Madhouse: The Hidden History of Insane Asylums in 19th Century New York

THE YEAR WAS 1869, HER NAME WAS MARY ROTE. …SHE ARRIVED BY STEAMBOAT AT OVID LANDING, SHACKLED AT THE WRISTS AND TRANSPORTED BY ARMED GUARDS….. Mary Rote HAD SPENT the previous TEN YEARS CHAINED TO A WALL IN MADISON COUNTY, New York OFTEN NAKED AND SUSPENDED BY HER THUMBS.

DESCRIBED AS DEFORMED AND DEMENTED, SHE WOULD BECOME WILLARD INSANE ASYLUMS…. FIRST PATIENT

127 YEARS LATER IN 1996 THE WILLARD INSANE ASYLUM WOULD FINALLY SHUTTER ITS DOORS WHEREAPON A HORRIFYING DISCOVERY WAS MADE….. BURIED NEAR THE FACILITY WERE OVER 5700 BODIES…. LYING IN UNMARKED GRAVES…..ALL FORMER WILLARD PATIENTS

***DRAWING UPON CONFIDENTIAL HOSPITAL ARCHIVES, PRIVATE PATIENT LETTERS AND NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS OF THE DAY, I WILL NOW TAKE YOU ON A JOURNEY INSIDE A WORLD OF MADNESS.

***WHAT TERRIBLE SECRETS WERE UNCOVERED AT ROLLING HILLS ASYLUM?

***WHO WAS THE GRAVE DIGGER LAWRENCE AND WHAT WAS FOUND BURIED NEAR THE ROCHESTER INSANE ASYLUM?–

***WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BEAUTIFUL NELLIE BLY INSIDE THE LUNATIC ASYLUM ON BLACKWELL ISLAND–

***WHAT WAS THE NOTORIOUS DEVICE ‘THE UTICA CRIB’ USED FOR?

***WHO HAUNTs THE BUFFALO INSANE ASYLUM even TO THIS DAY?

SHOCKING TALES OF NEGLECT, ABUSE AND EVEN TORTURE WILL BE REVEALED HERE SOME FOR THE FIRST TIME… BUT ALSO WE WILL HEAR OF REMARKABLE STORIES, OF INSPIRATION, HOPE AND HEALING