The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-08
ON THE NORTH SIDE
Mrs. George LugtOn Will Be
Taken to Asylum.
Her AfflictiOn Due to Exposure
in the Flood.
HAS BEEN IN HOSPITAL
Evidently Was Not Improved by
Treatment.
HallucinatfOn That Husband
T0ton6oh fo EiU Ho,,
HAS BEEN INHOSPITAL

tcrazy and that he was being taken to
the asylum, Mrs. George Lugton, the
Wife of the elevator man at the fed
eral building was removed from her
home at 1870 Madison street Sunday
afternoon and placed in the county Jail
on an insanity charge. She is 81 years
old. The case is being tried in the
probate court this afternoon. Mrs.
Lugton attacked her husband Saturday
night and scratched his face because
he prevented her from leaving the
house. She wanted to go to one of the
lne1ghborS, saying that she thought
that her husband intended to kill her,
1t supposed that her insanity was
brought on by sickness resulting from
Exposure in the flood of six years
ago. At that time the family lost all
| they possessed and had q narrow es-
cape from drowning. Since than Mrs.
Lugton has been in poor health. About
three months ago she began acting.
queerly. She seemed to think that the
neighbors were trying to kill each 9TH
er, that she had been fined and was
still owing the money. On this account
she called at the home of Mrs. E. NJ.
wallace, a former neighbor, early in
the morning, a week ago Friday, after
escaping from her home. The Wal
| been great friends. When Mrs. Wal
| lace learned who had called at the un-
| seemly hour, she got. up and let her
in. Mrs. Lugton told the story of her
1
| tried to kill her. Mrs. Wallace finally
| succeeded in quieting her and kept her
over night. She returned home and a
| little later was taken to Keith's hospi-
tai Last Thursday she was sent back
home. The following Friday, about g.
o'clock in the morning of the next day,
| she again called at the Wallace home
land spent the day there. Mr.. Lugton
took her home in the evening. She re-
Imained there Saturday until early Sun
day morning, when she tried to get
away. Her husband interfered and the
| scratching of his face was the result.
| lNeighbors telephoned Mrs. Wallace.
She came over and succeeded in quiet
ling the woman. In the morning HUI
man officer Kilnaurs King was noti-
fed of the affair. He telephOned Sher-
| iff Wilkerson. The men came to the
Lugton house about dinner time. BY
this time the insane woman was fair
ly quiet and was eating dinner. After
consulting with Mr.. Lugton, it was
decided to remove her to the county
! Jail, pending the trial Mrs. Lugton
was given to understand that Mr.. King
her husband to the asylum, and she
was desired to accompany them. She
| agreed to do so and was taken in a
buggy to the Jail with comparative lit
! tie trouble. Since then she has been
alternately quiet and violent. The Lug
| tons have son living in Winfield and
a daughter in Los Angeles, Cal They
are highly respected. A saying in
never find" The story of the unfortu-
nate couple is one of a pioneers life
of hard work, and thrift, of a calamity
which destroyed all of their posses
sions and finally unbalanced the wife'S
mind. Mr.. Lugton came from Illinois
in 1866. From there Mr.. and Mrs. Lug
ton came to North Topeka in 1888.
They located at the foot of Laurent
street. Mr.. Lugton was Industrious
and saving. He was a paper hanger
and pai er previous to taking his po-
sition as elevator man about eleven
years ago. At this trade. he accumu- |
lated a little property. So time went
by until the day of May %, 1903. The
waters were then coming up. However, |
like many others. the Lugtons refused
to leave their home. They could not |
believe that the flood would affect their |
belongings. They retired without worry |
of danger Early the following morn |
ing, it is said, Mr. Lugton was awak-
ened by the cold touch of water on his |
feet He found water up to their bed. |
They were forced to stand in water up |
to their waists, according to reports, |
Mr.. Lugton attracted attention to their
plight and he and his wife were rel
moved to a place of safety. After the
flood, they started out again; All of
the results of lifetime labor had been
lost. Nevertheless. with the courage |
which has inspired SO many other |
North Topeka people, they began to |
work and save again. They moved on
present home. The house is a small |
one-story cottage. The interior is neat |
and fairly comfortable. In this home /
the husband sat this morning, very
nervous and agitated, but trying to
bear up under his misfortune. "She
was a good wife, he said to visitor.
"A very good wife. Please do not ex-
aggerate the account and don't tell
what this person and that said. 1 was
kept from work Saturday and worried |
with my wife all day long. 1 do not
know Just what time she became vio-
lent I feel so upset that I can't tell
since the flood. She began to act queer
three months ago."
The case of James z. Hoard, the
negro, who was charged with
abandoning his children. was tried in
and was continued until next Satur-
day. Then Probate Judge E. F.
Schoch will give his decision as to
whether or not the father will be al
lowed to keep his children; The latter
begged to be allowed to do this. He
claimed that he had arranged with a
friend to care for the boys, Tom and
James, aged nine and six years
respectively, before he went to Kan
sas City to conduct a revival How
ever. the boys were found in a
destitute condition by Humane Officer
Kilmaurs King Thursday, and have
been cared for by him. The father
was notified and returned home
Saturday The oldest boy is too sick
to be moved from the house. These
conditions were cited to the father by
Judge Schoch, who gave him a severe
lecture and told him the humane
officer would be allowed to continue
his care of the boys until their future
would be settled in the court next
Saturday