Mrs. Hanna was very much surprised at this
request, but Mrs. Lewis urged her, and she
finally consented. and was led into the room &C.
cupicd by Mrs. Lewis in the Macnsmec apart
ments. Closing the door Mrs. Lewis suddenly
turned upon her bewildcrcd companion. Her
eyes were unnaturally bright.
81 want you to be witness to this act Of mine"
she began. For years and years I have been
possessed OF a devil. and now. with you as my
witness, I intend to cast this devil out for once
and all. | call upon Jesus and His mother. tho
Virgin Mary. to see that I spurn the devil who
has for SO long q time kept possession Of my
This strange speech frightened Mrs. Hanna.
and she determined to get out at once. With a
quick movement she jumped toward the door.
but Mrs. Lewis was quicker, and grasping the
knob with her hand, she waved her terrified lis
t,ener back. Then. putting her back against the
sompIlI;% re &C, q N.Y. !!iiSs; my devil shall %f be
Suddenly changing her voice to a more natural
key, she asked: Are you a Catholic 7"
after waiting a moment Mrs. Lewis again as
sumed an unnatural voice and continues: "Oh,
w iSin an t SsT Of e yPS S;o amend Ra, y ,im. EVIL !. f, %sys and
l must part with my devil. You sec thisI"-,
LIFTING the skirt OF her dress and CATCHING
my devil. and he shall be spurned.' Then she
began pulling at the skirt in an effort to loosen
forts. Becoming enraged she screamed:
. Mary, help me; come to my assistance,
She finally succeeded in tearing the skirt from
ner, and thr3wihg T. pgon the h39r she stamped
HI%m IT. who Sa'% was s"' almost ,es.' p ar sa,s p %itS fears MaT.
saw an opportunity OF escape. She darted into
her own apartments, taking care TO lock and
mem,bered the sick and helpless Mrs. Macnemee
venture out in the hall in search OF help. While
she was standing there young George Lewis. the
Hauna told him how his mother was acting.
oh. that's all right" the boy, replied, she
He found Ills mother in the sick woman's
room. talking in an excited way and throwing
OF efi 1Rs room %S' 81 ana nde lH Minf f6e str rene p Ie r TSs aran ESi
tow ashington Market, where Mr.. Macnamee was
working. and toll him what was going on. Mac;
nance left his work at once and accompanied
the boy home. When they arrived they found
Mrs. Lewis st!.l busily occupied throwing arti-
while Mrs. Macnamec lay in bed holding her
child to her breast, too weak to move.
dieting rid OF the devil" was the reply.
Then Macnamee. WHO'S a powerful man. seized
telling the boy to go for a doctor.
= dont want a doctor" screamed Mrs. Lewis;
Well, then" said Mr.. M~acnamee, hoping to
quiet her. get Fathe; Elwood on fourteenth
street on your way from the doctors"
IA lnN raenRnR In IN fAuy NnnnanNA Mill
a doctor and Father Elwood. The doctor
pronounced the woman insane. and said
Mrs. Macnamee objected TO this, and said they
would keen her, with them over night at least;
talked nationally to the priest. The doctor gave
her a strong opiate and went away. Father FL
soon bessn TO take effect, and Mrs. Lewis SAID
she would 60 TO bed:
.Macnamee decided u lie down on the bed be-
side his wife and rest. He did not intend going
to sleep. as he was afraid Mrs. Lewis would be-
come violent again. but he soon fell asleep. 1t
ened by some one touching him. He half arose
and saw standing over him Mrs. Lewis with
newborn baby in one hand. Jumping up from
the bed he rushed at the woman, who eluded
child and I'm going To kilt it,"
LeapinG over the bed in which lay the terri
ned mother she threw up the window, and hold
"Tyc got the devil this time and out he goes"
Before she could make another move Mae
fell she pushed the baby from her and il lit upon
In another moment IL would have fallen, but
with a quick movement grabbed the
For a moment both mother and father were
80 excited that they paid no attention To tine in
5 5snfv WOMAN sRs D wn0 sun M LAY wen she nSnL; s MA
placed the infant In a safe place and
The mad woman sen, her son for an
to the Bellevue Hospital insane pavilion.