The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-05-02
GIRL HAS Mother
THRUS I INTO ASYLUM

manufacturer. who left over $780,
600.
Mrs. Balch alleges that her daugh-
Ter, Grace G. Balch, who is forty-fiVe,
mao her iucarcerated in Bloomingdale
Asytum irom June. 1910, 70 March,
I'll 70 nave opportunity to influ-
eute MI. Baich 10 change q will by
Whlch the bulk Of the property was
lett 10 his widow. Balch was at the
time a patient IN the Red Cross Hos
pltal' awaiting an operation for can
Ger, and died in September. 1910.
while Mrs. Balch was in the ASYLUM.
Mrs Balch Identified letters writ
ten her by her daughter when she
was IN the institution. Miss Balch's
hahowriung IS very small and close.
glasses.
one day. I think it was June %.
lSIO' Mrs Balch testified, two gen
tlemen called TO see me, whom /
learned aiterward We're doctors. My
daughter was with them. They asked
me some questions about my hus-
band, and led me to understand that
should go and see him at the Red
cross Hospital where he had been
for some weeks"
Thrust Into Asylum. She Saws.
MRS. Balch said the two physicians
were Drs. William Mabon and Her
man A. HaubOld.
Did they make any examination
OF your asked Joseph NJ. Lesser, her
Not the slightest" answered Mrs.
Balch. DR.. MabOn asked me if I was
nervous, and / told him I was not.
He next asked me if I slept we'll. and
L said not very we'll since nv hus-
band had been taken to the hospital
He then asked, What are your pur-
suitS2 and 1 replied Music and lite
rature.' My daughter interfered and
said, My mother is nervous about my
i h. 4
| fifteen minutes. and then two women
whom 1 afterward learned were
nurses, grabbed me. My daughter
hustled round me and trod on nv
toes Between them they forced me
downstairs and into an automobile"
Where did your daughter sit in the
automobile?"
She sat IN the front seat with the
chauffeur, and the two nurses were
with me: They dragged me about and
tore my hat almost of. 1 resisted with
all my might, but il was no use. When
the automobile stopped and I thought
l was at the hospital where my hus-
band was. 1 was taken into a lunatic
asylum and placed in a horrible wars
oh, so horriblel
Il was forced into a ward with a
mum Der Of incurable maniacs and kept
there for several months. Oh, Il was
awful, and my daughter was the one
who arranged IL.
husband, to Mr.. Henry c. Shannon and
his Wife, and to my cousin, Harry
sweet in san Francisco. They event
dally had me released. Ny daughter
had arranged that no letters Ncept
those to her should be mattel from
the asylum. One OF the patients got
my letters to them mailed"
Miss Balch, in a letter dated Sen
TENDER IL, 1910. said:
IF you don't stop saying such ter
! rible things about me I Will not an
swer your letters. All your life you
have been against me. I am tired
[ OF II. II Mr.. Balch wishes you 10 be
where you are YOU must stay there.
The doctors will never let him live
with you while he is ILL.,"
Did your daughter ever let Won
know. while you were in the asylum.
that your husband was dead?" asked
Mr.. Lesser.
No" replied Mrs. BaIch. and her
tears fell. II was shown a New York
morning newspaper by a fellow pa
uent in which there was an account
OF his death. I had begged time and
time again TO be allowed to 20 and
see my beloved one, but was always
refused"
Mr.. Lesser submitted a copv Of .,
letter written by Mrs. Balch 10 her
daughter. Mrs. Balch said she had
made copies OF most OF the letters
written by her while in Bloomingdale
Inc letter was dated August >, 1910.
and said II part:
My Dear Beloved Daughter-al-
ways beloved, no matter what YOU do.
| How l think of you and dearest father
and baby. How ] long in this ter
rlble heat TO he at my home and in
/ male the clear ocean breezes. Above
all, the prayer of my heart is to be
with my darling husband. He would
be overjoyed TO see me. He needs
the comforting presence of his wife
Let me have a room in my own
mouse. l will eat in my own room
as you have so often told me to
GRACE myself. Do let me come and
stay with my stricken darling before
my big, loving, darling husband passes
away forever. Oh the anxious PRAYER
! send out every night that you may
J reIent-that you may let your dear
| loving mother come home. You know
! that in our cottage ] have done everv-
thing for your comfort. even in the
very least. ! saved every tidbit and
/ put IL in your room while you were
| absent. for you know YOU never let
mother go into your room.
! Take mothers advice and do as
/ any mother would expect a daughter
to do and let me go home. Don't let
my lovely Collie (Mr. BaIch) pass
] away without me. Don't you remem-
! her him saying he wished to be with
me forever. and you came in and
cursed ana God ID as l was lying
\ quietly in bed. Do you remember how
/ he sprang up in bed and said: You
sh3ll not abuse your dear mother so,'
! have always been loving to YOU.
and my prayer is ALLOW me to go to
! my dear one" AfectiOnately your
/ loving. suffering, forgiving mother.
/ The dispositions of Henry c. Shan
/ non and his wife. Mrs. Daisy Shannon
/ told of the abuse heaped on Mrs
/ Balch by her daughter.
Mr.. shannon said that while Mr.
/ Balch was in the hospital. Miss Balch
told him she wanted to get her father
/ to sign a check for a small amount
and then increase the amount and he
/ told her it would be criminal and not
/ to attempt any such thing.
] The hearing was continued