The San Francisco call., 1899-03-12
The Poetess Goes Mad
Once More.
WRECKED HER LONELY HOME
HER LOVED CAT KILLED BY
REQUEST.
Flora Macdonald Shearer Goes Back
to Livermore Asylum After
Sensational Episode on
Leavenworth Street.

Miss Flora Macdonald Shearer is again
in private insane asylum as a result Of
sudden and violent return of insanity,
which few days ago created consider
able commotion about her lonely home
near North Beach, the destruction and
possible burning of which were prevented
by the timely invasion of some disturbed
neighbors
This gentle poetess is now a patient
at a private asylum at Livermore. 1t is
nearly two years since she was found in
the surf about North Beach early one
morning and taken to the Receiving Hos
pital by the police. She was then sent
to a private asylum at San Mateo. A
few days before that she had been found
on Russian Hill, with her two pet cats
she loved, trying to make the cats eat
the beautiful grass.
She was discharged from the San Ma
teo institution, resumed her duties III tIe
Washington Grammar School, Where sue
taught for so many years, had anoIner
mental relapse and was sent 10 the Al'-
ermore institution. .1
to this f city me as cuTed a9d theme about four
months ago, she indulged her own I'M
pulses by breaking away and gong ~
live alone in a fat of her own Iurhlsn- I1sIL
ing at 2O3S LeavenWorth street 1t was
one of three modern flats, set high on the
hill overlooking the bay, and suited nea
hermit life Her physician ana her
friends protested, but she reSoluISeay Say
ensconsed herself there, fitting up @ neI
apartments beautifully doing heI t{er Tmn
household work, receiving now ana tnGn 5I
calls from a few chooice friends, ana a1 Tan
ing especial care of her two loyal pet . cdCa,
one Of whom soon died, while the Hi moi
Tnhust Niger survived Dr. BuckIdhla lha
and others insstently ady1sed tnat sa,,+ SIC +o
do no mental work, put she "eA' ~
stGGglnSf 6cly aSftarnoon erlu a few days ago Mrs.
c,,oiie1, who lived in the fiat below, Wd9
Startled by wild and strange nolses a. 1f;se
ner Neighbors were summoned anu SIi W.
Shearer's home above was 5 lIHS'ueu eSro hing
Shearer was found stark mao, gidpDiII giIIl nIS
At the chandelier, shriekinS, laugIIn6 o. bar
singing by turns, her furniture uPSeL, - rUI
bric-a@brac broken and streWh every
where. a lamp broken and upset, Ia sc
can of oil poured over the moor StIiV a. +ba
49, %9r1 The rooms were completely
wrecked. and the occupant was Illd4 MAJ
woman, but no fire had yet been starIeIiii
came and soon Miss Shearer was
strapped to a bed and cared for ny to LWo
nurses 1t was case or VloieH(i - lSSe aSar,e.,
ia In two or three days She became
comparatively lucid and was then IN IN
formed that she must go to a nos hosp1Lai. nre
She resigned herself to ..Hieroa1 NE aaIe c6n1d
1ctipgo' not go With her he be chloroformed;
Her beloved cat was gently chlorotoTinea
by friends and reverently bur1ed IN ,i3oit, paGk
Yard. Miss Shearer, it is said is likely
to wholly and permanently recover:
Miss Shearer was the daughter OF
Scotch clergyman, and received a classical
education. She is a native of the Isle OF
SKYE She has brother and sister IN
Scotland, but no relatives IN America; ohe
is a direct descendant of the Flora Mac
Donald of Scottish romance, who rescued
Bonnie Prince Charlie and who is ceIe-
brated in Highland song and story her
best poems are contained in the volume
entitled THE Legend of Aulus, and have
been praised by Andrew Lang ana other
critics.