The times., 1898-02-03
TNLOR'S MIND IS A BLANK
He May Have to Be Sent TO an
Insane Asylum.
MISS LUCY ALREADY THERE
The Actors in the Northeast WASH
tnuton Tragic incident viii Prob
ahIy live, But TEeir Mental Fac
mites Are in Hereditary
Insanity in the Family

Lucy Taylor. the pretty young wom-
an whose insane actions stirred north
east Washington at an early hour yes
terday, as told exclusively in the morn
ing edition OF The Times, was removed
to St Elizabeth's Asylum for treat
ment during the day.
Mr. Walter Taylor. tie father of the
young woman, who hung himself
while = search was being made for his
daughter, has regained consciousness
at the Emergency Hospital and the
physicians state that there is chance
OF his recovery. His mind is, however,
deranged. and it is thought that should
he recover from his attempt to end
his life he, too. win have to be sent TO
an insane asylum for treatment.
Several hours of hard work were nee
essary To resuscitate Mr.. Taylor. bur
when he regained consciousness he
could not remember anything that had
happened. He talked in an incoherent
manner.
Hereditary insanity has exhibited it
self in the Taylor family for number
of years. MIR. and Mrs. Taylor We're
first cousins, and came to Washington
from West Virginia many years ago.
Mr.. Taylor was well-to-do, and has
been employed in the office of the
Comptroller of the Currency for more
than twenty-five years. Five children
were born of the unlon-Albert, q son,
who is married and now lives in Cali
fornia, and four daughters - Bertha,
Nellie. Lucy and Pauline. All of the
girls are especially pretty and well
educated.
The first symptoms of insanity in the
family appeared nearly nine years ago.
A short time after the birth Of Pauline
Mrs. Taylor was taken violently in
sane and died not long afterwards in
an asylum. A few years ago Bertha,
beautiful young woman, became insane
and conducted herself in much the same
manner as did her sister Lucy yester-
day. even going so 1ar as to try TO
wreck the contents of the house, and
afterwards jumping from window.
She is now confined in an insane asy-
lum in Baltimore. Miss Lucy is now
the third member of the family to be
confined in a mad-house, and il is like
iy that her father will prove to be the
fourth.
The young woman is only twenty
years old and very beautiful. She has
hair Two years ago she experienced
her first attack OF the dreaded maiady
The father sought to prevent a re
currence of the trouble in the case
of Miss Lucy. The first attack was
mild. and she was apparently cured by
a trip to Atlantic City, which restored
her mind to its normal condition.
Two weeks ago the old trouble be-
gan again. The symptoms were mild
at first, and caused only a slight melan-
cholia. 1t was then noticed that Mr.
Taylor also looked worried and seemed
oppressed. Instead of Lucy getting
better she grew worse, until Mrs. Hus-
bandman, a friend of the family, was
called upon to look after the young girl.
ON Tuesday it was noticed that Miss
Taylors condition had grown worse
and also that Mr.. Taylor seemed more
worried than usual. He, too, seemed to
grow melancholy and acted strangely.
He went to his work rs usual, but when
he returned home in the evening it was
evident that his mind was giving way
He was induced to retire early. how
ever, as did also Miss Nellie Taylor
and nine year-old Pauline, the baby of
the household. Lucy lay on couch in
the front parlor. She was watched
over by Mrs. Husbandman, whom she
furtively observed for several hours
Toward midnight the girl grew worse.
She became feverish and then excited
Although a very stout woman, Mrs.
Husbandman became frightened at the
girls menacing looks.
Suddenly Lucy sprang from the
couch.
i viii kill you, she cried. and at
tempted to seize Mrs. Husbandman
The latter fed from the room. Left to
herself. the maddened woman pulled
the pictures from the wall and smashed
the bric-a-brac to pieces. Everything
was dashed to the floor and broken in
to a hundred pieces. The room looked
as IL a cyclone had struck it,
Fer one moment Lucy eyed the re-
suit Of her terrible outbreak Then she
smashed one of the windows with her
hand. The shutters were open and the
snow glistened outside. She gave one
glance and sprang headlong through
the other window, landing in a snow
heap on the ground.
BY this time the sounds downstairs
had aroused the father in the room
overhead. The terrible scene did
not last more than two or three min
utes. and when Mr.. Taylor got down
stairs ii was all over, but the afflicted
daughter had disappeared. Miss Nellie
Taylor was soon with her father. but
left him moment and hurried out the
front door to see the direction taken
by Lucy.
Then the father thought Of suicide.
and going into the kitchen secured a
Iiece of rope He made a moose. which
he slipped about his neck. Then he
threw the other end over a water pipe
running across the ceiling. He stepped
on a chair and drawing the rope tight
fastened 1t securely, and jumped from
the chair. He was discovered fortu-
nately in time TO save his life.
The insane girl. when found in the
snow bank, was carried home. placed in
a bed upstairs and DR.. ]. B. Gregg Gus
lis. the family physician. summoned.
He hurried to the house accompanied
by Or. George w. N Custis. They ap-
piled restoratives and quickly brought
Miss Taylor to consciousness. Then IL
WAS found that the older sister was
intense excitement and she was put to
bed in the home of a friend nearby.
The little child. Pauline, was also re-
moved from the house and then watch
ed by friends.
Miss Lacy went to sleep. Policeman
Hayden remained in the room until
relieved by Policeman Gee, who watch
ed the sufferer until noon
Notwithstanding Miss Lucy's fright
ful experience. she was reported to be
in a fairly good condition last night
and VIII doubtless survive the shock
and exposure as well as the cuts and
bruises which she received in her leap
the window