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Modern Persecution, or Insane Asylums Unveiled
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296 | "No, Mr. Packard, I shall not help myself into an asylum. It is you who are putting me there. I do not go willingly, nor with my own consent -- I am being forced into it against my protests to the contrary. Therefore, I shall let you show yourself to this crowd, just as you are -- my persecutor, instead of my protector. I shall make no resistance to your brute force claims upon my personal liberty -- I shall simply remain a passive victim, helpless in your power." | |
297 | He then ordered his men to transport me from the wagon to the depot in their arms. | |
298 | Before this order was executed, I addressed the sheriff in these words: | |
299 | "Mr. Burgess, won't you please have the kindness to see that my person is handled gently, for I am easily hurt, and also see that my clothing is so adjusted as not to expose me immodestly, which with my hoops I fear you will find some difficulty in doing." | |
300 | "I will heed your requests, Mrs. Packard," he kindly replied. | |
301 | He then ordered two men into the wagon, to lift me from the board seat, which was placed across the top of the wagon, and hand me over the wheel, gently down into the arms of two men, who stood with outstretched arms below to receive me, and transport me into the "Ladies'-Room" at the depot. | |
302 | This order was executed in as gentle and gentlemanly a manner as it could be done, while the faithful sheriff carefully adjusted my clothing as best he could, and I was landed upon a seat in the "Ladies'-Room." | |
303 | I then thanked Mr. Burgess and my carriers for the kind manner in which they had executed my husband's order; and they left me, alone! to join the crowd on the platform. | |
304 | I then arose, adjusted my dress and walked to the window, to see who were there assembled. I saw they were my friends and foes both, about equally divided, the countenances of all equally indicating great earnestness and deep emotion. | |
305 | Soon Mr. Packard came alone into the room, and I resumed my seat when, bending over me, he addressed me in tones the most bland and gentle, as follows: | |
306 | "Now wife, my dear! you will not make us carry you into the cars, will you? Do please just walk into them when they come, won't you, to please me! Do now, please me this once; won't you?" | |
307 | Looking him full in the face, I said: | |
308 | "Mr. Packard, I shall not. It is your own chosen work you are doing. I shall not help you do it. If I am put into the cars, it will not be my act that puts me there." | |
309 | He then left me, and soon returned with Mr. Comstock at his side, when he said: | |
310 | "Now, wife, Mr. Comstock thinks you had better walk into the cars, and you know you think a good deal of him; you will follow his advice, won't you?" | |
311 | "Mr. Comstock is too much of a man to advise me to leave my dear little children, to go and be locked up in a prison without any trial. I know he would not advise any such thing." | |
312 | Mr. Comstock then, without having spoken one word, left the room. | |
313 | While these scenes in the Ladies'-room were being enacted, Deacon Dole was acting his part on the platform outside. Finding the crowd had assembled to defend me, and that they were determined I should never be forced into the cars, his conscience allowed him to be the bearer of a lie from Mr. Packard to the company, on the plea that the interests of his beloved pastor and the cause of the church required it as an act of self-defence. He therefore positively told them that Mr. Packard was pursuing a legal course in putting his wife into an Asylum-that the sheriff had legal papers with him to defend the proceeding, and if they resisted the sheriff, they would be liable to imprisonment themselves. | |
314 | The crowd did not know that Deacon Dole was lying to them, when he said the sheriff had legal papers, for he had none at all, as the sheriff afterwards confessed-adding: | |
315 | "I went to the Probate Court to take out my legal papers, and they would not give me any, because I could not bring forward any proof of insanity which could satisfy them that Mrs. Packard was insane. Therefore, I ventured to carry out Mr. Packard's wishes without any papers!" | |
316 | Thus the "majesty of the law," added to the sacred dignity of the pulpit, so over-awed this feeling of manliness in these Mantenoites, that they dared not make a single effort in defence of me. | |
317 | Therefore, when the engine whistle was heard, Deacon Dole found no obstacle in the way of taking me up in his arms, with the help of another man, and carrying me from the depot to my seat in the cars, except the difficulty of knowing how to take hold of me in a modest and gentlemanly manner. | |
318 | I, however, soon solved this difficulty for him, by suggesting that two men make a "saddle-seat" with their four hands so united, that I could sit erect and easily upon it, between them both. This, with my assistance, they promptly did, and I quietly seated myself, while Mr. Burgess kindly arranged my wardrobe for me. While borne along on this human vehicle, by my manly (!) body guard, my elevated position afforded me a fine view of the sea of heads below me, and -- |