The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-07
WHO CAPTURED MRS. BERRY?
One of the Leading Topics of Conver.
sation at Girard.


Girard, Kan. Dec. 7.-An hour after
her capture here in the Frisco car. where
she had barricaded herself for four and
one-half days, Mrs. Berry, the insane
woman, sank into a profound sleep, from
which she awoke about 6 o'clock last
night. She is beng cared for at the
county jail by Mrs. Edward Walsh,
wife of the sheriff who led in her cap
ture. Mrs. Berry's eyes are still swollen
from the ammonia fumes used to over
come her. Dr. L. P. AdamsOn, who is
attending the woman, has nOt-been able
to discover serious i'll effects from her
long vigil against capture. Her slumber
is sound and apparently healthful.
Il have been foolish, haven't I, Mr..
Sheriff." she said. "If I had only be-
heved that you are my friend, as I
know you are now, I wouldn't have shot
al all. Did I hurt anybody? The shoot
ing is what makes me most sorry for
what has happened in this town."
She was not in condition to be taken
before the probate court, and as she is
not citizen of the state the matter of
future action has not been fully decided
on, but she will be well cared for and
guarded.
The opinion is general here that if the
crowds which gathered daily about the
car wherein Mrs. Berry held half the
town in check had been dispersed and
kept away she would have Gained down
long before.
Tuesday night I visited the car" said
Postmaster WaSsOn, and found it faced
by a noisy crowd of 200 men and boys
who were making fun of Mrs. Berry's
plight. There were dog fights going on
and uprOar enough to drive anyone
crazy. That sort of thing, continued day
and night, only added fuel to the wo-
mans first fear of mob violence"
There are a few peopfS here who be-
lieve now that Mrs Berry's dementia is
only temporary and that when she wakes
she will have imperfect memory of the
events of the past FIVE days. Expert
opinion, however, is that she is hope
lessly insane, but viii remain tractable
so long as she is handled properly
To the community of Girard Mrs
Berry's experience has been a big hap
pening. Apart from humane interest in
the case, which has been more or less in
tense all along, the humor of the situa-
ton. arising from the clash of opinion
and authority over the matter of her
capture is beginning to dawn on the
town. Discussion of the case was al
most sheepish. Who really did capture
Mrs. Berry, who grabbed her first, is a
topic of disputation which is fast engen-
dering feeling in the town. W. L. Petty
says he did it,
you see, the Frisco people want first
credit the county claims it, while the
town of Walnut Grove boasts the honor
of possessing the true hero said
Girard editor Looks as if a communi-
ty split along a new line is inevitable
here"
Knots of disputing citizens stood about
the public square thrashing out the
facts of the capture.
''I seen this feller Petty from Walnut
Grove grab her first, vouched one of
the disDutants.
Now. what's the use of sayin' that,
Hank, cause my boy was right there an
seen the sheriff git her. was the re-
joinder.
s.Aw. the sheriff wasn't no where near
her when Petty busted the door in.
Monahan, that railroad detective, got