The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-06
AGED MRS. MARY TODD COMMIT
TED TO THE ASYLUM.
DAUGHTER THE COMPLAINANT
Investigation Held in Judge McCler-
mans Court This Morning-De-
PENDANT Had Been on the
Frontier Since a Child.

MIS- mary IOOO, an dSeu WOIHdH, Was
held in Judge McClernan's court this
morning. The complaint against the de-
PENDANT was made yesterday by her
daughter. Mrs. Minnie Gates. Both
mother and daughter were residents Of
South Washington street. The examin-
ing board of physicians was composed
of DR.. Bertha Mackel and Dr. J. Lobb.
DR.. Hammond testified that he had
known Mrs. Todd II or Is years.
What is the state Of her health as
to sanity?" asked Deputy County Attor-
ney Yancy.
well, never noticed anything wrong
about her till last fall. Then her con-
versation made me think she was be-
coming unbalanced. She was worrying
about things that were past" the doc
tor replied.
The doctor continued that he had had
several interviews with Mrs. Todd on
other occasions since that time, and that
she was lncoherent and unreasonable in
her speech. The predominant idea in
Mrs. Todd's mind, according to the ply
sician, was the belief that she had not
received the care and affection from her
relatives that she was entitled to.
Mrs. Todd became violently excited in
discussing her imagined wrongs, the doc
tor said.
do you think there was grounds for
her complaint of neglect, doctor?" the
prosecutor asked.
"Well, she has been a hard working
woman, and she lost son short time
ago, and these things may be responsible
for her condition of mind"
Mrs. Todd had been a member of DR..
Hammonds family. and he had known
her for 25 years. He said that she had
been on the frontier since childhood and
had passed through many hardships,
and had shown herself woman of great
strength of character during her life.
Mrs. Gates. Mrs. Todd's daughter, tes-
titled that the latter is 50 years old and
had lived with her since coming to her
from Canada. four or five years ago.
Before coming here, Todd, Mrs. Todd's
husband and step-father of Mrs. Gates,
sent information that he intended to
have her sanity investigated there. The
Gates did not think there was anything
wrong with her and had her sent here.
She came in charge Of an officer.
Mrs. Todd, who was In the court room.
broke in here and told the story of the
trip she made from British Columbia
to California and then to Butte, at the
time she came here, in an entirely ra-
tiona1 manner. She said she came back
to Montana because she was homesick
and wanted to escape the California heat.
She had been here before.
"How do you feel noW?" one of the
doctors asked her.
II feel all right. But I don't like
people to spy around after me. I leave
o,,1 VT thon1
me alone" the old lady replied decid-
edlv. but with perfect calmness and ap-
parent nationality
She said that Mrs. Gates treated her
all right and then said she had had
FIVE sons. and talked about the death
of the one who died east, all of them be-
ing dead.
Mrs. Gates went on to testify that her
mother would not eat out Of a dish of
food until it had been tasted by the
other members of the family, ana that
Mrs. Todd went around the neighborhood
telling the neighbors that the family was
trying to poison her; also that Mrs. Ioud
now wanted to go to relatives In CALI
fornia. blu that it would be of no use to
send her. as she would be sent right
back
She also said that Mrs. Todd had torn
IN her clothes-a jacket particularly.
Mrs. Todd had also got it into her heao
lately that a strange man living next
door was her husband, Todd, and had
asked him for money to go to Call
fornia. -,
"Why did you tear up you clothes?'
the Judge asked Mrs. Todd.
"Recause I don't like the man who
gave them to me-Todd," the old lady re-
Piled
"Does your husband live next door
to you?"
"Not that I know of. said that that
old grey-haired man looked like ne does'
And there's a quilt on the line like one
old man Todd had" said Mrs. Todd.
'And I haven't seen old man Todd Tor
years, either" she AIDED.
Did you ask the man, money to go
to California" the court Queried.
IT never spoke to that man IN my
life." the old lady replied.
Mrs. Todd then proceeded to talk ABOUT
her husband in Canada. She said that
she could go back to him If she would
work hard for him.
"That's the only use he's got for a
woman" she said. Il could De Win
him now If I'd milk cows and make
cheese, and raise a garden ana ou,iu
dams and fences, and clean out stapies
and chop wood, and dig potatoes. But
I'm too old and worn out
The old lady looked her statement. she
was colorless, wrinkled and neshless IN
the face and bore all the marks OF ex-
IRENE ago.
The case was pathetic one from every
standpoint. But the physicians decided
that Mrs. Todd was sunerins from III
mentia of paranoic character ana
| Judge McClernan issued an oroer 1or
| her commitment to the asylum.
VERDICT FOR MRS. D0UGHERIY
passmore Real Estate Company and