Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-08-21
EMBRYO SENSATION
Runs Up Against the Facts and
Comes to Grief.
What a Boston Young Man Found Out
When He Paid a Visit to the Brat
tleboro Retreat.

tleboro Retreat.
Two Of the Boston papers published
last week a sensational story about D.,
one Mrs. j. Edwin Eaton of Waldoboro,
Me. whose husband. it is alleged
had caused her to be wrongfully con
fined in the Brattleboro Retreat, and
who had been released only upon
threat of legal proceedings by Mrs.
Eaton's lawyer. The facts, so far as
they have any public interest prove to
be that Mrs. Eaton was brought to
the Retreat by her husband last
January, and that she was regularly
committed tor care and treatment on
the certificate of Drs. Conland and
Pratt, every requirement of the Yer
mont law in regard to the commit
ment of insane persons having been
fully observed. Mrs. Eaton was given
a pleasant room in one of the best
halls, and made as comfortable as
possible 1t was and still is the
opinion OF the Retreat doctors that
Mrs Eaton's mind is permanently i'm
paired. Some time after her admis
sion Mrs. EatOn's sister began to make
efforts for her release, and about the
middle Of July a Waldoboro lawyer
came to the Retreat and demanded her
release. He was told by Supt. Lawton
that she could be released only by
consent of her husband. DR.. Lawton.
of his own accord. conferred with Mr..
Eaton by telephone. was told by him
that he was willing that Mrs. Eaton
should be released and taken to her
sister. and she was allowed to go by
the next train. \ suit for divorce
with $4,000 alimony has since been
brought in Mrs Eaton's behalf.
The Sequel.
Last Saturday afternoon a repre-
sentative of the Boston Traveller APP
peared at the Retreat in pursuit of
additional information about that pa
pers pet sensation. He was courte-
ously received. as all visitors are and
after investigating and asking ques-
tons to his hearts content he evil
IDENTIFY gained a different impression
than he had expected of the place in
which Mrs. Eaton had been linear
cerated," for he printed in the TRAY
eler on Monday a second chapter Of
his story with illustrations) in which
he said:
when the Traveller man called at the
Institution TO iutert lew the superintend-
ont, tn ideal location of the buildings
the green stretches of velvety lawns. all
wei kept. denoted prosperous con-
dition ,f aff1irs az the place. Inside all
was order and comfort The floors were
polished and the furniture solid and sub
Staulal. Everything was in place and
not n single uutidy feature was in evil
donce. system was to he seen in the
very position of q chair the location of
the broad hallway furniture. and the i'm
maculate cleanliness of all the living
rooms
DR. Lawton is big man, probably
200 pounds in weight. with hair between
blonde and gray. lie has a ford face,
full jaws. broad shoulders, and his man
ner IS hearty and open.
ITO one having visited public insti-
tItions of the kind it is impossible To
convey Nhe quiet elegance of the place
in which Mrs Eaton was confined. Her
bedroom is about the size of large
ocean liner stateroom, scrupulously
clean and very comfortable. The
neatness of the place is marked and the
linen was Numbered to perfection. In
the room was a bureau, commode. ward
robe, bed, rockers and tapestry carpet
Lace curtains We're at the windows. and
all was tastefully arranged as when Mrs
Eaton occupied it. Pictures We're or
the walls, and a general air of cleanli-
ness and comfort prevailed.
THE adjacent broad hallway was hung
with etchings and fine pictures the floor
was polished and covered with a wide
strip of tapestry in its entire length. or
one side of the hall was the dining room
with polished floors and fine fittings. Or
the same side is the nurses room, while
along the hallway are the doors opening
into the private rooms of the patients.
At one end of the han is the librar!
containing 20oo volumes for the exclusive
use of the women patients. In an alcov'
piano is located. and the couches
chairs and window seats are strewn will
soft sofa pillows The quarters Mrs
Eaton had access to arc as comfortabl,
p1TlDr arrangements CO1li,
make them"
The reporter also found, what hal
already been stated, that Mrs. EatoI
was regularly committed to the Re
treat. and that during her detention
she was given every privilege and at
tartion that her mental condition per
mitted. In his hunt for information
the enterprising young man called OF
several prominent BrattleborO men
and this was what he found out;
Judge William s Newton said:
"pr. IaWton is above criticism. am
if anything ever happens to me to rende
me helpless, / want to be taken to tn
retreat"
William II Vinton. chairman of tn
board of selectmen, said:
"Why. YOU can't find anyone in thi
town who would believe the Retreat wa
or is Improperly conducted"
Colonel j. Gray Estey the milionair
manufacturer, said
I'm glad 10 defend Or. Lawton. II
and the Retreat are above criticism"
james Fisk Hooker, prominent Yer
mont lewyer, exclaimed:
DIR Lawton. did you say? He is on
of the finest men living and can b
trusted under all circumstance He
would never in the world stoOp to any
thing in the slightest way dishonorable
ana I'm sure | can't say too much 70