The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-02
MRS. WRIGHT a STRANGE PERSON.
Mrs. Hcyward's Statement in Regard
TO Her.

Mrs. Hcyward's Statement in Regard
TO Her.
Mrs. ]. Guerard Hayward, In behalf of
her daughter, has made a full statement
of the occurrence at her home between
Miss Hayward and Mrs. Violet H. Wright
of New York.
Mrs. Heyward's statements in behalf of
her daughter are worthy of the utmost
credence, not only on account of her high
character, but because the facts she cites
with regard to the career of Mrs. Wright
are drawn from the records of a case in
which the latter appeared before the Uni
ted States district court of Tennessee as
plaintiff. Her statement is as follows:
81 need not say to those who know me
how inexpressibly Notifying to my fam
lily and myself have been our recent eX-
perience with one calling herself Violet
H. Wright, and the newspaper reports
growing out of this experience. l have
thought It proper to make a short state
ment of the facts and to call attention to
the record and antecedents of Mrs
Wright, believing that, after ALL these
will be the best answer to any charges
which she might see proper to make
against any one.
Il was not present at the time of the
occurrence, but coming into the house aft
erwards learned from a servant that Mrs
Wright was in her room in a hysterical
condition, and, before learning the facts
from my two daughters, who were pres
ent. and in ignorance of the truth, adj
ministered to her as best l could, al
though unable to avoid at the time the
thought that there was really nothing
the matter with her. Previous to this, on
- 1iar it
had determined not to permit her to re-
main In my house, and would have re-
quested her withdrawal but for the in
formation from her that she intended to
leave of her own accord in few days.
One of these manifestations was mania
for religious discussion which my
daughters and myself discouraged as best
we could. but it was impossible to pre-
vent her saying unpleasant and offensive
things about the faith which we profess
Finally, after insulting, without cause or
reason, one of my daughters, Mrs. Wright
in the presence Of another daughter, made
a violent and unprovoked assault upon
my younger daughteL leaving upon her
face a mark from a diamond ring which
she wore when she struck my daughter In
the face AS 1 say, was not present at
this occurrence, but both OF
nv daughters state most positive
ly that, without any provo
cation at all, Mrs. Wright struck her with
her two fists, and my daughter then seized
her hands to prevent the repetition OF the
outrage. Mrs Wright was not
strrck and was not injured in any
way by any member of my family, and
nothing was done or said to give the
slightest excuse for the charge afterwards
made The mark upon my daughter race
was seen by myself, by DR.. Read, and
number of other reputable witnesses. Dr.
Charlton, who was called in TO see MIS-.
Wright on account Of her nervous and
historical condition, knows that there was
no evidence Of any hurt or injury of any
character received at my house AS soon
as l learned OF the truth of the matter,
l wrote Mrs. Wright note, requesting her
immediate withdrawal from my home,
and that evening, with the assistance OF
DR.. Charlton, succeeded in getting her
away. Before learning the truth / feared
that one of my daughters might have been
inveigled into religious discussion with
Mrs. Wright although / knew how ear
nestly they had been endeavoring to avoid
it, and, under this impression, ana seeing
her highly nervous and hysterical state, l
did say to Mrs. Wright, in effect, that II
one of NV daughters had excited her i'm
any way I was sorry for IL. I did not
then dream of the real truth, which was
that without cause or proVocation, Mrs.
Wright had made this assault.
Il would have felt It my duty to have
had Mrs. Wright punished for her conduct
but for my conclusion, based upon evil
dence of an indsputable character, which
was confirmed by my own observation,
that Mrs Wright was mentally irrespon-
sible | have seen the record connected
with her suit against the Southern Elk
press Company, in which the verdicts In
her favor have been set aside by the pre-
siding Judge, and find that upon the APP
plication OF her own daughter and her
brother Rev. 3. f. Cossitt, she was COM
mltted to the insane asylum, in Oneida
county, New York, from sept. II, 1895, I'M
I'll the 18th day OF the following Deem
her. when she was allowed to leave on pa
role for thirty days, and at the expiration
of this time an entry was made upon the
hooks of the asylum discharged unim-
proved" also learn that she
has made violent assault
upon her own aunt, that she does
not speak to her sister, and that, accord
ing to medical testimony, she has mania
which manifests itself In desire for It'll
CATION. In her suit against the Southern
Express Company she calls herself Flor
ence II. Wright but in Savannah she
| signs the name Violet II. Wright. No one
| familiar with her history would attach
! The slightest Importance to her charges.
a. already suggested, but for her mental
condition / would have felt constrained to
| bnve appealed 20 the courts for the pun
| Iehment OF Mrs Wright. For reasons UNI
necessary to mention. cannot hold to any
| rleid responsibility the young man who
cbampioned her cause and made the am
| davlt charging the offense OF assault ana
| battery. He made the charge upon lhlor-
nation furnished by MIS-. Wright ana
- have believed what she said.
| L NtuNTHT0