Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-07
STRANGE TROUBLE
Of Chicago GirIs-Mss Foster First Became
III and Her Companion safefsfrom
Sympathetic Mania.


Two peculiar cases of mental aberra-
ton have caused no small amount of
comment in the social and medical cir
cles of kenWood. SIS
Edith Foster, young woman who for
time was prominent in society gath
erings of the fashionable suburb, has
lost all control of her mind and last night
lit was necessary to lock her up at the
Hyde Park police station.
Her most intimate friend, Mamie Sew
ard, also broke down last night and she
is under the care Of physicians. She is
the daughter of Joseph b. Seward, a re-
tired florist, who lives at No 1870 Forty
seventh street. Hes has been resident,
of KenWood for twenty-five years.
Eight months ago Miss Foster came to
Chicago to visit Miss Seward. whom she
had known for sexeralyears. The two
young women wereSvery close friends
and were seldom seen at receptions and
balls except when they were together.
They occupied the same room and had
everything in common. -seF,
Miss Foster developed a talent for the
art of photography, and being naturally
a clever artist with the1brush,. she de-
termned to take up the study.s 1t was
while pursuing her studies that she made
a mistake which was responsible, 1t is
believed, for her present condition. About
two months ago,while at work, she in
hailed fumes of ammonia, and almost Inn
iHSuldIGty dlieIWdlQ CllaD6C W 40 foSSii
to come over her. gsHa rs
Developed Suicidal Mania.
At the time when she inhaled the
fumes she was rendered unconscious,
and it was with difficulty that DR.. f.
Washburne, of No. 197 Forty-seventh
street, revived her. He gave it as his
opinion that the girls pneumo-gastric
nerve had been affected, and this, he
said, would produce mental derange-
ment. Miss Foster became gradually
worse. She Went-into spasms at regu-
lar intervals, and at times would SEEM
ingly pass into trance. On one occa-
sion, however, she was violent. Three
weeks ago she first showed signs OF
dependency, and those who knew her
and had been watching her case became
alarmed They feared she would develop
a tendency to end her life.
They were right. Several times the
young woman tried to commit suicide.
Once, about two weeks ago, she attempt
ed to cut her throat with a butcher knife,
but a servant disarmed her before she
had done herself injury
A close watch was kept over her from
that time on, but it proved unava1hng,
for one morning less than week ago
she made a second attempt. Between
midnight and / O'clock she arose from
her bed and dressed only in her night
robe left the house. A night Waterman
saw her running down Forty-seVenth
street toward the lake, and he followed
her When she found she was being
overtaken she began to scream.
I'll kill myself" she cried Leave
me alone"
b The Waterman overlook her as she was
running into yard, and took her back
to the home of Mr.. Seward.
Miss Seward Attended Her Friend.
b At this period of her strange affection
Miss Seward never left the young Wo-
mans side. She was her constant nurse.
4 Incl cf Cd at
want, although it was advised against
by the physicians in charge
+ Yesterday afternoon about o'clock
the two girls were in their room. Miss
Foster had just passed through one Oh
her spasms. and her companion was be-
side her bed. Mr., and Mrs. Seward We're
in the parlor reading. They were
startled by hearing rush OF footsteps
on the stairway, and an instant faler
they saw their daughter and Miss Foster
open the front door and run into the
They stood there weeping and wiring
ing their hands. Neither acted as
though she was sane, and MIR. Seward
hurried into the street to bring them mo INTO
the house. He had no difficulty in doing
so, and DR.. Washburne was sent Tor.
The actions of Miss Seward were not TO
be accounted for. as up to that time she
had not shown any signs OF any mental
disorder.
DIR. Washburne after a hasty exami-
nation of her condition. said she was suf-
fering from sympathetic mania: Her
friends need not be alarmed, he said, for
her mental state was due to her constant
association with and attention TO MISS
Foster. With proper care, IL was SAID,
she would recover.
Miss Foster Became Worse.
In the meantime the condition of MISS
Foster was rapidly becoming worse. She
grew very violent, and at last Mr.. Sew
ard was compelled to call the Hyde Park
police An officer was sent to the mousse
and the young woman was taken 10 the
police station. There she was locked in
a cell and a close watch was kept over
her lest she might try to end her 1te.
After she was placed in the cell she
seemed to be more quiet.
DR.. Small of Fifty-third street and
Lake avenue does not think Miss Foster
mind is affected. He said last night she
had been working at her Photographic
studies in Barlows gallery, and he was
conyersant with her case since she in
hailed the fumes of ammonia. Il do not
believe the woman is insane" he said.
According to my opinion, her mind Is
In no way affected, and she will ultimate
ly recover"
Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Seward, nor any
one at the house. would talk concerning
the peculiar case of the two young wom-
en-. They refused to say anything about
Miss Foster and her family, or where
she had formerly lived. The young wom-
an herself was not in a condition to in
form thR notice, 81