Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-05
IN STATE OF HYSTERIA.
Young Jewess in City, Either Lost or
Very Much at Sea.

Something of a sensation was created
ut the Maine Central station, Friday
afternoon, shortly after the arrival of
No. 102, the last section of which was
late by young Jewish girl whose mind
was either affected or who had been
so frightened by her mistakes and
troubles in travelling as to be on the
verge of hysteria. The latter seemed
more probable, as at times she would
talk quite coherently, and then as the
memory of something seemed to come
back would become quite incOherent
again.
She was in the baggage car of the
train when it arrived here and did not
want to get out and some trouble was
experienced in inducing her to do so.
AS soon as the train left she seemed
to become completely beWildered and
talked steadily with sort Of whimper
and pathetic smile. Her English was
fairly good and but for her talking so
fast and running the words and SEN
fences all together might have been
understood without much difficulty.
The railroad men remembered her rs
having passed through the city earlier
in the day. 1t seems that she should
have stopped here but went on through
Il mistake and was put off at Newport
to wait for the next train back. Some
difficulty was experienced over there in
getting her off the wrong train and
| onto the right one, and then when she
got back here she wanted to go on
again. In short, she was 50 beWildered
that she did not seem to know where
| she wanted to go but wanted to simply
keep going somewhere like q person
lost in the woods
So far as could be learned from her
disconnected story she had been work.
ing in a clothing shop in Trenton, N. j.
She also mentioned Paterson, n. j., but
Trenton more frequently. There had
been a strike there and she was thrown
out of work She insisted that she had
q brother here in the city and men
toned the name of Rosingall many
times but in such q way that it could
not be determined whether this was
her own or the name of some relative.
She had a ticket from Trenton to Wa
terville, 50 was landed here by the rail-
road men.
She mentioned many places where she
had worked and said something about
having trouble with her eyes. From
fragments CLEANED here and there it
seemed that either on account of her
eyes or being a slow worker she had
lost her place at the time of the strike
and had started to reach her relatives
here in Maine.
She also said something about a
friend starting with her and DESERVING
her while on the way. But it was all
so fragmentary that nothing at all def
mite could be learned about her. Sew
eral ladies about the station soon gath
cred about her and attempted to calm
her with all the gentle kindness of
good, Warmhearted women, and par,
tally succeeded. She seemed very sus-
picious of men and to feel much safer
and easier with those of her own sex. |
A young man of her own nationality |
was summoned and talked to her in her |
own language She talked readily |
enough with him, but he said that she
was as incoherent in her own tongue |
as in English and that he could make |
nothing of what she told him. He |
wanted to take her home to his people |
where she could be cared for and she |
did start with him, but refused to cross
the tracks and leave the station. She
seemed to have great fear OF getting |
away from the trains and If left to
herself would doubtless have boarded
the first one that came along to go any
where it might take her.
More ladies gathered around her
when she refused to go farther and
after some time succeeded in getting
her to go with them. She was taken
over to the Jew families at the North
End, where it was hoped she might find
friends and shelter until she became
calm again or it could be determined
whether her mind was really affected
she was a young woman about 20
years old and very well dressed. she
was much begrimed by the heat
and dirt of long journey, now
ever, and was nearly wreck when
she arrived here She wore shirt
waist of some fine texture, dark skirt
and new and nobby straw hat
trimmed with black velvet. Her ma
tionality was not very strongly marked
in her features. Under happier clrcum-
stances she would doubtless ne an az
tractive young woman