Evening star., 1901-09-04
MIND UNBALANCED
Mrs Catherine A. Babcock Sent to
Asylum for Insane.
THE WIDOW OF COL. 0. E. BABC0CK
Investigation to Be Made Of Her
Mental Condition.
HER ALLEGED DELUS1ONS

Mrs Catherine E. Babcock widow OF
Colonel o. E. Babcock of General Grants
staff during the civil war, was sent t
St Elizabeth's Hospital for the Insane to-
day from the house of detention, pending
an examination by the District Supreme
Court as to her mental condition. Mrs
Babcock Is about seventy years of age
She was taken into custody yesterday by
Policeman Gibson of the second precinct
charged with insanity. She resides at 9Ol
NJ street northwest.
Several years ago Mrs. Babcock's daugh-
ter died in Baltimore, and lately. it Is said
she has labored under the halluc1nat1on
that persons have been threatening to re-
move her daughters body from it's grave
unless certain sums of money were forth
coming Drs. Hickling and Marbury upon
examining Mrs. Babcock found her suffer-
ing from mental alteration.
Mrs Babcock Is very well known In
Washington. 1t is said she draws a pension
of s25 a month from the government. II
was stated today that Mrs. Babcock had
lived for several years. and up to short
time ago. at 1913 / street northwest. but
left there to live with Mrs. Martha Nc
Iaughln who conducts a boarding house
at 9th and NJ streets. 1t is also said that
upon the death of the late Col. Babcock he
bequeathed to his wife a large amount OF
money. Upon the advice of friends Mrs.
Babcock invested these funds, but the In
vestment proved to be Improbable. and 1t
Is understood she lost all her holdings.
This worried her greatly.
Mrs. Babcock is woman who has al
ways been accustomed to every comfort In
life and it is said that when she lost her
money she frequently found herself in
straitened circumstances. Upon such occa-
sicns, it Is declared some Of her friends
came to her aid and furnished her with
funds.
Her Peculiar Conduct.
Recently she began to act in a peculiar
manner and told her friends that persons
unknown to her were prosecuting her. She
also expressed great affection for q young
married man of her acquaintance, telling
her friends that she was soon to be mar
ried to him. Yesterday. Mrs Mclaughlin
informed the police of Mrs Babcock's al
legged vagaries and said she thought that
her mental condition should be inquired
into Mrs Babcock was thereupon re-
moved to the house of detention. After the
examination by the physicians Sanitary
Officer Frank signed an order temporarily
committing her to ST. Elizabeths Hospital.
Mrs. Babcock is a woman of refinement
and education, and her sad condition Is
said to be solely the result of trouble. She
realizes that her health Is shattered. In
conversation with an official on the way to
st. Elizabeth's this morning she remarked:
Yes. my health is greatly impaired now.
Look at me. Do l not look III? Ah but
you should have seen me ten years ago. I
look entirely like another person now"
This sad condition Of Mrs. Babcock,
whose prominence was so great in army
and social circles during the Grant ad-
ministration, will be heard of with the
deepest regret by scores Of her old ac-
quaintances here. Living quietly of late
years, because Of her age. she ceased to
take any active part in social life. While
husband official
Washington the family life Of the Bab-
cocks and Grants became almost Identical
In the public mind, and the mention Of the
Babcock name invariably suggested that
Of Gen. Grant.
Col. BAbcOck's Prominence.
Colonel Orville f. Babcock was one of
the hest-known residents Of the national
capital during the reconstruction period
following the war of the rebellion. Born in
Vermont, he was graduated from the Mill
tary Academy as number three in the class
of 1861. and assigned to the Corps Of En-
gineers. He served with distinction
throughout the war of the rebellion, and
was brevetted five times for gallant and
meritorious conduct his last brevet being
that of brigadier general. He began his
military career as assistant engineer in
the construction of the defenses Of Wash
fngton. and shortly afterward served as
aid to Major General Banks. He took an
and engagements, including the siege Of
Yorktown, the siege Of Knoxville, Tenn.
the battle of the Wilderness the siege OF
Vicksburg, and was aid-de-camp to Lieu
tenant General Grant In the Richmond
campaign, which resulted in the surrender
OF General Lees army at Appomattox
Court House. The place of the meeting of
the contending generals was selected by
Colonel Babcock as the personal repre-
sentative Of General Grant.
There was strong personal attachment
between these two officers. and Col. Babcock
was Gen. Grants chief of staff after the
close of the war until his election as Presi-
dent of the United States in 1869 when he
was detailed military secretary of the
President He occupied an office at the
White House and had charge of the social
functions there during President Grant 8
two terms. In June. 1871, he was assigned
to duty as experimenting engineer of pub
lie buildings and grounds. While filling
that assignment he superintended the con-
struction of the Chain bridge over the Po-
tomac river, the Anacostia bridge over
the Eastern branch and the east wing of
the building for the State, War and Navy
departments. He was also in charge Of the
Washington aqueduct during the same
period and was d member of the board for
the Improvement Of the harbors of Wash
ington and Georgetown
AT the conclusion of his services in this
city. in March, 1877, he was assigned to
lighthouse duty, and 1t was while making
an inspection of lighthouses on the coast
Of Florida June 2. 1884, that he was caught
In storm in Mosquito inlet and drowned.
de was then but forty-eight years of age