THE GREAT TRIAL
OF
MRS. ELIZABETH P. W. PACKARD,
Who was confined for three years in the State Asylum, of Illinois,
charged by her husband, Rev. Theophilus Packard, with being
insane. Her discharge from the Asylum, and subsequent
imprisonment at her own house by her
husband. Her release on a writ of
Habeas Corpus, and the question
of her sanity tried
by a jury.
Her sanity fully established.
A FULL REPORT OF THE TRIAL, INCIDENTS, ETC.
BY STEPHEN R. MOORE, ATTORNEY AT LAW.
In preparing a report of this trial, the writer has had but one object in view, namely, to present a faithful history of the case as narrated by the witnesses upon the stand, who gave their testimony under the solemnity of an oath. The exact language employed by the witnesses, has been used, and the written testimony given in full, with the exception of a letter, written by Dr. McFarland, to Rev. Theophilus Packard, which letter was retained by Mr. Packard, and the writer was unable to obtain a copy. The substance of the letter is found in the body of the report, and has been submitted to the examination of Mr. Packard’s counsel, who agree that it is correctly stated.
This case was on trial before the Hon. Charles R. Starr, at Kankakee City, Illinois, from Monday, January 11th, 1864, to Tuesday the 19th, and came up on an application made by Mrs. Packard, under the Habeas Corpus Act, to be discharged from imprisonment by her husband in their own house.
The case has disclosed a state of facts most wonderful and startling. Reverend Theophilus Packard came to Manteno, in Kankakee county, Illinois, seven years since, and has remained in charge of the Presbyterian Church of that place until the past two years.