Bridgeton pioneer., 1900-04-26
is DISCHARGED.
Mary NIunyon Pronounced Perfectly
Sane and is Released From
the Institution Friday.

the Institution Friday.
The investigation of the Mary j.
Munyon case before Judge Trench
ard Friday developed the fact that
for two weeks a perfectly sane woman
has been committed and confined TO
the County Hospital for the Insane
She was taken there against her will,
and confined under the care of at
tendants, knowing full well that her
mind was absolutely free fromany dis
order
Nearly all day Judge Trenchard sat
upon the bench and listened to the
case as it was presented. Nearly all
day the lone woman in black sat in
a chair and listened to the story of
a husband, who, to say the least, had
little regard for her feelings, for he
was ever vindictive in his statements
against his wife.
The principal testimony was from
the husband, Jesse Munyon. His
evidence, or if true, did not for mo-
ment indicate that his wife was in
sane. Taking his testimony as abso-
lutely true and the only construction
that could be placed upon it was that
Mrs. Munyon was inclined to be bit
devilish. But from the evidence of
others, from the story of Mrs. Mum
yon, hreself, it would seem that the
husband was bit too eager to be rid
of his wife.
His story was that his wife would
not live with him. That she would
quarrel with him and sometimes, in
passion would throw away pan of
of milk or something else. His teSti-
mony was not substantiated by any
body else. There were two or three
witnesses called who said that Mrs.
lMunyon was peculiar, but not one in
dicated that she was insane.
The defense was sincere. 1t was con-
yincing. 1t showed, as it pro-
gressed, that Mrs. Munyon had not
been forgotten as she was confined in
an insane institution. In the early
morning there was evidence that she
had friends. Women of her near
neighborhood, came to her as she sat in
the court room and taking her by the
hand, pressed upon her lips kiss,
and the lonely woman could not keep
back the tears And those women,
and several men came upon the stand
and told of an intimate acquaintance
ship. Years, as neighbors, they had
lived together, and yet they had never
noticed anything to indicate that
she was crazy. Not one of them
would admit hat there was reason for
the woman to be in the insane insti-
tuition not one.
But the most convincing argument,
the positive proof of the woman's san
ity came from Drs. J. r. G. Thomp-
son and M. X. Elmer. Each had ex-
amined the case carefully. They had
put the unfortunate woman to every
test known to science and not the
slightest indication of insanity was
discovered. The woman was perfectly
rational, not even of an eXcitable or
nervous disposition, and each of these
distinguished physicians declared
their professional opinion to be that
Mrs Munyon was perfectly sane.
I Mrs. Munyon, herself, upon the
stand, convinced the court and those
present that she was sane. Her
answers to questions were clear and
unusually intelligent.
Rex A. Donnelly, who had prepared
the defense for Mrs. Munyon, was not
permitted by the court to make any
argument. Judge Trenchard said
that he had heard enough. He was
convinced that the woman was per-
fectly sane, and he SO adjudged her.
Immediately the court gave an Or
der to Supt. Elwell, of the Inasne
Hospital, for the discharge of the
lady, and a few moments later she
was free, surrounded by her friends.