The Washington herald., 1908-04-26
Perfectly Rational, She Is
Imprisoned in Asylum.
STRANGE DRAMA Is ENACTED
English Villagers Indignant at Ter
ribIe Ordeal to which Husband
Subjects HIS Wife-EROrts to Re-
lease Mrs. CIarksOn VIII Prob
ably Prove Successful.

which have been taking place IN the pic
turesque little village Of HOLLYWOOD, about
two miles from here.
1t would scarcely be believed possible
that in the twentieth century a person
well known to her friends and neigh
bors as a clever and exceptionally intel
ligent woman could be declared a lUnatic
and carried of by force 10 a sanat0rium
for the insane Yet such is the fate
which befell Mrs. Clarkson. the wife OF
a wealthy Chelmsford motor-car manu-
facturer.
She was taken away as insane from the
village of HOLLYWOOD on Monday at the
instance of a London insanity specialist,
but an order for her release was made by
the lunaey commissioners to-day. SO ex-
traordinary is the whole story that it
might have been the subject Of a roman
tic novelette,. rather than an episode Of
real life.
Holmwood Is a typical Surrey village,
with quaint red-tiled houses nesting
among the now yelIowing gorse bushes
and tall beeches of a Surrey common.
Here for over two years Mrs. Clarkson
has lived In a pretty cottage named
'Hopedene." in Warwick road. She has
three children, Margaret, a fair, rosy
checked girl of eight, who lived with
her, and two boys, Norman and Alec,
aged fourteen and sixteen, who are at
school and come 70 HOLLYWOOD for the
holidays.
Mrs. Clarkson had a deed Of sepsra-
ton from her husband, which expired on
April 4, and she had often expressed 10
her neighbors the fear that something
dreadful would happen after that day.
Taken by Surprise.
On Sunday morning, before she was
out of bed, a motor car drove up 10
''Hopedene" containing her husband, q
London lunacy specialist. and another
doctor. Mrs. CIarkson was completely
taken by surprise at their arrival. and
terribly upset when she realized the OBJ
iect of their mission. The two doctors
eventually signed an order for her re-
moval to the Holloway Sanatorium, at
Virginia Water.
No further action was taken that day
in regard to the lunacy order. Mr. Clark
son. however. placed his child Margaret
in the motor car, and increased his Wife's
anguish by driving away with her
On Monday, 20 Mrs. Clarkson's surprise
and horror, Mr.. ClarksOn arrived once
more In his motor car in the early morn
ing before she was out OF bed This
time he brought with him two nurses
from the Holloway Sanatorium-
Mrs. Kneller. kindly old lady who
lives next door, and was asked BY Mrs
Clarkson 10 come TO her assistance. thus
81. In cd
when the two nurses entered and told
Mrs. Clarkson they had come 10 take
her away. she gave one loud scream OF
horror. Then they asked me where Mrs.
Clarkson kept her clothes. I refused TO
tell them, and they threatened to put me
out of the room
Eventually Mr. Clarkson sent for the
police, while Mrs. ClRrkson dispatched
messages TO Rev. c. Inge, the vicar OF
HOLLYWOOD, and Judge Harding, retired
Indian Judge. and also a Dorking magis-
trate The police were first TO arrive, and
they asked Mr.. Clarkson II he had an or
der for his wife's removal. He said the
doctors had taken 1t away with them
Then he raced of in his motor car 10 the
Holloway Sanatorium, at Virginia WateE'
in order to fetch the documents.
Wears Protection,
Rev. c. Inge. who has Known Mrs.
Clarkson for some time. and said that
he had never noticed any signs OF insan-
itv about her, suspended his Monday
morning service in order TO keep guard
over her house and prevent her being
carried of.
Meanwhile, an angry crowd Of villagers
had assembled outside Hopedene, deter
mined 10 offer resistance. At the instiga-
ton Of friends, Mrs. Clarkson disguised
herself in a hat. cloak. and motoring vei
belonging 10 Mrs Worsfold. a neighbor.
and escaped from Hopedene through an
apple orchard at the back. 10 the house
of Mrs. Hamlin, wife of the local grocer
II was evening before Mr.. Clarkson re-
turned from Virginia Water with the
lunacy order, by which time Judge Hard
ing had arrived from Dorking.
Mr.. Clarkson asked him 10 sign mag
istrate's order for Mrs. Clarkson's re-
moval. The judge promptly refused, de-
claring that he knew Mrs. ClaTkson TO be
perfectly sane The two men went 10
Dorking TO see the magistrates clerk,
hut after consultation. Judge Harding
confirmed his previous decision. Tnen
Mr.. Clarkson went 70 another magistrate
who signed the order.
Mr.. Clarkson proceeded TO his wife's
house at HOLLYWOOD once more. and found
& crowd of village people with ropes
ready 70 duck him in the village pond.
The villagers were armed with knives.
sticks. and stones, and only the interven-
ton OF Rev. C. Inge and DR.. Duke, OF
Maidstone. who had been wired for by
Mrs. Clarkson, prevented serious riot.
Mr.. Duke, addressing the crowd, said:
''T hope you will not make breach OF
the peace. thank you on behalf or Mrs.
Clarkson for your sympathy. We dare
not go against the law, however. and
Mrs. CIarkson has been advised by US 10
submit TO the lunacy order. We shan
move heaven and earth TO get this wrong
righted. and before long hope you will
see Mrs. Clarkson among you again"
The villagers, much against their viii,
allowed things 10 take their course, and
soon after 10 O'Clock Mrs Clarkson was
driven away in Mr.. Ciarkson's motor car
to the Holloway Sanatorium. a storm OF
Kisses and booings broke out as his car
sped away.
On Tuesday Judge Harding proceeded
to London, and. In company with Mr..
Goddard, Mrs. ClaFkson's solicitor, laid
the whole case before the lunacy commits
sioners.
Il obtained an assurance from them.
he said tonight, that after reports were
received from the hospital authorities the
matter would be properly dealt with.
To-day 1 have received a telegram
stating that the lunacy commissioners
have ordered Mrs. Clarkson's release to-
morrow. / have no doubt that more viii
be heard Of the matter"
Gives OId-age Pensions.
London. April 25.-Alfred Butterworth,
Lancashire cotton manufacturer. made
practical tast OF the cost OF old age PEN
sions during Easter week by giving i've