New-York tribune., 1911-11-16
OIL PLAN NOW READY SEEKS TO FREE WOMEN
Mysterious Friend of Brush Sis.
ters Says They Are Sane.
BROTHER NOT CONSULTED
Former Treasurer of Suffolk
County Asserts Commitments
Were Made in Regular Way.

THE little town of Huntington. Long ISL
and. was excited last night over the news
that efforts werc being made to free the
two maiden sisters of H. s Brush who
were committed TO tho State Insane Asy-
lum a. Kings Park little over year ago.
II. s. Brush. the towns leading citizen.
who formerly was treasurer OF Suffolk
County, was equally surprised when in
formed that his sisters. the Misses Phoebe
and Ada Madison Brush, would be brought
to Brooklyn to-day on a writ of hsbeas
corpus issued by Supreme Court Justice
stapleton.
II do not know Catherine Harkins. the
signer Of the petition on which the writ
was granted" said Mr.. Brush. last night.
Il cannot understand the action. n is all
nonsense TO say that my sisters we're re-
moved 10 the asylum Illegally. They were
committed by a justice Of tho peace on
complaint of tho ncighbors. whom they
We're annoying II goes without saying
that the family would not permit any
wrong 10 be done 10 their own. These two
sisters of mine had been acting crazy for
some time before their apprehension The
family had no hand in their commitment
The two sisters are Independently
wealthy. They lived until last October. a
year ago. in large house on the Main
Road Huntington: They associated but
little with their family. which is on" Of the
most prominent on Long Island. some
branches Of IT being equally prominent in
Philadelphia and Baltimore. Ada is fifty
years old while her sister Phoebe is two
years younger
Their immediate relatives arc all wealthy
and highly respected The general store at
Huntington is owned by their two broth
ers-H S. and J. Brush. For generations
one or another member Of the family has
held high public office.
The petition on which the writ was grant
ed, after asserting that tho sisters We're
illegally removed to the institution and
detained without due process Of law, says:
The cause or prcteuce Of the imprison-
uent OF the said Ada Madison Brush and
Phpbe Brush, according 10 the knowledge
and belief Of your petitioner, Is an am
davit made by one Or. Gibson that the
said two persons are insane. and accord
ing to the best of tho knowledge and be-
lief of your petitioner the said two per
sons are not insane, but, on the contrary,
are entirely and absolutely sane. and nave
the full possession and use or their men
orays that the said two persons
may be discharged from their unlawful
detention.
In her petition Catherine Harkins de-
scribes herself as a friend OF the two sis
ters.
At his home in Huntington last night
Peace Justice Hendrickson said the COM
mitment of the two sisters was in every
way regular Il merely swore Dr. W B.
Gibson, OF this town. and another psysi-
clan, who made sffidavits that the two sis
ters were insane" he said. The two women
were then arraigned before Supreme Court
Justice Jaycox, at Riverhead. and com
mitted TO Kings Park Asylum. The sisters
had delusions that everybody was consplr-
ing against them, and they were constantly
writing letters 20 the District Attorney ask
ing that this or that prominent citizen BE
arrested