Too Proud or Too Crazy?

It wasn't uncommon for Gladys Quackenbush to have her name printed in the local newspapers. It was the fashion back in the day to announce whenever a young woman was off visiting relatives or attending some social function. But nobody was prepared for the story that would be appear in almost every newspaper on May 26, 1925. Sadly, it would soon became evident that the good folks at the New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane should have seen it coming.


In the early morning hours of May 26, 1925, Gladys, aged 28, had been killed in her sleep. Hacked to death with 14 blows of an axe. The killer was Aretta Quackenbush, her 65-year-old mother.


Aretta had been deemed "suicidal" and institutionalized since February 26, 1925 after she'd tried to take her own life; she'd been released from the NJ State Hospital for the Insane only a week before.



New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane

Neighbors had heard some arguing and raised voices coming from the  Quackenbush home in Tennent, NJ on the night of May 25, 1926. Aretta and Gladys often argued, mostly about money. Aretta's husband Holmes had died in 1904 and left them an inheritance but, it is believed Aretta lost most of the money due to "rash speculation" and the stress over their dwindling financial condition had affected her mind. By this time they were "practically penniless." Neither woman had a job and Aretta's pride got in the way whenever Gladys offered to seek employment. Gladys had made arrangements to leave the family home and relocate to Freehold, NJ to serve as a kind of live-in housekeeper. This might have been the last straw.

A neighbor, John Turneau, heard subdued crying as he walked by the Quackenbush home at 6:35 AM while on his way to work. He was worried, not enough to knock on the door although he did mention it to his supervisor. Another neighbor, Miss Laura Bennett, was walking past the Quackenbush home one hour later when Aretta opened the front door and called out "Laura, call Dr. Applegate. I've killed Gladys."

Laura didn't phone the police, remember this is 1925, but instead stopped in at another neighbor's house - one belonging to the Whalen family. Arthur Whalen, aged 20, offered to go over and investigate. He knocked at the door several times but received no reply until he finally heard a voice asking "Is that you Laura? You can't come in." Arthur walked around the house until he could peek through a window. Arthur saw Aretta in blood-stained clothes, she was mumbling "Oh, my God" over and over again. Arthur returned home then telephoned the State Police.

NJ State Trooper James McCormick

Trooper James McCormick responded to the call in civilian clothes. He saw Aretta walking back towards her own home from the Whalen house. She'd gone over there for a pail of water but had been refused entry. Can't say I blame them. Aretta was uncooperative at first, until she saw his Police badge then she allowed Trooper McCormick to enter her home and it was there he discovered the body of Gladys and blood splatter everywhere. Gladys is described as being "unrecognizable" due to the severe blows to her head. Any one of which would have been sufficient to kill her.


Aretta had injuries of her own. Her eyes were swollen nearly shut and there was blood on her forehead. Aretta claimed Gladys had attacked her the night before with a hammer so her killing Gladys was either "self-defense" or "revenge." Authorities believe that Aretta's wounds were self-inflicted. She readily admitted what she had done and told investigators, "It was all over in five minutes." During the car ride to the Police HQ, Aretta  tried to jump from the moving car but was held back.

Given Aretta's recent hospital stay and her actions on the morning of the killing, she was quite easily declared insane and incapable of even assisting in her own defense. She was remanded, once again, to the New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane. I don't believe she was ever released. Aretta is listed as an inmate of the Hospital in the 1940 Census and she died on December 18, 1943. Both Gladys and Aretta are buried in the Old Tennant Churchyard in Manalapan, NJ. The family farm, home and personal property were sold after Aretta was committed and the proceeds were used to pay for her care at the Hospital.

There was much finger-pointing after the fact and, of course, promises from the Hospital to do a better job so that this kind of tragedy could be avoided in future. Dr. Carl Pierson testified that he knew Aretta had attempted to take her own life three months prior but that was all. Judge Lawrence who headed the three person lunacy committee charged with investigating the incident, produced documentation from when Aretta was admitted in February which recorded the fact that she had also threatened the life of her daughter. The eminent Dr. Henry Cotton felt comfortable blaming Aretta's relations, and that included the victim, who had agreed to Aretta's release. I'd also like to note that Dr. Cotton is the only one who refers, numerous times, to Gladys as being "feeble-minded." If Gladys was feeble-minded, why would the hospital consider her capable of caring for Aretta? 

Dr. Henry Cotton

Dr. Cotton would have to get used to being on the defensive. Not only in this matter but for his methods in general. Dr. Cotton strongly believed there was a definite connection between insanity and infection in the body. He and his staff of surgeons would routinely perform operations on the patients, often times it seems without their consent. It was common practice to remove any organs they suspected to be harboring infection, also the patients' teeth. The staff also performed sterilization procedures on the patients. Any surgery was a risk, especially when there were no antibiotics then and a real danger of post-operative infection. There might have been a high mortality rate as a result of these procedures but the patients would be considered sane when they expired.  Naturally, not everyone considered Dr. Cotton a monster. He did actually believe in treating the patients more humanely.