The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-10-16
Tom MaCkey Again
Wins In The Court.
HAS HIS WIFE RELEASED FIirM TIE
LUSATIC ASYLUM.
iho Eon,h Carolina EN-JudEc wilma FROM
the Judge Il Decision In III. Favor
by ~ Nost Earnest Appvui.

-
day gave tho following story of an
affair of considerable interest to tho
people of the State Of South Caro-
lima:
Aftor spending three months and
eight days in the government asylum
for tho insane Mrs. Catherine ID.
Mackcy, wife Of former Judge Thos.
}. Mackcy, Of South Carolina, was
released from that institution at 6
o'clock last evening. This was in
pursuance Of a writ Of hubcus corpus
which Justice Cole signed late in t;,"
evening and placed in tho hands Q:
tho husband at tho conclusion of :;
hearing wi.ioi, i'"id tho a;tontion c;
a large audience III tho crimin;...
court, No. :, almost an cntiro dny.
Mrs. Ma"kev, Il woman much young.
er than her husband, and daughter
Of Col. William \. Portcrtield. Of
Charlestown, ". Va. was lodged in
tho asylum juno > l4~t, hrr father
being tho petitioner. The case at
tracted general attention at tho time,
and some days elapsed boforo the
woman was brought to this city from
alexandria,, Va, and committed.
In bis petition Judge MncKoy con
tended that his wifo was Illegally
committed, declaring that size was
not an INDECENT porson, and further
that sho was absent during tho pro-
ceedings against her. When tho
hearing was begun at 10 o'clock the
court room was crowded. Many at.
:orneys were in attendance. They
were interested in tho legal questions
involved. Tho testimony occupied
more than four hours. and tho argu-
ment Of the petitioner half that
time. Justice Colo gavo his ruling
shortly before 5 o'clock, and until
that hour tho interest was so intonso
the dropping of pin might have
been heard in almost any part Of the
dingy courtroom, tho scene Of many
historic cases and lively legal en-
counters.
MRS MACKEY on TIE STAND
Deputy Marshal r. S. Farmer
was called as witness, and explain
ed that he served papers in the lu-
macy haso on Mrs. Mackey May 2,
whilo sho was stopping at 2ll First
street. Mrs. Mackoy was next sworn
and testified that sho came to Wash
ington with her father last spring
and was taken to the Office Of DR..
Vale. She was handed a magazine
by the latter, and, informing HIM
she could not read, she stated, she
was declared to DO suffering with
congestion Of tho brain. DR.. Valo
telephoned for the police and sho
made her escape, joining her hus.
band. Witness denied that she had
over contemplated suicide. Sho do.
scriJed her surroundings at st. Eliz-
aboth's stating that sho had spent
timo in several wards, in ono of
which sho had six lunatics as com
panions, interfering with hor sloop
Mrs. Mackey told tho court she
went to Alexandria with hor hns.
band last May, where sho was per
fectly comfortable and happy. She
declared with emphasis that Judge
Mackey had always been kind to her,
When sho came to Washington last
juno she did so involuntarily. She
declared that she was kidnapped, in
order that she might DO taken to St.
Elizaboth's, accusing her brother,
George PorterGeld, and Mr.. Wash
ington of doing this
Witness admitted that she had fro
quontly changed her place of resi-
| denco because she had disturbed in.
mates Of tho houses by screaming
She did this, she told the court, be-
cause she was in constant fear OF be-
ing sent to an insane asylum by her
father. She admitted that sho had
received sums Of money from Col.
Porterficld from timo to time.
REVIEWS HIS OWN CAREER.
Judge Mackey appeared as wit
ness when his wife left the stand.
Ho spoke with cloquonce and dra.
matte fervor at times, presenting a
graphic history of his life. He de-