Year: 1878

to be Tortured Into Madness Again.


New Orleans Democrat


Some days ago information was received
that in a house near Broad street there was
a girl chained hand and foot, and had been
for some three months, and in pursuance of
this the reporter started on his quest accom-
panied by Judge Southworth and A. DeFon-
blanque, the British consul at this port, who
volunteered out of pure humanity.
The reporter got out of the Canal
street cars at Dorgenois street, and
going up that stopped at the corner of Pal
myra to look for the habitation wherein it
was said that the girl had been confined.
On Palmyra, two doors from Dorgenois
street, it stood. From hasty glance at its
exterior and surroundings, it might have
been taken for one of Quilp's retreats. It
was dilapidated one-story house containing
two rooms, standing back short distance
from the street. The ftout door was found
to be locked, but window adjoining was
easily opened. and through it an entrance was
gained to the house. While the party were
endeavoring to get admission into the back
room, the proprietor appeared, and, on being
Informed of the mission, opened the front
door. The front room bore out the impress
sions formed from view of the outside. In
confusion around were the remnants of what
had once been a set of mahogany furniture.
The whole room looked like some store-room
of a Krook who went off in Bleak House in a
blaze of spontaneous combustion.


Passing through this the door to the other
room was opened. The party started to en-
ter it, but instinctiyely drew back. stencil
such as only can once be smelled drove then,
back. The fetid odor of


THE CHARNEL HOUSE,


with an addition of forgotten vault, could
only approach it. It was sickening, and the
party could only endure it after side win
dow had been opened and partial ventila
ton obtained. The proprietor ushered then
in. He was man of about sixty-five years
with hair Of light gray and face thai
seemed to have lost every trace of the softer
lines. Bright gray eyes threw out now anl
then flashes Of light that soon faded
away, whilst nervous, tremulous lips
betrayed much excitement and emo
ton. He said his name was Samuel Barnes
and he had at one time been prosperou
merchant on Poydras street. He had tw,
sons, one Charles r., and the other Alfred S
Barnes. When questioned be made state
ment in which he frequently contradictet
himself. He said his daughter was thirty
one years of age, and had been crazy 70
some time. About three months ago b
went to the city insane asylum and foun,
| that she was we'll and took her out. Afte
he had taken her out she used to go to mar
ket with him and help him at his vagetabl
stand at Poydras market, but he found
would have


TO CHAIN HER.


So he went to the asylum and borrowed
pair of handouts, and chained her in th
room to cure (?) her. He couldn't exactl
state how long she had been 50 chained. A
one time he said it was only month, and q
another it was five months since he borrow
ed the handouts. When asked who care
for her he said he did. He went to marke
very early in the morning, and it was some
times o'clock in the afternoon when he &C
home. During this time she was chaine
up in her room, with no ventilation but


half opened window, and without sol
near her. When questioned about th
bruises on her back he said she must hay
gotten them by falling down on the foo
He never had whipped her-only kept he
chained.


The reporter, after light had been admit
ted into the room, in company with MI. DE-
Fonblanque and Judge Southworth, exam
ined the surroundings. In the far corne
firmly nailed against the wall, was a sma
wooden bench about four and one-half fes
in length and very narrow. From a hole
the wall hung chain not more than thrs
feet in length, which would allow the pri
oner to stand upright, but not to lie on tt
floor. About eight feet from the bench WI
an old mahogany bed, on which was piled
mass of


| PUTREFYING RAGS


of three feet had this unfortunate girl passe
the last three months, naked and witho,
anything to lie on, and if she had had


without the power to reach it.


While the party were examining the roo


so great was the stencil they had to wit


draw to the open air, the lungs not bei1


from the rags and floor. On the ceili1
there we're broad splashes of filth as high


a mans head and covering space ten fe


square. The room had been washed by Il


father that morning, as he said he wanted


clean it up after the girl had been carrie


back to the insane asylum, but all of h
results of the girls long confinement


The way that the condition of this 81
, was discovered was this: Mrs. Grim
!, happened to notice that no one had bee
coming in or going out OF the house for day


She went to the house, a!
no one answering her calls to ops
> the gate she entered, but could gain no e
! trance into the house. Passing along Il
side gallery she managed to open side shy


ter, and then sight greeted her eyes tn
: caused her to step back in horror. Stan
8 ing like statue on the foor in manacI'


nude as when first born, was Sarah Barne


The chain that bound her was stretched
: full length but would let the terrible fgu


go no further. The face was not visible.


ALL THAT COULD BE SEEN
= We're two vacant eyes and the mouth. All t


features, everything that would show t


form to be that of human creature, We


hidden in mask of filth. Her hair "


matted and stood ont on end, while over h


body the vermin leisurely crawled. At IL
Q time there was nothing in the room bu
: wash tub. but later it seems the father b
e moved an old bed in to give semblance
a comfort to the apartment, as thus it v
i found when the reporter visited the pla
a Mrs. Grimes called in police officer and th
a with her own hands prepared the 6
; with a covering so that she was fit to
Y seen. She was taken to the insane asyll
e and cared for. Thither, in order to gain
It full particulars, the reporter went, AT
@ the party had entered the gate of the a
i lum they were met by Capt. Monnier and
e assistant, Henry Hamilton, who willin
IS escorted them through the building,
If though the hour was quite late. Sal
g Barnes was asked for, and, after passi
n down the broad gallery the female depa