The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-15
NOT AN INSANITY CASE
Mrs. Josephine McLang Before a
Commission and Discharged.
HER HUSBAND COMPLAINS
He Says She Is an Unsafe Person to be
at Large. But After Telling Her
Story. the Doctors Bid
Her Go at Will.

Yesterday afternoon Josephine Nc
Lang was before a commission on in
sanity composed of Drs. Lesser and
Sigh and Commissioner A. NJ Walker,
in the clerk of the district courts room.
A few days ago Mrs. McLang's hus-
band caused a warrant for the arrest
of his wife to be issued. alleging that
the woman was of unsound mind and
not proper person to be allowed to be
at large.
Drs. ST. Jean, Wood and Evans testi-
fed as to the womans condition. The
latter said that the county attorney
had asked him Saturday evening to
see the woman and ascertain If. in his
judgment she was in fit condition to
be left at home until the day set for
the examination. He stated that in his
opinion she was harmless and could be
allowed to go at large. Drs. st. Jean
and Wood testified that they had called
on her at the instance of her husband
and found her in a high state of ner-
yousness and excitation. She babe them
goodbye and went into another room.
and came out again and apologized for
her rude conduct. In many ways she
exhibited signs of irrationality.
McIang. in answer to questions put
by Assistant County Attorney Self, said
that his wife does little but ca, Ia.n;
that she is cranky and often flies off
her feet and has on divers and sundry
occasions threatened him with great
bodily harm, even going to the ex-
IRENE of throwing large pieces of fur
niture at him. She never broke up any
of the furniture but often made some
fierce lunges at it. AT times. he said,
she would be affectionate and loving,
and at other times she would order him
out of the house.
William Jefferson, Charles Meier and
Miss Kittie O'Brien testified that the
woman was extremely cranky at times
and showed signs of great nervousness.
Mrs. McLang. all during the examina-
ton, listened attentively to what the
witnesses said, and appeared to be as
sane as anyone in the room. She was
called to the witness chair and asked
to tell her story, which she did in a
straightforward connected way. She
displayed little emotion or even ner-
vousness. Her husband she said, had
at times deserted her for as long as six
or seven months, only sending her, in
his absence, a few dollars at great in
tervals. In Salt Lake David Patterson
supplied her with provisions and fuel
and allowed her to live in the house
for which her husband owed three
months rent; that in the same city the
cnleI OF ponce also gave her and her
child provisions. She said that Dave
Patterson bought her a ticket and sent
her to this city from Salt Lake Last
year. she said, her husband went away
and left her destitute. and A. NJ. Walk
err put bread and butter on my table
and gave me money out of his own
pocket, God bless him. I have earned
money by renting rooms. and in this
way have paid house rent to Mr.. Walk
err" She said that she had a brother
in the Warm Springs asylum. He killed
himself drinking, the same as my hus-
band is now doing" she said. She said
she would be As years old on the oath
of this month, and that she was born
in Ireland. Her husband. she said,
often got drunk and neglected his fam
lily.
There was no deliberation-the COM
mission ordered her discharge