Old Keeper Gillespie Dizzied by Son's Misfortune

The Detroit Free Press, February 17, 1906

All right, I'll stop with the hokey titles. While James Gillespie watched over the County House for 40 years his own had fallen into disarray. His son George, 24, was convicted of breaking and entering just a few months after his father's retirement. His father sent a letter asking for clemency and since I can find no instance of his sentencing in the archives it was probably granted.

Ruffles Had Riches

The Detroit Free Press, April 7, 1910

Robert Ruffles and his wife came to the Village of Denton from their native England just before the Civil War. The village, not to be confused with Denton Township, was located along the southside of Michigan Avenue between Denton Road and the Michigan Central Railroad tracks. Besides the cemetery only a few structures remain. The couple had no children and when taken by poor health and old age, retired to the Poorhouse as denizens of the County Ward.

All's Bright That Ends Poorly

The Detroit Free Press, June 13, 1908

This story reminds me of that old English song:

Hey, ho, nobody home
Meat nor drink nor money have I none, 
Yet will I be merry.

Despite the long drive out to the Eloise Poorhouse from her home in Trenton, Rosa Albright never "enjoyed a ride so much." The 82-year-old widow of a blind harness maker had been suffering from rheumatism for some time but despite her ailments and advanced years was still able to make a go at self-reliance for many years. When her time came to retire to the countryside institution she relished the farm animals and houses along the route discussing them with her driver, John Todd, the undertaker, of all people, from her former city.

Refuse Place To Insane Patient

The Detroit Free Press, July 8, 1909

You know somebody's mad when every institution from hospital to jail to asylum refuses their admittance. Such was the fate of Howard McMane, a 29-year-old molder from Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. His insanity was apparently preaching the gospel to a throng of curious onlookers at East Grand Blvd near Woodward.

When the ambulance came for him he became embattled with the handlers. Once subdued he was taken to Grace hospital. Refused admittance he was hauled to St. Mary's where he was once again turned away. His next destination was police headquarters where he met the same fate. But not before a call was placed to Eloise where both parties agreed that he should be taken to Red Cross hospital. After nearly 3 hours he was admitted with expectation that he'd be transferred to Eloise in the morning despite their overcrowding issues.

April Goes Out Like a Lion and May Comes in Like a Savage

The Detroit Free Press, May 5, 1904

I searched for the April incident where May Savage was found wandering aimless along Michigan Ave. but came up with nothing. Likewise, with any follow-up information so we'll just have to assume that she was sent to the asylum.

Mystery Veils Wayne Attack

Detroit Free Press, October 17, 1917

Normally, it was a madman or woman who was being dragged to the asylum at Eloise but on occasion it was the victim of a maniac being rushed to the hospital for treatment.

This case is an especially brutal attack as an unknown man wielding a fireman's ax assaulted both O. W. Slayton and his wife in their Wayne home on October 16, 1917. Mr. Slayton suffered wounds to his head from the blade and his wife minor injuries and shock.

The fact that nothing was stolen, the young children in the house were untouched and the ax was found in front of the house seems suspicious. The fact that Mrs. Slayton was attacked first and only slightly hurt while her husband was bludgeoned in the head afterwards would suggest some culpability on her but since I can find no further information it's only baseless speculation.

Headache Proves Bullet In Brain

Rochester Journal, March 8, 1937

This is an unique story that you'd think there'd be plenty of news coverage on but this is the lone article I could find on the matter. The matter being that 30-year-old Albert Ridge, an Eloise Hospital worker, was shot in the head while driving in late February of 1937.

He heard the shot, felt stunned and pulled over for a minute, then recovered sufficiently enough that only a lingering headache led him to the hospital clinic for a checkup. What physicians found in an x-ray was that he had indeed been shot in the head during the incident.