From the Mar 24, 1885 Carthage Republican Newspaper : "A NORTHERN NEW YORKER TUESDAY MARCH 24, 1885; A Woman's Sad History; The Troubles of a Poor Unfortunate Woman Who Was Born in Watertown, She Died after years of Suffering and Neglect.  The death of Mrs. Alma Bartles, a former resident of Jefferson County, occurred in the city of Philadelphia a few days ago. There was only one mourner at her funeral, her five year-old son Stephen.  She has had a world of trouble, and the following facts relative to her life, gathered from the New York Herald, will no doubt be interesting to our readers . Her maiden name was Alma Shew and she was born in Watertown in 1846. [Actually she was born in 1845 in NYC].  She was carefully brought up and received an excellent education.    In 1870 [Actually 1868] she married Dr. Bartles, of Williamsport, Pa., and went there to reside where her beauty became a popular craze. After having borne her husband's three children, she was taken ill and was sent to Philadelphia, where she was attended by one of the best physicians of that city. She returned to Williamsport, apparently restored to health, but occasionally had strange delusions. After the birth of her fourth child, in the winter of 1879 [Actually 1881] she was attacked with fever and only recovered after a lingering illness. Her mind was visibly weakened, and she did the oddest things at times. One evening when a number of her neighbors-had called at her house and were seated in her parlor, she suddenly sprang to her feet and said impulsively "My Philadelphia physician is the father of my last child." Everybody present saw that the poor woman was hysterical. She might just as readily have 'said John Brown or Thomas Jefferson and her assertion would have attracted as little comment She was known and believed to be a pure woman, and the distinguished physiclan whom she maligned in her wild language stood on a pedestal as high above such calumny as did John Wesley. The visitors hastily departed and the sick woman was put to bed. When she recovered, to the amazement of everybody else, the husband began an action for divorce in a Williamsport court, based on tbe alleged confession, and under the Pennsylvania  laws obtained release from his bonds. He kept three of the children; but the unfortunate boy, the cause of Mrs. Bartles' illness and delusion, was awarded to the mother. The mother and child went to Brooklyn and lived a while with her cousin, Mrs. Lucy Sinclair. She then went to Philadelphia, where her story had preceded her, and  when her presence in Philadelphia became noised about, the attorney of the slandered physician took a most remarkable course, Instead of causing the woman's detention in a hospital, as should have been done,  George W. Biddle advised his client to pay about $15,000 into the hands of the Fidelity Trust company for the benefit of the boy. It is also alleged that $5,000 or more, were given to the woman to purchase the silence of her tongue. The woman declared the physician's Innocence and he was blackmailed on all sides and led a life of torture for two years. An attempt was made to depose him from the presidency of an educational Institution, but the distinguished physician held his ground and many highly honorable members of the society, such as George V. Obilds, A. J. Droxel, A. K. McClure, Philip C. Garrett, J. B.Llppincott, E. C. Knight, Thomas McKeon and the entire  medical faculty of Philadelphla, headed by Dr. D. Hayes Agnew, rallied to his support and defense.  During this time Alma Bartles was living in seclusion in West Philadelphia, where she became known as the "veiled woman," from her attire when on the street  She lived on her income of $ 15 a week from the fund in the trust company and by making flowers. All her valuable clothing was taken  possession of by anonymous relatives and sent to New York, and when she died she was almost destitute of clothing. During her last illness, as her sufferings grew more acute her mind became perfectly clear, and to several witnesses she solemnly declared that the physician whom she had gravely accused was wholly blameless. She repeated this statement with her dying breath. Her last hours furnish  a most heartless example of family neglect. Her own relatives abandoned her utterly  and she was mostly cared for by outsiders. Her husband refused to come and  see her die, tho' she sent the most agonizing appeals by mail and telegraph. Many noble- hearted people volunteered and rendered aid, among them being Mrs. Dr. William Thompson. Dr. and Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. and Miss Rldgeway and others. Mrs. Lucy Sinclair of Amity street, Brooklyn, was the only relative present during the last hours  of the dying lady, and the statements of all the visitors to the room of death show conclusively that her end was of the saddest character. The utmost desire of her relatives seemed to be to get her out of sight and an undertaker was sent to her before she was dead to see what slze coffin she would need. The woman's father [Joel Shew had died in 1855] and husband sent word that her body could not rest among their dead. [actually she is buried next to her father's parents].  The cousin repeatedly announced in the presence of witnesses that the child, Stephen, would be sent to the orphan asylum were it not for the trust fund held for his benefit.  [Actually this cousin Lucy Sinclaire  adopted & raised Stephen]. The corpse was shipped to Watertown, N. Y., and finally found sepulcher in some unknown God's acre that unkind  humanity can not disturb. The unfortunate and neglected child was taken to Brooklyn. Mrs. Charles Bartles, an aunt of the deceased, visited Philadelphia apparently as a commissioner for the mistaken husband, who, unintentionally perhaps, and doubtless with the purest' Christian motives, refused final absolution to a hopeless and penitent soul."