The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-11-04

from an artesian welD was ''pollute(
with Sewerage;" the vegetables wer,
rank poison" She spoke rather
anxiously about general feeling o,
numhnesS, and asked what was the
cause OF 1t. She was entirely inac
cessible to explanation, argument, OF
even positive proof as to the impos.
sibility OF her statements. Occasion
ally she would burst out unexpectedly
with peculiar and piercing shrieks OF
laughter which would seem impossible
to one in her weak condition.
Many Of her indiscriminate and
sense!ess charges seemed to be rather
the expression Of an insane malignity
toward every one than the outcome Of
genuine belief that they were true.
But we were, at the same time, con-
Sinced beyond doubt that she was
also suffering from strong and genu-
inc delusions Of persecution by poison
Ing, be- auSe her belief in this regard
so con istently influenced her con-
duct that her refusal Of food bad prac-
tlcaily reduced her to q skeleton, and
repeated forcible feelings had no ef-
feet In changing her convictions. Her
persecutory ideas yary IL strength
from time to time, but the deluslons
of suspicion from which they spring
remain unsbakcn.
BY the progress OF her disease Jane
Toppan has come 10 believe that not
only every article Of food that is
brought to her, every cup Of tea or
coffee and every glass of water, is
| poisoned.
She can see the spectres Of her vic.
Tins lowering over her and dropping
the poison into these things Just as
she used to do 10 them.
Ole Of her favoritc methods was to
dissolve an atrophia tablet in glass
Of mineral water and hold 1T up smil.
ingly as draught Of health.
This Is the way she dlugged poor
Mr.. Alden 2. Davis to death. II her
patients were particularly fond Of tea
or cotfe she dis lived morphia or afro
phia tablets in their cups.
When Jane Toppln was first com
mitted to the asylum she was permit
ted to mingle with the other mildly
insene patients. But as her delusions
became more frequent and she broke
foi tn into violent Trades against the
other patients and the hospital atten-
dantS, she was removed first to the In
Urinary and later to secluded cell in
the north wing. The windows have
gratings and 1t is in reality prison.
II saw them all last night"
she said one morning this week when
the nurse came to her room with a
tray Of crust, cytfee and bread.
What do you mean Jane, = asked
the nurse, as she noticed the unnatur-
Ell brightness In Jane Toppan's hollow,
;unken eyes.
why, all the people ]; have killed 4,
the woman said ff7, q. i1iiu gI7l, - =. :.
pearlng perfectly rational' ''They all
came and gathered around my bed in
the night. There were the Davises,
and MIR. and Mrs. Durham, and Myra
Connors, and Mrs. Brigham, Mrs.
Bannister, Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Harry
Gordon-oh, I'm sorry 1 killed her,
she Is so pretty''-and here the har-
dened rnurderess, WHO once seemed to
know no such thing as human sorrow,
burst into tears. Then, recovering
herself. she went on:
DuG tHey Ie dll dlUer me now
thirty one OF them-some want to
poison me, and some come at me with
their skeleton hands as if they would
choke me. See, they're coming for me
now-help, dcr'-and the poor,
demented creature fell back upon her
cot In paroxyi,m Of Insane fear.
Jane Toppan is paying the penalty
Of her crimes by Natures or Gods
own law in way that is an APPALLING
noral object lie son-that no one can
take human life, even if he escapes
punishment Of human law, without
suffering the most awfu; fortunes to
the end of his or her own wretchd ex-
lStence.