The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-04-05
ANNA DlOKINsON's CASE,
MISS SUSAN DICKINSON PROVES AN
EVEN BETTER WITNESS THAN
HER SISTER.
SHE PAID ANNA's BILLS.


against various parties for imprlsonlng |
her as a lunatic Miss Susan Dickinson,
sister of Anna. and one of the defend
ants, was a better witness than the
fair plaintiff. She gave her testimony
in a clear ringing voice, and stumbled
but once during the long and wearl-
some cross examination to which she
was subjected by Judge Daley, OF New
York.
DIR. Fl. B. Meredith, Of the Dan.
vile Asylum, was the first witness
called He produced the cert.
hcates of Miss Anna Dickinson's in
generation. Thomas w. Barlow, an
attorney of Philadelphia, and a mem
Der of the State Board Of Association
Charities, testified that when he
visited the asylum in an official capa
city at Miss Dickinson's request with
DR.. Whetherill, secretary of the
Charities, Miss Dickinson, in a dra-
matte manner, said that she did not
wish to speak to him. He thought
from her manner and appearance that
she was insane, and he had seen a
number of cases of insanity. On
cross-examination he was forced to
admit that he did not know whether
she was insane or not, but he thought
that when a woman in an asylum
refused help when it was rendered, as
it was to her, that she was insane.
Miss Susan Dickinson, during the
course of her voluminous testimony,
remarked that she had not talked to
her sister since the Danville incident,
had not recognized her since that
time and never would. She denied
that her sister had earned as much
money as represented. In 1884 she
was worn out and run down on &C
count of hard luck. In 1886 she was
more nervous and worn out and filled
very few engagements. At that time
the witness supported her. In 1888
her sister was in no condition to earn
money.
The witness declared that she still
has bills to pay that were contracted
for Anna. In the fall Of 1890 Anna
stabbed the witness in the hand with a
tailor's shears and quickly forgot
about it. She first talked of conspir.
acy in January, 1891. She wasted
money on dresses. took a great deal
OF stimulants and frequently had the
smell of whisky on her breath.
"Can you tell how much liquor
your sister drank during the month OF
February, 1912"
81 bought from one-half to one
gallon week, and it all went into hel
room."
When the witness was asked what
profanity her sister had used during
the year previous to her departure fol-
Danville, witness said she sometime:
heard her call down damnation up
on Ben Butler" Witness said Anna
used chloroform almost constantly
for year so she could sleep. During
Annals illness witness said that Gen
eral Ben Butler sent two or three
checks for $500 and three for $25o
Mr.. Borne of New York, $25o Sena
tor Allison also contributed and tn,
Actors Fund sent $3.50.
On Wednesday the cross
ton of Miss Susan Dickinson wa
resumed The questions asked he
had little bearing on the trial excep
that they furnished opportunity 70
rebuttal testimony later. She denie
having written to George w. Child
in the hope of raising a fund c
$4,000 so that both she and Ann
could take a tip abroad. Mr.
Laura Holloway Lanford had ser
them $3.50, which she declared wa
from fund raised for both sister
and Frances f. Willard had show
much interest in Annals case and ha
offered to assist her.
John Baldwin, the conductor on II
Bloomsburg road train on whio
Anna was taken to Danville, swo
that Anna said to him: " Conducto
Iwant you to send telegram to e
Governor Pattison and Jay Goul
Tell Robert f. Pattison that we mu
have universal suffrage" Her fa'
was swollen, her eyes glared and 81
acted like an insane person. 81
wanted him to send telegram
Jay Gould for SI,ooo,oo
Martha Brown, servant employs
at the Dickinson residence IN We
Pittston, testified that she first motto
that Anna acted strangely on t
Monday before she was taken ava
She heard her swear, and once, /
cause she would not obey an ord
chased her out of the house and yt
ed after her, "Come back, you lit
devil" Witness saw Anna take Sus
by the throat. Susan was alw;
kind to her sister. Lagrange Eggl
ION had seen Anna with her hands
Susan's throat, and Anna said to hil
U'rake nv sister aWay If she Is