Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-17
She SECURES HER RELEASE
MRS MAGGIE M. FENTON LIB
GRATED FROM INSANE ASYLUM.
Commissioner West Investigating.
May Make Example of Persons
Who Swore She Was Insane

| After less than twenty-four hours incar-
| ceration in the Government Hospital for
| the Insane. where she was sent for treat
| ment for supposed mental ailment Mrs.
Maggie NJ. Fenton, fo-ty-two years of age,
of 1910 Morse street. has secured he- re-
| lease from the institution, and damage
suits which were threatened as result of
the whole proceedings. probably will be set
tied out of court. Attorney \. E. L. Leckie,
of Lecke & Fulton, counsel for Mrs Fen
ton, said last evening that the whole matter
| is nearing a compromise, and he expressed
regret that news of the affair had reached
the public.
Records in the office of the District SAM
tary officer show that Mrs. Fenton was
committed to the government hospital last
Thursday, on certifcation of two physicians,
DR.. William l.. Miller of 40 street, and
DIR. George ]. Lochbuehler of 80 street,
| which Endorsed by the woman's hus-
| band. ]. w. Fenton, and by a neighbor,
| Mrs Eloise Clemmens. of 1o4S Morse street
| The final entry made by Sanitary Office"
Sroufe is as follows:
This patient has been certified by the
above two physicians to be of unsound
| mind, suffering from acute manacal at
| lacks, with homicdal tendencies. They rec
| ommend that she be committed to the Gov
eminent Hospital for the Insane"
Placed in Parole" Ward.
Mrs. Fenton sent to the asylum and
I placed in the parole ward. The next day
! she was permitted to visit the city and
! straghtway she called on Attorney Leckie.
| The latter summoned DR.. William L. Rob-
| ms, who, after an examination, declared
| Mrs. Fenton to be of sound mind NJ s.
! Fenton was then informed by Mr.. Lockie
| that habeas corpus proceedings would be
| instituted unless she should be voluntarily
| released from the asylum but that con-
templated step was unnecessary be
| cause Mr. Fentcn withdrew the charge he
| had made against his wife and she was
| liberated.
In explaining his action in the case DIR.
Lochbuehler said
DR.. Miller, who has been the family
, physician of the Fentons called on me and
I gave me the history of the case and asked
me to examine Mrs Fenton. l have known
D. Miller a good many years.
In Need of Treatment.
Il went to Mr. Fenton's house and put
Mrs. Fenton, in the presence of her hus-
band, through line of questions. My OBJ
servation of the case convinced me that
Mrs. Fenton needed treatment. l signed
the papers in good faith, and 1 told her
husband that with proper treatment she
might recover within six months.
Mr. Fenton insisted that his wife be
committed He said she was breaking up
the home, and that it was absolutely nee
eSSdry tndt she De restrained. vi course
that sort of argument did not influence me
in the least l did not sign the papers be-
cause Mr.. Fenton insisted, but because of
my examination of the case"
DR.. Miller, who requested DR.. Loeb
buehler to examine Mrs Fenton is now in
Canada on vacation trip.
IF l find that the authorities have been
imposed upon and fraudulent affidavits
sworn to in the Fenton case, as has been
intmated, l will do all within my power to
have the guilty persons brought to account
and make an example of them. L know
of nothing more outrageous than to take
such an advantage of person. The TAX
ing away of ones liberty is bad enough,
but to incarcerate sane person among
ravng maniacs is more terrible than it
sounds"
This statement was made by Commission
West today in connection with the tenn
porary commitment of Mrs. Fenton. The
case was unofficially called TO his attention
yesterday afternoon. Upon investigation
Mr.. West said he found that far the
papers and affidavitsy were concerned the
law had been fully complied with and there
was prima facie case. He said he is in
possession of information to the effect that
one of the physicians who signed the afti-
davit proclaiming the woman insane had
not seen her for two years. Mr. West has
today consulted the authorities of the Dis
trict attorneys office and the corporation
counsels office, and it is said to be likely
he will make known some course of action
in the matter within the next day so.
The part the Commissioners take in COM
hitting persons to the insane asylum and
in releasing of the same is a small and al
most ''fgu-ehead" one The law provides
that before a commitment three RESPONSE
BILE relatives close friends must file
affidavits and at least three physicians of
three years practice must do likewise after
a thorough examination. The papers in
the case come to the Commissioners a
matter of form and with other such rou-
tine matters are signed, thereby making
them effective. In the case of these papers.
after they had been signed by the Commits
sioners they were forwarded to the superin-
tendent of the asylum.
OF course person cannot be really COM
mitted to the asylum until the court has
passed upon the case. However, 1t is pos
sible to have a person committed to the
asylum for Conservation" or treatment
pending the decision of the court or some
other disposition. This was the case Of
Mrs. Fenton.