The L'Anse sentinel., 1908-02-29


Join in the search. The Brockton En-
terprise offered reward of 800 for
the recovery of the children, dead or
alive. Brockton citizens raised $400
more, and more detectives, profes-
sional and amateur. fiocked to the
scene.
Woods Thoroughly Searched.
Every inch of the frozen woods
into which the woman and her chill
dren had disappeared was raked over.
The Avon reservoir, beyond the woods,
was dragged. Farmers all around
Brockton neglected their affairs In
their frantic efforts to unearth the
bodies of the two little ones. The 20.
lice matron of Brockton was sent to
the asylum at Taunton In the hope
that talking, woman to woman, she
might obtain some clew from the de.
mented mother. But she came home
with word that her attempt had failed.
Mrs. Balls mind was blank.
Then came day when some chill.
dren playing in the woods near the
suburb of Holbrook, five miles from
the Ball home. came upon some juve.
nile raiment--a boys blouse, two
union suits and little girls under
skirt. These were partially but not
completely identified by the distract
ed father, for man-like, he was not up
on the details of the family wardrobe.
And then, while searching parties
raked and scraped the woodland in
which these garments had been found.
the father received word that his wife
seemed to be quite rational again.
Mothers Memory Gone.
So to the Taunton asylum he hur-
ried alone. Unaccompanied by hys-
terical women or keen-eyed detectives.
he hoped that In quiet, heart-to-
heart talk with his wife he might OBJ
tain some clew to the whereabouts of
his children.
II took my children under my cloak.
They were cold and crying. The rest
is blank"
Behind that moment of motherly in
stinct when she stretched out the pro-
lection of arms and woolen folds to
envelop her shivering children, Mrs.
Balls memory cannot go. Sometimes
she gropes wildly for facts, and says a
woman in a red automobile took the
children away. But always she real
Ices that the children are gone, that
none can find them, and that behind
the veil Of her clouded mind lie the
facts which she cannot reach.
Grave physicians and alienists have
visited this woman, striving to decide
whether 1t is lapse Of memory pure
and simple, or return Of the mental
malady from which she suffered four
years ago. At that time she was con-
fined to the asylum because, on the
death Of her youngest child, she had
developed a curious homicidal mania,
brought on by excessive grief. But as
time cured the wound her mental
equilibrium was restored, and she re-
turned to her home, where apparently
she was devoted to the two remaining
children.
Shock May Restore Reason.
Her present condition in nowise re-
sembles her former unfortunate state.
Then she was violent and noisy. Now
her mind Is simply blank. And DR..
Goss. superintendent of the asylum,
who has been studying her case, be-
lieves that unless her brain receives
some terrible shock her memory Will
never be restored. Her recollections
OF what happened between the time
she took her children under the shell
ter Of her cloak and reason resumed
its sway in ward Of the asylum will
be aroused only by shock az great
~ the one which robbed her of rea.
son.
And what shock was thatf
This IL the question which Il BAT.
ning physicians. detectives and rela-
tives Of the unhappy family.
D1d Mra Pail anofHonfsilv - -