The Washington times., 1920-01-25

"She would howl for time and then
there would be short pause. From
man across the hall would come oaths
that seemed to be flung at heaven FROM
the larger house at the rear came sbriu.
air-piercing treble Then the voices w =
Joined in fearful symphony u
heard three voices, four FIVE united &
fearful aIl-night din. have never be-
anything that could be compared with Il
The sounds were unnatural amin
sounds, but pervading them was soirn'
thing like deviiish intent.
Another of the patients, younger uug
used to delight in mimicking me. Be
of light figure and nervous temperan
walk lightly and briskly. When started
on my walks would hear shrieks OF
laughter from the attendants on the YER
anda and the patients on the grounds.
Looking behind me would see this wo-
man tormentor hurrying up the path after
me, walking with my gait, lifting her head
as lift mine. ...
Trivial means were resorted to appar.
entity to exasperate me. was only per-
mitted one napkin q week. II this were
soiied the first day Of the week.I had to
use it the remaining six days. 10 one In
whom neatness is inbred this is an offense.
The nurses discovered this. One OF the
coarser kind contrived to spill cocoa on 1t
the first morning OF the week. asked her
to be careful After that she would fling
the door open, swagger into my room, drop
the tray on the table with a bang that
jostled the dishes and spilled more cocoa
and slam the door as she went out.
+ "T realized there was no hope Tor me
from my friends nor relatives. Tue let
ters I wrote were never answered. How
could escape7 Iplanned long time. \
buried a cloak under the Autumn leaves
and weighted It down by branches. ! MD
a muff in the same way, and pair OF
oyershoes and hat. Then one afternoon
/ wandered out, gothered them all up, and
slipped into them in the gathering dusk.
I made my way not to the nearest sta
ton, but the farthest one, knowing that
was the last at which they would look Tor
me. Five minutes after reached the sta
ton boarded train to Boston, At the
station I passed the superintendent. He
was doing police duty there as volunteer
while the police were on strike. Wrapped
In my two cloaks ana wearing a heavy veil
I passed him unrecognized. I took q train
10 Providence and thence 10 New York.
"I had been in New York but a short
while and was putting the finishing
touches on my book, The Cathedrals OF
Europe which Harpers have accepted
when my sister, Mary Boyle 0'Reilly, had
me arrested as a lost person. My rela-
tives assembled In court and asked my
commitment to the psyohopathic ward OF
Bellevue. My attorney. Mr.. Foster senior
member OF the firm OF Foster & Cutler
put his foot on the rail and said I protest
Your Honor. II you will release her into
our custody we will take her to our owD
home .-
"Judge Robert f. Wagner. permitted me
to 70 on parole In my lawyers custody.
Two months later he released me finally,
convinced that I was sane. I am finishing
my book which wrote while In duranoe
as mad woman and am preparing for
other literary work.
Before closing this awful chapter or
my life. let me say that have related the
chief Incidents Of my relatives horrible
mistake fors the benefit OF others who
may be threatened by a similar fate.
Tho greatest peril is the reiterated
statement, You are insane The brain
may reel before this suggestion. The rea-
son may fall at last before H. believe
there should be legislation which would
require a public hearing OF every person
charged with insanity"