The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-20
KANSAS NEWS.
A Wichita Girl Lays Claim to
the Poor Farm.
Also Stoutly Maintains That
Queen Vie Was . Relative.
QUEER HALLUCINATION
Derangement Said to Be Caused
From Over Religious Zeal.
SAYS Her Presentiments Sent to
Her From Heaven.

Wichita, Sept 20.-The Eagle says:
A complaint Of insanity was made in
yesterday against Miss Cora Tolhert,
young woman 26 years old. Poor Com
missioner Daniels made the complaint
Miss Tolbert declares that she owns
the SedgWick county poor farm. o1
which she is an inmate, Her presence
at the institution is caused by her being
on the invalid list and having lost her
mother some time ago. She stouuy
maintains that she has SUPERVISION OF
the entire farm. and declares that ner
mother was a cousin to Queen Victoria.
At times she becomes violent. and AT
these times she acts more like a person
with high temper than an insane one.
The girls father says that he believes
his daughters unsettled mental state is
due to a prOtracted religious meeting, IN
which she took an active part.
The first signs of insanity appeared
when the girls father sent her material
for a dress. She made the dress, but on
trying it on she discovered that it did
not suit her and thereupon she tore 1t
into strips with vengeance. threw the
scraps across the room and made the
room look like q rag shop. Superln-
tndent Dillon came into the room ana
demanded that the woman clear the
room up. She refused. notwithstanding
his demands. However, after protesting
for ten minutes she went to work and
got the dfsiointed dress into a head
Tying this up into bundle, she SUD
denly turned and let it fly at SuDerin-
tendent Dillon. He retreated and the
woman was later put into a jailsroom.
Mr.. Daniels visited her, and tells of
his interview with her as follows:
IT said to her: How are you, Cora?
All right! she replied. Why shouldn't
feel good? I own this institution and
it is under my supervision When she
talked to me she would laugh with the
prettiest little twinkle in her blue eyes,
as though she were enjoying joke at
my expense. Well said /. why are
they keeping you in here II you are the
boss?' She replied: I don't know; but
killing me. Yes, they are always trying
to kill me. A presentiment told me SO.
had a presentiment last night that
Mr. Dillon will be president OF the
United States
st asked her where she got her pre-
sentiments. From Christ she said.
Well, then told her thought she had
better ask Him to take care of her. She
said she had. and that it was He who
kept them from killing her. She then
went on to tell me that she was a Sec
ond cousin of Queen Victoria, and
way. This is a good reason to believe
that too much reading has aided in
driving her insane. Just a day or two
before was out, I had sent her some
magazines. and Dillon said she seemed
worse than she had been lately. In
winding UP her talk with me she
claimed that besides the farm. she also
owned the st. Francis hospital, the
Wichita hospital and the Rescue home.
l asked her who she was, and she said
been married for fifteen years and that
she had not seen her husband for three
years. I asked about the children and
with a blush she said I have none.'"