Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-12-02
ESCAPES FROM HOSPITAL
MRS. KATHERINE MACkEY SLIPS
AWAY FROM ATTENDANT.
Had Been Under Treatment for Mental
TroubIe-Is With Friend
in Virginia.

Mrs Katharine S. Mackey, wife of ex-
Judge Thomas J. Mackey of South Carolina,
and daughter of Col. Charles Porterneld OF
Charlestown, w. Va, who was sent TO the
hospital for the insane nearly a year ago.
escaped from an attendant Saturday AFTER
noon. She attended a matinee performance
at one of the theaters, and at it's conclu-
sion started back to the hospital, accom-
named by the nurse who attended her. 1t
was about dark when they reached the
transfer station at 9th and streets, ana
while waiting for the arrival of an Ana
costa car Mrs Mackey slipped away from
the woman who had charge of her and dis
appeared before the latter missed her.
Mrs Mackey had attended the theater
number of times and had never before
shown any disposition to run away. she
was often referred to as the child wife
of the former South Carollnlan. 1ester-
day the police received information from
Mr. Porterfield that his daughter had gone
to the home of Mrs. Rosina Mackey, .ile
divorced wife of the judge, at Rosslyn. i ne
asylum authorities were notified and they
arranged to get the fugitive patient ana
return her to the asylum
Early this morning Judge Mackey' IN
company with another man, rode IN CAP
to the residence where his wife had taken
refuge, outside of Rosslyn, for the purpose
of conveying her back to the city Inc
residence visited is situated on the Lower
quite distance from the bridge. when ne
reached the house he learned that MRS.
Mackey hau been there, but had gone away
early this morning, with the avoWed lnten-
tion of calling on Judge Cole and having
the court again pass upon the question Oh
her sanity. Judge Mackey sent message
to this effect to the hospital authorities
Immediately after sending the message
Judge Mackey left the drug store and
boarded the first east-bound car for Wash
ington.
To a Star reporter Judge Mackey said:
Il called at the residence of Mrs. RoSlna
Mackev at about $50 this morning, near
Rosslyn, Va. She informed me that my
wife had lett, stating that she was gong
to Washington to see Judge Cole, who had
committed her to the asylum, to procure
her discharge. from that institution AT Il
| o'clock | again visited Rosslyn and ascer-
| tanned that my wife had returned to MRS.
| Mackey's. and as she had seen the morning
| papers announcing my purpose to take her
| back to the asylum she declared that she
| would not surrender to me, but that II
| her father came to her she would Surren-
der to him. in the belief that he would rot
! return her to the asylum. She was COM
| mitted originally by proceedings which ne
| instituted, and l am satisfied that If she
| does have a personal interview with MIN
| he will secure her discharge, she having
| most extraordinary influence over him. L
| will interpoSe objection to that course,
| provided that he remove her from the Dis
| trict, nor will l take any action to return
| her to the institution as long as Mr.. Ro-
| sina Mackey is willing to maintain her IN
| Virginia. l am satisfied from the state
| ments of the superintendent of the asylum
| that she is an incurable lunatic. learned
| after my marriage to her in 1898 that seven
| years before l met her she was treated for
| mental trouble in the Maryland Hospital
| for Women in Baltimore by DIR. Wilson,
who still has charge of that institution.
Her malady is hereditary, her paternal
grandmother having been afflicted with
hysteria. L have telegraphed her proposal
to Col. Porterfield, her father at Charles
town, w. Va, to surrender to him, and
have requested him to proceed to Rosslyn."