Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-04
GOSSIP CAUSES
GIRLS INSANITY
LOVE AND CHURCH FACTORS
IN CASE
Pretty Young Dunkard Is Committed
to Hlghland-Friends Say That
Persecution of the Sect Is
Responsible

Miss Hattie Shellenberger, a pretty
young woman of the local church of
Dunkards, was yesterday declared in
sane by the commission in department
2 Of the superior court, and for the
third time the young woman will be
placed in the state hospital until her
extremely nervous condition shall be
improved.
one of the strangest and most re-
markable stories in the history of the
insanity court was told yesterday by a
young woman at whose home Miss
Shellenberger had been employed, a
story involving gossip of the Dunkard
church, rife with the love affairs of
the strange sect.
This woman stated that Miss Shellen-
berger had been employed at her home
for some time past. Recently" said
she, II began to notice a change in the
girls conduct. She became nervous and
excitable at times and at other times
she became decidedly morose. She used
to appear regularly at the house for
her work, garbed in the little bonnet
and simple costume, according to the
requirements of her faith Finally when
1 insisted she told me that she was
being prosecuted by members of her
church and that she feared. She told
me that there was young man at the
church of the Dunkards who seemed
to have regard for her and for whom
she held great esteem. She further
told me that while in church this young
man had on one or more occasions
taken a seat beside her and the two
had sung hymns together. But that
did not last long until the brothers and
sisters of the church began to whisper
among themselves that the young peo-
pie were engaged,
Says Worry Caused Insanity
'T believe that a great portion of the
girls insanity is worry over the fear
that these whispered comments might
reach the ears of the young man for
whom she had regard and humiliate
her in his eyes. AS the rumors of her
became more nervous and fearful. She
even went so far as to miss church SER
vice on several occasions.
Affairs went along in that way until
Miss Shellenberger became almost wild,
and then she was arrested because Of
her queer actions and the insanity
charge filed against her"
Rev. Mr.. Lehmer, pastor Of the Dun
kard church, testified before the COM
mission that Miss Shellenberger had
acted in a most nervous manner of late
bllIl IlleiI SllC lletu eiI lOlillGl DcCil
in state insane asylums because of her
extremely nervous temperament.
When the young woman was allowed
to tell her story she became excited and
fearful in relating the details of what
she called the persecution of the mem
bers of her church whom she alleged
had persistently circulated rumors of
her engagement, although she had
warned them that no such engagement
existed.
The police testified that Miss Shellen-
berger had created such a disturbance
that she had to be locked up, and the
young woman was ordered committed
to Highland.
Whether or not the Dunkards will
have an investigation to learn what
members of the church circulated the
reports about the young girls engage
ment has not been definitely announced,
but such was the intimation given out
by members of the sect yesterday.