Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-05-19
MANY INSANE ARE
HELD AT HOSPITAL
QUARANTINE STILL IN FORCE
AT PATTON
Negro Loses Mind, but Receivers After
Short Rest-Sster of Old Master
Pleads with Judge for
Mans Release

Although the insane ward at the
| county hospital is filled to overfowing
and the sheriff's Office is falling back on
the county poor farm as a possible
place to harbor the insane prisoners.
| Word reached Sheriff w. A. Hammel
yesterday the state hospital for the in
sane at Patton, which cares for the in
sane from Southern California, could
not receive patients because of an cpl
demic of diphtheria. The telegram from,
| Superintendent A. P. Williamson was
as follows:
Still quarantined. Cannot receive
| patients. Will notify when we can
This quarantine has been kept close
| for weeks. In the meantime the most
desperately i'll of the insane prisoners
| have been sent to Stockton and Napa,
| the insane ward at the county hospital
| being stretched to its capacity for the
accommodation of those who were
forced to remain here until Patton's
doors open again.
How serious the condition is was seen
today In department of the superior
court when eleven persons, two women
and nine men, were taken before Judge
James c. Rives for examination. Some
of the cases were disposed of and
| others were not.
One of the most peculiar cases on rec
ord was that of William S. Walford, a
|
"mitts," was taken before the judge
and the lunacy commission. Walford
had been one of the most refractory
cases at the hospital. Before being
taken into custody he had endeavored
at the point of a shotgun, to drive
everyone off the street of the UniVer-
sity district.
Yesterday Walford was as sane as
any man in the court room. To back
him up and help him was Mrs. Thurs
ton, an elderly woman, the sister of his
old master at Memphis, Tenn, who said
that William" was one of the most
Trustworthy men 1 ever knew" She
stood as stanchly for the black man in
his trouble as many a white woman
would stand for her sister.
DO you know where you lost your
mind?" asked Judge Rives kindly.
Yes, sir" was the honest answer.
I'm all right now. But I know 1 lost
my mind. 1 lost it one night at Mrs.
Thurston's house. You see my wife left
me back in Tennessee and tried to beg
her back. 1 thought so much of her.
She wouldn't come. Then 1 thought
could ride 1t out I sold my cows and
place and came here to Mrs. Thurs
toms.
Il was in my room and it came on me
all at once that l was losing my mind.
l knew had $34O and that it was in the
was trying to take it away from me,
and I couldn't control myself at all.
Then things was all mixed up, and this
morning my mind came back to me and
everything is all right now"
Sent to Hospital
Judge Rives remarked that man
who had lost his mind and who was
armed with a shotgun might be a bad
customer. Walford agreed to this, and
said he was going back to his brothers
in South Carolina and that he wasn't
going to send for his shotgun until he
got there. He was sent back to the
hospital for weeks rest and then will
be discharged.
Among the other patients examined
Daniel F. Stengel, a contractor of SIS
East Fifth street; Charles Kennedy of
$40 East Fifth street, and Frank Smith,
telegraph operator. of 1101 South Hill
street, were declared insane and COM
mitted to the asylum.
Mrs. Louise Calkins of $50 Boyle
Heights also was found to be insane.
She Is a school teacher we'll known in
Colorado, having taught school in Colo
RADIO Springs nine years. She came here
to be married in october, 1906 Last
December her baby came. A nervous
strain followed, and today the woman
was a gibbering maniac, acting as
though she were a broker on change
desperately bidding on stocks, at one
time calling a messenger and at an
other taking notes on the Rotations Of
her pupils as though she were again at
school.
Miss Fannie Maurer, who is said TO be
insane, was arraigned yesterday. The
complaining witnesses against the
young woman are Miss King, CORE
spending secretary of the Y. w. G. A,
and Miss Abbie Chapel of the same or
ga MIA ton