The sun., 1907-12-03
MISS LEWIS DISPLAYS ANGER
~ KEPT IN BLOOMTNGDALE'S
CHRONIC DEMENTED WARD.


@1@ ,DwO q y ear ANA she Gets Only 5000
Declares she Laves n Dogs life.
For four hours yesterday Miss Mary
Elizabeth Lewis, whose sanity In under
Investigation. in Brooklyn told the jury
and the commission over which Charles J.
McDermott presides about her troubles
and alleged prosecutions. She was ex-
amined by one OF her counsel Hyacinthe
Ringrose. and although Mr.. McDermott
told her frequently not to tire herself out
and often she was asked by her counsel If
she wished 70 rest she persisted In keeping
on and declared she would stand a great
deal to regain her liberty.
At times Miss Lewis was angry. That
was when she was questioned about her ex-
peTienoes with the counsel for her brothers.
Her snappy answers caused the jurymen
TO laugh. When she told OF her expert
ences in Bloomingdale. where she is kept
in the Chronic demented ward" and how
she has to associate with maniacs who. she
declares, are dangerous her story brought
tears to the eyes of several jurymen.
Miss Lewis began yesterday by telling
of the action OF the trustees OF her fathers
estate in trying to dispose of certain bonds
and placing the money in mortgages. This
was opposed by Miss Lewis and her brothers
and sister At that time William Man told
her she was incompetent and requested
her sister to act for her.
Mr.. Horwits objected to having Mr.
Man, who died in February. 1905. brought
into he case so much. To this Miss Lewis
replied: -.-..-....
-Tm telling what know. You've moth
ing 10 do with the estate"
At the time Of Mr. Mans death she was
trying 10 get an accounting. She then
began to tell of a conversation between Mr.
Man and a lawyer named jackson who has
died since, and Mr.. Horwitz OBJ iected again.
There was quite wrangle between law
yers Ringrose and Horwitz and Mr.. McDer-
mott skilfully poured oil on the troubled
waters and then sustained the objection
Next Mr.. Ringrose got Miss Lewis to
give her opinion Of lawyers. ~YOu have an
opinion that all are thieves and vagabonds?"
he asked.
Not all"
What about Mr.. Horwitz and Mr.. sher-
MANI"
They are low. despicable men. They
are only in this case for money and can't
understand why they should attack n sane
woman. It's a shame 10 bring mo here"
Miss Lewis was asked about her commit
ment to BlOOminECiale and said that she was
visited by Doctors Hamilton and Carlos
Macdonald in Bellevue They were with
her about twenty minutes DR. Macdonald
did the talking and on that examination
both signed certificates that she was I'M
sound mentally and she was sent To the in
sane asylum. She declared that she was
taken first to a police court and then with
Out any examination to Bellevue. and from
there to BloOminRdale. She was never
before Judge Blanchard, who ordered her
commitment. DIR. Macdonald asked her
how much she was worth and she said $500.
Then forgot myself and said would
pay $500 to each II they would release me-"
This she declared was the first legal in
quiry that has been held into her sanity
She added:
Il believe [ have an income Of about
S25. 900 a year and am allowed $500. Mr.
Man said | was incompetent. bur I was
always rational when any money was
wanted to pay the expenses Of the lawyers
and trustees"
Miss Lewis sent a lot Of letters to her
brothers and the lawyers which were abu-
sive. Mr.. Rugrose got her to admit that
they were not proper and were iDeoberent.
but she said She had written many Of them
while under a severe nervous strain and
while associatiDg with naniacs.
She told how she wanted her teeth at
tended TO and could not have her own dem
tst but had to take the dentist in the asy-
hun. He made plate for her and charged
$50, but she said she couldgnever use IT, She
said she paid s25 a week Tor her board ard
got no better fare or quarters than the free
inmates. In her fathers time she had the
best that could be procured. but since
then. she said. she had lived a dogs life.
She paid her respects 10 experts ny say
ing they are thieves with no conscience"
and "the board Of hnscy," she said -is an
outrage on the taxpayers.'