The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-06
WOMAN HE LOVED
HIDDEN IN ROOM IS YEARS
Aged Realty Agent Kept Tragic
Secret Till Neighbors Got
Too Curious.

out OF love and pity for a hopelessiy
Insane woman whom he had known for
many years. Thomas Scott, an elderly but
dapper real estate agent OF Brooklyn,
cared for her for sixteen year. behind a
padlocked door In tenement at 400 West
Twenty-fourth street, rather than see her
taken To- al asylum. She was Kate Fisher
former actress of beauty Her mother
knew OF her love for her self-appo!ntt d
guardian and he in turn. to avoid the
gossip of nelghbors. had assumed the
name OF the woman's husband Miller. who
had deserted hog.
The romance was disclosed by the dis
co'"'N NJ the woman ON Friday night
Tenants IN tho four story building had
long known Of the presence of the woman
N the nat They had seen Scott bring IN
dainty foods and table delicaciee. \ for
mer ianitress. the only one besides Scott
admitted 10 the two small rooms on the
ground hoor, had first hand proof that
he really loved her. The other tenants
only learned Of the attachment because
the insane woman refused to admit her
own mother and sisters when they came
To visit her and preferred voluntary I'M
pr.SoSIneni with Scott.
To-day. however. Scott Ia locked I'D
in the Yorkvlllc prison. charged with
without proper authority lie admits
that he kept her because after her hus-
bands desertion he found her shabby
and half starved on the street The
woman Ii In the insane ward at Bellevue
Hospital The physicians say she has
suffered from an incurable form OF de-
mentia for years. Her mother Mrs
Phpbe Fisher. until Friday Of 40 Co.
lumbia avenue, Winfield. "a. l.. visited
her at the hospital and told the physl-
clans she had known Of her daughters
plight. The woman is almost mute and
Is absolutely helpless
Break In Locked Door.
II was one Of the tenants in the four
story house who brought the case TO light
by writing an anonymous letter to Com
missioner Woods depicting the lmprison-
ment OF a woman by man in tho
Twenty-fourth street tenement Several
detectives from Headqus rters broke down
the door and the wooden barrlcaded win
dows and found her In u wretched state
unclothed on tho bed Her hair was
matted. her nails long, her mind a
blank She was hurried 10 Bellevue. as
told in THE SvN Yesterday morning. and
then the police waited for Scott de-
scribed to them by the neighbors, and
arrested him late on Friday night for
keeping an insane person in custody with
out proper authority
SCOTS remarkable explanation is borne
out in part by other tenants and almost
entirely by form.r jan'tress in the
house. Mrs. Anna Prescott. Scott Is II
years old. but decidedly natty In appear
ancc. He was known 20 the tenants at
the house az MIR. Miller the name OF
Kate Fishers husband His mail has
been sen; TO Thomas Scott. care Of George
II. Hartman. lawyer Of $50 Montague
street, Brooklyn. who with others has
charge of estates for which Scott collects
rents lie TOOK the name of Miller to,
avoid explanations"
81 have done nothing wrong" said Scott
Yesterday. 81 have saved the STATE the
cos. OF caring for an insane woman whom
loved and would have married had she
been sane. kept her supplied with
plenty OF clothes and fed her. She has
refused to leave her bed for several years
first met hcr In 1895. She was living
in those same rooms She was married
To "A man named Miller. with whom she
had escaped from an insane asylum. Ot
this I knew nothing at the time. called
there once in a while. and then realizing
that I was falling In love with her.
stayed away
according TO friends who had known
the woman many years, she formerly was