Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-01-05
AWFUL EXPERIENCE
Of INSANE WOMAN
NEARLY NUDE WOMAN SPENDS
NIGHT UPON BLEAK NEVADA
DESERT.

and hardly clothing enough to cover
her, Mrs. Mary Harding is confined
in a room at the st. Francis Hotel
in this city, suffering from a mental
ALTERATION which takes the form of
a religious mania. The experiences
of Mrs. Harding are almost beyond
belief. That a woman of her consti-
tuition should undergo the privations
and hardships which have been her
lot during the past three or four
days and still live to tell the tale
is little short of miraculous. But
such is the case, however, and fur
ther, there is every probability that
Mrs. Harding's reason will be re-
stored and that she will in time re-
turn with her husband to their home
clothed in her right mind.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harding are resi-
dents Of a little mining camp known
as Eden, in the Belle HELEN district,
about fifty miles from Tonopah. Up
to two weeks ago naught had occur
red to mar the harmony of the home
life of the couple. About that time,
however, Mrs. Harding began to
show signs of insanity. At first not
much attention was paid to her ac-
tions, as it was not thought that her
trouble would assume a serious form.
For some time Mrs. Harding had
been deeply interested in matters re-
ligious, and as her mania was of a
religious nature it was looked upon
IS simply over-enthusiasm over her
hobby and but little attention was
paid to the matter by her husband.
On the morning of the 23rd of the
month, however, Mrs. Harding elud-
ed the watchfulness of her husband,
and departed alone for unknown
parts. Hardly has she left her home
when her absence was discovered and
Mr.. Harding Immediately started in
search of his missing wife and over
took her at Five Mile. Here were
also two friends of Mr.. and Mrs.
Harding, but in spite of their watch
%fulness the latter again escaped about
1890 in the evening and not until
the next forenoon was she again
found.
Clad only in her house garments
with no food nor fire, the sufferings
which sthe demented woman must
have experienced can be better i'm.
agined than described. Anyone who
has passed a night upon the desert
at this time Of the year ear readily
understand that her experience mus
have been anything but pleasant
The ground was frozen, making il
impossible to follow the woman by
her footsteps, and it was only BY
mere chance that she was discovered
on the morning of the cath. At the
time of her departure from Five
Mile Mrs. Harding carried with hel
a string of beads, a cross. an candle
and some matches and during all o.
her wanderings not one of the arti
Giles were lost. During the nigh
she had torn her clothing badly, Sc
that when discovered most OF hel
garments were in rags,
/, After her capture a close watcl
-... I.AA n NAA - fA.fN,a =.
woman. and on Christmas Eve sh,
was brought to this city in the carr
of her husband and a friend from
Five Mile. She was at once takeI
to apartments in the St. Francis
p, where a physician attended her, an,
did all in his power to relieve he
sufferings. During Christmas da.
and night her husband untiringl
, guarded his afflicted wife, and yes
terday morning she appeared befor
, Clerk of the Court Charles Bevis
where an official examination as t
, her condition was made. Upon tn
j., testimony of tive physicians of TIC
, nopah Mrs. Harding was eommitte
: to the State insane asylum at Rene
= to which place she will be taken o
. the train this morning. Sheriff Mt
Mahon has appointed Mr.. Harding
the husband, a temporary deput
sheriff, to convey the oma to til
= institution. This was done in vie
i of the fact that he is better acquain'
ed than any other with the strang
notions Of which his wife is posses
sed, and 1t was thought by those |
a authority that the trip would l
easier upon the afflicted woman tina
should she go in the carr of a strant
! err, which would naturally have th
a effect of increasing her mania in
degree.
The physicians who passed upo
Mrs. Harding's condition are of Il
) opinion that a stay of a few month
! in the State institution, with i
quietness and facilities for treatin
cases of this character, will restol
her mind to its normal conditio.
and that she will then be able
again return to her home a We