The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-25

MRS. GASSNANN'S SANITY
Testimony Taken Notwith-
standing Her Discharge
From the Asylum.
FAITH CURISTS TESTIFY
Husband Can't Tell Why
She Was Committed as
a Pauper.

Although Mrs. Meta Gassmann, Police
man Jacob Gassman's wife. was DIS
charged from the insane asylum yesterday
it was thought advisable to take the tes-
timopy which Justice Lippincott had or
dered taken in the habeas corpus pro-
ceedings instituted by former Judge Hoff-
man to secure her release.
Supreme Court Commissioner John A.
Nugent took the testimony this morning
in the Circuit COURTROOM. Judge Hoff-
man represented Mrs. Gassrnann and
Lawyer James f. Mccormack appeared
for her husband Mrs. Gassmann was
not present, but her sisters were there,
as well as a number of members of the
Church of the First Born in Bramhall
avenue. They mad been summoned as
witnesses to testify to Mrs. Gassmann's
sanity.
DR.. King, Medical Superintendent of the
Asylum, was the first witness called. He
testified that when Mrs. Gassmann vas
committed to the Asylum, on April 6, she
was insane. She improved rapidly, how
ever, and her mental condition was such
as to warrant her discharge yesterday.
Policeman Gassmann testified that he
lived at No. 10 Zabriskie street, and that
he had been on the police force for ten
years. He had been married twenty
years. He said that he receives a salary
of $1,000 a year, and that he owns =
house and lot.
Didn't you swear in these insanity pro
ceedings,'' asked Judge Hoffman, that
your wife was an insane pauper?"
Il didn't swear that she was a pauper.a
But you had her committed under the
poor act, and you swore that she had no
estate, and that you were not able 10 pay
her EXPENSES in the asylum
II don't know what I swore to, Coun-
selor. l was so excited"
Did she have any money!
She did. but l didn.t know how much.
After she went away I found $500 on a
shelf"
what did you do with it2"
81 put it in the bank"
well. don't you remember that you
swore tina she was an insane pauper2"
81 don't remember exactly what I eware
to. know that my wife gave me a great
deal of trouble"
"You swore that she was i~nsane?"
Eyes, I guess I did,
And that she had no estate
well. ! don't know
You applied to have her committed as 1
pauper, to be supported at the expense q
the county,"
II suppose so,'
You have not paid any Of her expenses
at the %asylum?"
NO, sir"
DON'T you know that a husband is
bound to support his wife2'
Yes. sir
"And although you draw a salary of
81, goo a year and own a house and lot
you swore that she was a pauper?'
q told you before / was SO excited that
1 didn't know exactly what I swore to.
I only know that I swore that she was
insane"
On cross-examination Gassman said
that he did not mean to send his wife to
the asylum as a pauper.
why didn't you SEND her to a private
asylum asked Judge Hoffman.
II couldn't afford it."
In answer to further questions by Judge
Hoffman, Gassmann said he thought the
affidavit was that his wife was insane.
He could not remember whether the af-
fidavit was read to him or not. Judge
Hoffman read the original commitment
made by Police Justice Nevin, in which
it is set forth that Mrs. Gassmann had a
legal settlement in this city under the
poor law, that she had no estate to sup
port her. and that she would be MAIN
tanned at the expense of the county our
ing the period of her lunacy.
Franklin ]. Whitman, who is connected
with the Church Of the First Born ard
the Mount Zion Sanctuary, testlfleu tnat
he had known Meta Gassmann for ilve
or six years. He met her f~rellantly;
that is, as often as two or three TINES Il
week at the prayer meetings. He some
eonversed on different subjects, princi-
paily religion. however He never noLice1
anything in her conversation or actions
Ernest M. Burlingame, another Faith
Curist. who lives at No. 40 Forrest street,
became acquainted with Mrs. Gassmanu
five or six years g at the Mount Zion
Sanctuary. He met her on, an average
of twice a week and talked with her
mostly on religious subjects
Mccormack.
Il can't say that she was replied the
witness. Some are more enthusiastic
than Others and some less than others"
ssYou never thought she was insane?
asked Judge Hoffman.
INC, sir; if she was insane there are
a great many others insane
Charles Smith, VINO is a prominent
member of the church., testified hat he
lives at No. as Siedler street and is en-
gagged in the business of selling lemons
and lines at Wholesale. He has known
Mrs. Gassmann for about six years and
has escorted her to her home and been
to tea with her. He knew her very well
at the Mount Zion Sanctuary and never
saw anything insane about her. They
conversed chiefly about religion and
spiritual matters.
Are you an enthusiast" asked Judge
Hoffman.
mo, sir; but I am a firm believer in the
teachings of Jesus Christ. I found in
talking with Mrs. Gassrpam that she
was thoroughly familiar with the subjects
with which / was familiar"
Then, of course, you didn't think she
was insaneH'
Certainly not"
THE members Of this church are a
pretty sensible lot of people, aren't they?'
You bet~they are. You just try them
and see"
Hoffman, land I'm satisfied that they are
right"
Several other member of the Faith
Cure Church testified that they considered
Mrs. Grassmann perfectly sane; just as
sane as they were themselves.
Mrs. Gassmann is stopping with her sis
ter, Mrs. Catherine Meyer, at No. ol