Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-13
EPT HIS WIFE A PRISONER
Is. Benjamin Wells Locked in Her
Residence, No. 1903 King Street.
Jas FOUND BY CITY OFFICIALS
The Woman Demented and In
Scant Attire.
] RATAGEM EMPLOYED TO REACH HER

The police and health officials made
shocking discovery yesterday week
bon at the house No 1908 King street,
hich has been occupied for some time
Benjamin Wells and his wife. Wells
about "a years of ago and his wife
bout 10. and the neighbors have been
nder the impression for some time
bat Mrs. Wells mind was affected.
Last Saturday Mrs Wells was found
andering aimlessly about the streets
" the police, who took her to the
olice station and afterward sent her
ONE. The appearance Of the house
reused the suspicious of the health
licials and Secretary Wigglesworth of
he Board of Health decided to make
~ investigation.
On Monday Mr.. Wigglesworth, acco n
panied by Health Officers Mckinney
Ind Hignutt, visited the house and
nade an effort to get in. They could
lear a woman inside. She was making
peculiar noises and screamed several
lines, evidently being frightened by
he approach of the men. All of the
ioors and windows were found to he
blosed, locked and nailed, and there
appeared to be. no possible way of
Entering except by breaking in, as the
woman inside could not be induced to
bpen a door or window, even il 1t was
within her power to do SO. The health
officers could not see the woman and she
could not see them. The men were in
q dilemma as to what should be done.
After consultation they left the place,
to return when they could devise some
means of gaining an entrance.
MIR. Wigglesworth sought advice from
City Solicitor Conrad, and after the
consultation with him it was decided
not to forcibly enter the place if they
could get in in any other way. Yesterday
week Mr. Wigglesworth and the health
officers, accompanied by Policemen
Todd and Peterson, made two visits to
the house. On the first visit they were
unable to get in, but while they were
there took occasion to draw some of
the nails from one of the doors which
had been nailed up. Thursday they
returned and the condition of the house
appeared about the same. They heard
Mrs. Wells and going to the door from
which the nails had been drawn sue
ceeded in inducing her to open it after
they told her the nails had been taken
out.
She was evidently of the opinion that
one of the men was her husband, as
she was surprised and appeared angry
when the men entered the building.
She had no clothing on except an
nndergarment, which was in shreds.
The men found an old dress about the
place and endeavored to put it on her,
but she resisted them and they were
compelled to overpower her before she
could be dressed. A cab was sum
moned and she was placed in it and
sent to the State Hospital for the
Insane, at Farnhurst, after she had
been adiudged insane by Police
Surgeon Harris and DIR. France.
After Mrs. Wells had been sent away
the officers made an examination Of the
house. They found no carpet and
nearly all Of the furniture was piled
IN heaps in the front room. The sani-
tary condition of the place was bad.
Cobwebs and filth were found in
several of the rooms, and in the
kitchen, where the woman lived and
slept, ashes to tho depth of nearly six
inches, had been piled against the
door, the object evidently being to
keep out the light. The entire lower
Part OF the house was dark, the shut
ters, windows and doors, as stated
above, being locked and nailed. while
q bureau, table and other pieces of
furniture were piled against the front
door, presumably to keep the woman
away from it. One bed was found up-
stairs. but the conditions there were
not much better than on the first floor.
After the officers completed their in
vestigation Thursday they left the
house, first closing the doors, but re /.
turned Friday morning, when it was
fumigated throughout.
Nothing was seen of the woman Is
husband Thursday when the officers
were at the house, but he was seen
Friday. He did not appear to
be much concerned about what had
happened, but objected when Health
Officer Hignutt ordered him out of the
house and informed him that he would
have to stay out until the fumigation
had been completed. He told Secretary
Wigglesworth that he had the windows
and doors nailed to keep thieves out
and said the ashes were placed against
the back door last winter to keep the
snow out.
just how Wells and his wife lived
has not been ascertained. There is no
water about the place, SO far as could
ne ulScovereu. WellS tOIu Mr. WlggleS-
worth that he and his wife were
healthy all the time last winter when
people were sick all around them. lit
depends on the way you live,'' he ex-
planned. Wells is butcher by trade,
but has not been doing anything Lately,
SO far as is known. He has been
spending most of the time walking
about, and, according to the neighbors,
when he left the house, he locked his
wife inside to prevent her from making
her escape. Some of the neighbors say
last Saturday night is the only time
they have seen her out of the house for
nearly five years. She is in fairly good
physical condition, barring her mental
trouble.
May Have Tempered with Signals
A theory has been advanced that the