The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
Scared by Alice Mitchell

great scar on her forehead, which
can not be hid. Her answer tt
questions concerning that scar are
evasive, and she does not care to,
nor will she discuss its origin.
There are those in the city who know
however, how it came, and the sto-
ry is an extremely interesting one,
both from personal and scientific
view.
That scar was inflicted by Alice
Mitchell six months ago, when Miss
PurnelI was one of the matrons of
the Bolivar Asylum for the Insane,
where Alice is confined. Alice at
that time was sort of a ''trusty." She
was jolly and contented and roamed
at will about the building, upstairs
or down, through the halls and cor
ridors, and in any and all of the
corridors. She would light the
pipes of the elderly people, sweep
and dust their rooms, and make her.
self generally useful and agreeable.
Wardens, matrons and attendants
in an insane asylum never for an in
slant allow the most sane ones be-
hind them. 1t is dangerous.
Miss Purnell did not allow Alice
behind her. She was afraid Of her
perhaps unconsciously-but at the
same time there was an uncomforta-
BILE feeling came over her when AL
ice was about. Their relations
were cordial, and at no time was it
necessary for the matrOn to repri-
mand her. On the contrary, she
frequently praised her for kindness
~ the aged ones.
Alice appeared to entertain dis
like for Miss P. from the first, and
it seems lost no opportunity to EN-
phasize this feeling. At one time
the closet or storeroom, where the
coal and pokers were kept, was left
unlocked. Alice entered, but when
she came out and saw Miss Purnell,
she re-entered and came out smiling,
without saying anything.
Not many days after this Alice
slipped up behind Miss Purnell and
dealt her such a blow on the fore
head that she was insensible for a
while. 1t was this blow that made
the scar which is fully two inches
long, ugly and ragged. To this
day it is not known what Alice
struck her matron with. Whatever
the weapon, it was powerful blow
and came near being fatal.
When questioned as to why she
did it, Alice said Miss Purnell was
the only one who ever crossed her
will and would not permit her to do
as she wished under all circumstan-
ces. She had an idea that Miss
Purnell wished to keep her in close
confinement and intended to abridge
her privileges. Evidently she
could read or feel the unconscious
fear Miss Purnell had of her, and
the unexpressed wish that her free
dom was not so boundless in the
asylum.
Miss Purnell left Bolivar soon
after this and went to Nashville,
where she is in charge of private
sanitarlum.
While Miss Purnell will not
speak of the change, other than in
casual way, she speaks in highest
praise of the parents and other rela-
tives of the unfortunate girl. They
visit her frequently and there is
scarcely mail that does not bear
her some loving message or kind
remembrance. Fruits and delica-
cies of all kinds are sent her every
week.
Miss Purnell keeps daily diary
of her experiences and observations
among the insane. She is of the
opinion that it is cruelty wrong to
send the insane patients from the
prisons and penitentiaries to the
asylums. She urges that many of
the so-called insane are suffering
more from broken down nervous
constitutions than anything else,
and when-these insane criminals are
sent among them the effect is bad.
They have read of their bloody
deeds, and it preys upon their en-
feebled imaginations with baleful
effects. She suggests that when
the new penitentiary is built ward
be set aside for those who become
insane, and for those who escape the
gallows OH the insanity plea. This
would separate the ordinary luna
tics from the bloodthirsty class
that thirsts for gore continually,
and are never so gleeful as when
their will is about to be carried in
to effect.
Doubtless Miss Purnell's record
of events, if ever published, Will
prove interesting reading, not only
to the curious, but to the scientific
and medical udents.-C0mmercial