A NEW PHASE OF INSANITY.
A Woman Declared Insane because she in a High Church Episcopalian —Her Mode or Pronouncing the Word “Amen” Disturbed a Whole Congregation. [From the New York “Herald.”] In the matter of Caroline C. Allen, who seeks to be discharged from a decree of lunacy. It will be remembered by the readers of the Herald that this somewhat interesting case came up before Judge Carduzo some two months since, as fully reported at the time in this paper, and that he referred it to Nathaniel Jarvis, of the common pleas, to take testimony in the matter and report back to him. Accordingly, yesterday evening the case came up before the referee, when George Shea who appeared for Mrs. Allen, proceeded to call and examine his witnesses as follows :
Dr. Payne, the first witness, testified that he had known Mrs. Allen for several years, during which time her conduct was perfectly sane and rational, and was so now, and that she is now perfectly capable of controlling and managing her own concerns.
Dr. Albert Hogy was next examined, and testified that he had occasion to observe insanity in all its phases ; had given special attention to that department; had known Mrs. Caroline C. Allen since June last; has seen her at all hours and under all circumstances, without any exception on her part and when she was entirely on her guard ; his attention was specially and professionally directed to her; his conversation with her was upon all general subjects, and showed her to be a person perfectly rational, and her language coherent; he could observe nothing that would lead him to suppose that she was other than a perfectly sane person : his attention had been devoted to watching her specially to discover symptoms of insanity ; he deemed her perfectly capable of taking care of and managing her property.
Mrs. Admiral Farragut testified to knowing Mrs. Allen before and since the 1st of June last: has seen her three or four times a week during that time ; had observed her conduct and conversation, which has always been rational and intelligent; she has much improved since May last; thinks whatever peculiarity existed before May last was occasioned by the charge of insanity made against her; she deemed her perfectly capable of taking charge of her property—more so than most women.
Dr. Paine, of 238 Fifth avenue, testified that he had practiced for 30 years ; had opportunities for observing insane persons; had observed Mrs. Allen with a view to discover if she was insane, and discovered no evidence of that fact, but on the contrary concurred with all the other witnesses that she was perfectly capable of taking care of both herself and her property.
Mr. Shea, then, in referring to a letter received from a counselor in the western part of the State, expressing the opinion that the members of the Commission should be punished, gave the following statement of the circumstances surrounding the proceedings from their inception :
This lady, no matter why, or whose fault it is, has either by her own conduct or the connivance of others, drawn upon herself the censure of persons in the village of Geneva. Deprived of her husband some years age, and keeping her son here in a college, educating him for a clergyman, and living in an economical manner in order to give the boy an education, she kept herself to herself in her little cottage in Geneva, secluded from society there, and indeed, not associating as she should do with those that were about her. She behaved, as they say, in an eccentric manner living alone in her widowhood, and denying herself the pleasures of life, in order to keep sufficient out of her small property to support her son. She behaved in such a manner, as they say, as attracted the attention of some rude boys belonging to the college at that place. Now, Mr Referee, she has a faculty in the use of her pen, and during the late war she used that pen in defense of some parties, in excuse of other parties, and in opposition to others, and brought upon herself from them —certainly offering no excuse to them — the irritating visits of some of those students, on one occasion going so far as to paint upon her door a death’s head and bones, with “Ku Klux Klan’ upon it, and shouting as they passed her window, until at last she was actually driven from that place, which had been her summer residence. Thus she was entirely thrown on herself to keep her own little property intact. She had to use the only weapon and shield that she had—her ingenuity—to protect that property, and how effectual were those efforts this late commission testifies. Her son in accomplishment of an old threat of his, alleged this complaint against her, availing himself of the sentiment of the community up there, and her living such an eccentric life, which had attracted the notice of the people about her. The case was tried at Waterloo, and with my humble efforts i defended her. The jury found that she was insane, although that verdict was very unsatisfactory to the very estimable judge before whom the case was tried—Judge Johnson. Twelve men were selected from the neighboring farms, and if they had sent 12 calves into the jury box they would have as much intelligence and knowledge of the case as had the jury on that occasion. Under the practice there is no appeal from that verdict; but then there is a right given to the party to petition after a certain time, and to show that she is comparatively restored, if she ever was insane, and the truth is that she never has been. The Court then appointed a Mr. Van Houghton, who is a sort of cattle negotiator, or a man employed on the farm of this lady’s own brother, as a committee. Who that brother is, you can judge from one sentence of his testimony :
” I have hated her ever since we were children, and I hate her now.”
In that prosecution,although this lady’s fortune, as it is called, is very small, yet the amount of $700 was charged against her as attorney’s fees in the proceedings. And how was that money raised ? She had a farm on which very little personally belonged to herself, because it was rented. She had pictures which she had been gathering all her life—some of them from her own hand, for she is skilled in the use of the brush. She had other things, articles of bijouterie, and altogether a tasty and comfortable home, she had also clothing fit for the summer wear, together with warm under clothing, but this committee, without either writing to her or sending her one article of clothing for the season, took and told even her clothing, leaving her during this cold weather without any raiment fit for the season. They went so far even as to expose her underclothing at public sale, amid jibes and insults, to raise this $700, they deeming it too long to wait for a sale of the farm. This lady is one of a class which are not very numerous outside of this city. She is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which her son is after a fashion, certainly technically, a clergyman. She visits those services which in this city are called the early services, at 6 and 7 in the morning. She is there summer and winter. Such a thing as that with us in this city is not unusual. For this and other branches of the Catholic church it is not unfrequent, and would not with them attract any attention. Such things with us, members of the Catholic church, as bowing to a reverend name, would not be noticed, but would rather be commended, But up in the locality of Geneva, where the lady is from, they would esteem it as the wildest sort of ritualizing, and this lady attracted attention for so acting. I know of a clergyman, whose name I will not mention, who said that she had disturbed the whole assemblage. I then asked him how ? And he answered, “Why sir, she never says ‘amen’ but says ‘aman!’ That is the manner in which this woman disturbed the people who were present.— This therefore, is one of the very worst cases I have ever heard, and it it one I am willing to take very great risk in.
This concluded the testimony, except a conversation by the referee with Mrs. Allen in relation to her affairs, which seemed to satisfy him that the lady was anything but a lunatic, what ever her religious views might be, and doubtless the report to the court will be in favor of the lady, and an order will be issued discharging the Commission, and restoring Mrs. Allen to the control of her person and property.
It should be stated that after the order of reference had been granted, Judge Dwight, of Geneva, granted an order staying all the proceedings, which, however, on coming to the knowledge of Judge Cardura, was promptly set aside by a contrary order.
Marin Journal, 1 January 1870