Evening journal., 1919-12-20
MRS. BLAKE IN AN
insane ASYLUM
licidal and Homicidal Ten
dencies Are Found, Doc
tors Declare
MAY WITHDRAW
MURDER CHARGE


Following the report II special
commission appointed by Coun-
ty judge Robert H. ingersoll TO ex-
anime into her sanity. Mrs. Esther
Blake, who was held responsible for
The death Of her SON James NJ. Blake,
lr, by a coroner's jury sitting here,
was removed 20 the county insane
asylum at Smiths Landing yesterday.
While Coroner George Stoddard Thurs
day night held her TO await the action
OF the grand jury an the charge Of
murder that had been preferred in a
warrant sworn out at the instance OF
Police Chief william Spragu OF Vent
nor City, where the boys body drifled
ashore last sunday morning, 1t is be
leyed that her mental condition Will
never correct itself and that the charge
evidently viii be Withdrawn.
The report OF Doctors John T. Beck
with and Clarence Garrab1ant, the eX-
aiming physicians, touching upon
Mrs Blake's history, declares:
Prom our examination made at the
Atlantic City Hospital, WI found That
she is in a very nervous tate, talking
nationally as times but again incoher-
ent. She stated that she suffered from
hesd pans that were so bad that she
could not stand &C. She was RESTLESS
then depressed. Her pupils are en-
largcd The pain with loss OF memory
and control OF action increased at times,
this condition lasting several days, usu-
ally.
Hcmieidal TENDENCIES.
Mrs. Blake also had suicidal and
homic'dal tendencies so that in our
Judgment, she Is suffering with re-
current and homicdal tendencies.
with occasional depressions and loss
OF memory The condition is aggra-
vated by a physical chanEe she is now
going through. This form Of insanity
has periods Of lucidity In our Opin-
ion she should be confined In some in
situi0n under observation and treat
meni for an indefinite time
With relation te-her family his
tory. the physicians found Il was
good with one case Of insanity three
carnations back on the maternal s'dc.'
The report on Mrs. Blake's past his
tory declared:
about n years ago she became
very irritable and compla'ne thst she
was neglected at home From 1908 on
She was treated for neurasihenia with
deprcss' ons at Wernersville Pa. and at
IN Oihopcdic Hospitsl. Philadelphia,
and two private Institutions in New
Yo~k At the Enoch Pratt Hospital In
Baltimore. she was also treated, cover
ing per'od OF six months. Mrs. Blake
when az home in Baltimore city during
that period and before. was constantly
HAVING her husband change their place
on residence. so that they moved 30 or
- tines IN few years.
"nurlng This period she was peiulant
irritable ard continually complained
about everything that was done for her.
At times she had feelings OF exultation, |
hui no confusion Of her ideas. Her
homie'dal tendencies were apparent on
occasions. and at least once she at /
temntcd suicide by inhaling gas.
"Or two different occasions she at
tempted 10 set fire to her home which |
would bring the conclusion that she
was suffering from pyrOmanla.
~Thcre was always present severe |
pains extending from the forehead TO |
ihe base OF the brain that may be cere-
bral hyperaemia. In 1915 there was
separation from her husband under an
agreement that she was to be provided
f0r.'
The woman has not formally been
committed TO the Mortified Asylum. /
but Is now merely listed as a private /
patient. DR.. James Mason, resident
physician at az Atlantic City Hospital,
where she had been confined from the
time of her arrest last Sunday until
her removal 90 the asylum today, will
make formal application for the COM
mitment papers today and Drs. Beck |
with and Garrabrsnt will subscribe to /
this document. The formal hearing
on the case win come up In the insanity /
c0urt before Judge Ingersol one
week from today