The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-19
PROCEEDINGS IN LUNACY
The Cases of Mrs, CIapp ARA Mrs.
Davies E,uquired Into.

The proce edings in Iunacy IN the pro
bate branch Of the Supreme Court were
more than usually interesting. Among
those whose mental condition was en-
qUir-d into were Mrs. Catherine W CIapp
and Mrs Sarah r. Davies. The proceed
iHgs were conducted by Justice Bradley,
in Circuit Court room No. > The peti-
tionS requesting the mental condition Of
The subjects TO be enquired into were is
sued at the instance Of the District Com
miSsiOuers- who were represented 0y y
Leftwich Sinclair
Besides those already named the sanity
Of the following named was also made
matter Of judicial enquiry Patrick w
Doyle, Nathan I. Sim Frederick Rest.
John a Russell. Adelaide Y Hall. and
Mary Z. Upton all white. and Dennis
johnson, Esther Edward, and William
0stard. coIored.
II is stated that Mrs Ciapp was at one
time u weII-knoWn society woman Of this
city. and frequently entertained most
lavishly. Ruegies W. C1app. her hus-
band. is Il weli-known business man Of
Washington. He and his wife were in
New York about ten days ago and while
there Mrs CIapp- was lodged in the in
sane pavilion at Bellevue Hospital She
was arrested on complaint OF a clerk OF
the Hotel Roland on East FTfty-niHth
Street
On reaching Washington few days
afterward Mrs. CIapp was sent to the
Washington Asylum Hospital. from
which she was transferred To the insane
asylum last Tuesday Mr. Clapp is the
petitioner in the proceedings against his
wife and he alleges that sire is lunatic
Of homicidaI and otherwise dangerous
tendencies and unfit TO be at large in the
community He also alleges that she is
INDECENT Mr. CIapp says that since his
wife returned from New York she has
amused herself by tearing up portion of
his clothing besides damaging certain
furniture Under the halIucinatiou that
she is worth millions Of dollars Mrs.
CIapp apparently thinks nothing of de-
str0ying everything she can lay her hands
on
Justice Bradley appointed Drs- J Ram
sey hewitt and D. Percy TIicIiHg to ex-
anime Mrs. CIapp. 1t Is stated that Mrs.
Clapp's sanity was called III question by
the local authorities about five years ago,
and that she was adjudged insane by
marshaTs jury Drs. Kicking AMI hewitt
testified in regard to Mrs. Clapp's condi-
ton on that occasion, and they were Sc
Iectcd to examine her and testify at the
1uiIiarfty with Mrs CIapp's case They
think she should be committed to St
Elizabeth's for mental treatment
Mrs Sarah r Davies is about dfty-s.x
years of age and lives at 237 Virginia
Avenue southeast. she was arrested
about ten DAYS go on a charge Of as
saUit, but when arraisned in the Police
Court 1t was suggested that probably her
mind was diseased, whcTeupon the court
directed that she be examined by the
notice her mental CDuGl-
ton Police surgeons BurCh and Vale
examined Mrs Davies and recommended
that she be sent TO the insane asylum,
which was accordingly done. and the pro-
ceeGiEgs locking to a judicial determine
ton Of her condition soon followed
At the time Of The arrest Of Mrs Da-
vieS II - said she was welding a butcher
knife pretty freely. It is stated that she
assaulted her husband and several others
/ and would have done serious damage If
nciShbOrs had not interfeTed- While in q
I frenzy it Is also said that Mrs Davies
stabbed a white kitten and killed it in
mediateIy.