The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-02
TRYING TO PROVE
HER INSANITY
Evidence Offered by the Defense 10 the
Dickinson Case.
PLAINTIFFS CONDUCT DESCRIBED

the Danvillo Insane Asylum--Iier
Conduct on the Train--Dr. Ogiesby
Gives the Result of His Investiga-
tion.
Miss Anna Dickinson was in court all
of yesterday watching with keen inter- |
est the progress of her suit for $4,000 |
damages against those who were IN |
strumental in taking her to DanVille |
Insane asylum which is on trial before |
Judge Achesun in the United states |
circuit court. The attorneys for the de- |
fCnse stated last evening that 1t viii |
take about two days more to get in all
of their testimony. They intend to call
Thomas w. Barlow, assistant district
attorney of Philadelphia, who is also
attorney for the state lunacy board |
and Il legal expert with reference to in
sanity. Or. Wetherell of Philadelphia
secretary of the state board of lunacy
will also be called to give expert testi-
mony. He has been in court since Mon
day.
Mrs. Stanton, the dress maker who
made gowns for Miss Anna Dickinson
in West Pittston in 1890 and 1891, was
the first witness called yesterday morn
ing. She described the visits of the
plaintiff to her house and the language
she used. Frequently, she said, Miss
Dickinson would use such an EXPIRES
sion as Damn the thing" and some
times her actions Were not according
to the witnesses idea of decency. ON
the day that Allen Eggleston drove
Miss Dickinson to her house the plain
tiff laid on the floor and kicked her
feet up against the wall pounding her
| A. H.. 1.,.v hon
stomach but did not complain of any
pain there. Sls said she had pain
in her head.
THEY HEARD A SCREAM.
Mrs. Stanton remembered one even
| ing when she and her daughter, Mrs
| Marcy, We're out walking, that they
had heard screams which they sup
posed came from Miss Dickinson. Judge
Acheson ruled that the latter part of
the answer be stricken out.
Witness on one occasion saw Miss
| Dickinson take large drink of whisky
without any water. The Cross-eXami-
nation was very spirited Mrs. Stanton
contracted herself about some details
! but her story in the main was un-
! shaken.
! Mrs. Marcy. daughter of the preced
]
! corroborative of her mothers story and
! Conductor Baldwin who was in charge
! of the train on which Miss Dickinson
was taken to the Danville asylum was
| the next witness
lie saw her sitting i'm the last car
of the train after they left West Pitts
| ton but noticed nothing particular
about her appearance with the eXcep-
tion that her eyes We're red and some
what blurred. Miss Dickinson asked
him for paper and pencil, but DR.. He'll
man motioned his head for him not to
do so and he had passed on down the
! aisle.
When the train reached Danville asy-
lum it stopped to let Miss Dickinson
off, He stood in the door of the smOk-
ing car waiting for her to get off. when
she held up her hand in a threatening
attitude and said to him: Remember
young man, there is a day of reckon
ing coming for you. 1 want you to
send two kilograms for me, one to eX-
Governor Robert L. Pattison and one
to Jay Gould"
TELEGRAM TO GOVERNOR.
He said that to the best of his knowl-
edge the one addressed to Mr.. PattsOn
read: we must have universal suf-
frage," while the one to Jay Gould
spoke of money. While getting off the
train he did not notice any violence
used in helping Miss Dickinson
Brakeman Ridgeway Randall, of this
city, gave important testimony about
the journey to Danville and Mrs. Mar
tina Brown, who before her marriage
was a maid in the Dickinson household,
was called. She swore that Miss Anna
was sick and about a year or two pre-
Vious to Mrs. DiCkinSOn's death and had
journeyed To HOnesdale to he doctored.
Miss Susan accompanied her on that
! occasion. The second Monday before
Miss Dickinson was taken to Danville
when she was getting up about 4.30 a.
m, Miss Anna called to her and want
ed to know where her vest was, saying
that she had placed it ON the balus-
trade. The following Thursday Miss
Anna had sent her to Dr. Halls six
times In one day for her bill. The
same afternoon Miss Anna chased Or
Hall out of the house and called him
a devil.
That evening Miss Anna went up in
the garret and called to her, saying
Martha. bring Il lamp" She got the
lamp and was taking it upstairs when
Miss Susie took it away from her. Miss
: Anna called again and asked for the
lamp, but Mrs. Brown told her she
? would not bring il, whereupOn Miss
Anna chased her out of the house and
GOWN the street, calling after her
Come back here. You little devil" She
afterwards returned to the house.
BARRICADED HER DOOR.
That night when she went to bed she
/ barriCaded her door with a couple OF
large trunks, for fear of being harmed
The Monday previous to her incarcer'
alton, Miss Anna called to she and Miss
Susan and told them TO take away
some trays upon which meals had beer
served Miss Susan told witness TO gel
them and while she went for them Mis-,
, Anna cutched Miss Susan by the
throat and choked her. She ran down
stairs and met Grant Eggleston, wh(
helped Miss Susan free.
One time Miss Anna asked the wit
ness for some bread and when II wai
given her, she tore the inside out o
:, the loaf and placed the crust in th'
stove. The witness reproved Miss Anni
for her wastefuness, saying that the!
, might see the need of it before the!
II diedi Miss Dickinson answered he
n with the expression: Damn 1t, what
n the odds"
:, Mrs. Griffiths, of West Pittston, wa
the first witness called after the nool
recess. She was in the Dickinson
house that day that Anna was takel
T. TO the insane asylum and assisted in at
Y firing her for her tourney to DanVille