From The Illustrated Police News, 20 August 1864

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1864. Sisters Catherine and Marion Stewart, aged 42 and 48 respectively, had not been seen across the threshold of their Glasgow tenement for at least eighteen months. The postman was the only person ever to see them, but the sisters warned him not to give away any information about them, or he would go to hell. Curiosity spread through the neighbourhood and people began to worry that the recluses would start a fire, or that they had killed themselves. Eventually, police Superintendants M’Call and Gray decided to break in…

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An excerpt from the North British Mail, reprinted in Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 20 August 1864

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Mr. M’Call and Mr. Gray had to exercise a good deal of prudence, as it was deemed not improbable that if their fears were unduly roused one or other of the sisters might throw herself out of the window. It, however, becoming evident that there was no way of obtaining admission short of forcing the door, orders were at last given to break it open. The sisters set up unearthly screams inside on hearing the noise which this occasioned. When an entrance was obtained it was found that they had retired to an inner room, which was locked. This was, however, soon forced, when a singular scene presented itself. The blinds were carefully drawn down, and over these sheets of linen were drawn across, a thick screen of cloth covering all and shutting out the light. As soon as these screens were removed, the officers saw before them two human beings, who might pass for two of the weird sisters, so haggard and unearthly was their aspect.

Slender in person, they were both attired in garments of black merino, and were without shoes and stockings. Their hair was matted with dirt, and their faces and persons appeared as if they had not been washed for months. Their appearance, in short, was filthy in the extreme, and they could be compared to nothing else than a couple of the most debased Hottentots or Bosjesmen. The room in which they were found was the only one occupied by them, the doors leading to the rest of the house being locked, and exhibiting all the marks of not having been entered for months, if not years. This apartment, which was a small one, was a mass of filth. The ashes of the fireplace formed a large heap extending for some distance on to the wooden floor, and the wonder is that the place had not at some time or other been set on fire. The paper on the walls hung in tatters, and every thing had a most dismantled aspect. The rubbish and filth here accumulated would, according to one account, amount to seven or eight cartloads; and the walls were so begrimed with dirt, that characters of some depth might easily be traced upon them. It would seem as if, when the fire was on, the smoke had found vent as much through the crevices of the floor and in other ways as up the chimney.

The rest of the house was also very dirty, but not having been inhabited it was free from the rubbish and filth heaped up in the small apartment. The mahogany drawers and wardrobe were found to be filled with linen of the best description, and with all kinds of female body clothes and dresses, and to be in a state of great cleanliness, never having been used.

No sooner had Mr M’Call and Mr Gray obtained admission than the younger of the sisters, who appeared to be the chief speaker, and to have a singular control over the other, addressed them in a wild and weird-like manner.  She told them that they had come from hell, and that they had no right to enter the house, as the seal of the Apostle Peter was upon the door. The officers found that both sisters laboured under the delusion that everybody in the world was dead, and that they were the sole occupants of it. The bright metal buttons on the constables’ dress excited their curiosity, and they could not be brought to understand that they were living beings. When the Superintendents told them who they were and what was their mission, the younger sister said it was a lie, and that they were a deputation from the Free Church Presbytery sent to annoy them. The two constables she set down as the disembodied spirits of the Glasgow police.

She then prayed for her persecutors, as she looked upon the officers. She also prayed that the Lord might come down immediately for their own guidance, and protect them from those spirits that had come from the other world to annoy them. We have already referred to the singular control which the younger sister appears to exert over the elder; and this extends to actions as well as to her sayings. In fact, it may be said that the latter appears to be completely regulated by her. If the younger made a step in advance, or did any thing, the elder imitated it, and when she prayed or spoke the other repeated every syllable with a remarkable distinctness and rapidity of utterance. The younger seemed to be jealous of any separate action, mentally and physically, on the part of her sister, for when she once or twice attempted to speak, the younger immediately told her to be quiet and to keep her tongue at rest, as she had lost her mind. The awe felt by the elder was such that she at once obeyed.

Every part of the house was searched; but no trace of food could be found in any direction. All attempts that were made to unravel the mystery as to how they lived of late failed of success; and it is, we believe, surmised that they had got some of the boys or girls who go about begging in common stairs to purchase bread or other articles at some of the shops in the neighbourhood. Great as was their aversion to the admission of any human being, it would, however, appear that they did not object to the presence of a cat; for on opening one of the doors a hungry-looking and half-wild grimalkin sprang past the officers, as if glad of an opportunity to escape. It was, however, caught and taken care of.

We understand that Dr. Liddell, of the Govan Parochial Board, and Dr. Dunlop, police surgeon, held some conversation with the recluses, and signed the usual medical certificate of their insanity in order to procure their admission to Gartnavel Asylum, where they were driven about five o’clock. On searching their persons a Bank of England Cheque for 288l. was found in the breast of the younger sister, and also four 1l. notes. Inquiries were of course addressed to Mrs. Tait, the cousin of the recluses, and we understand that the only explanation she can give of the circumstances which have brought about the strange mode of life and extraordinary hallucination above narrated is that they had a brother who was for many years a sea Captain. He was a most respectable man, and of saving habits, and is supposed to have amassed a good deal of money. He took great interest in his sisters, and was in return greatly beloved by them. He left Glasgow four years ago in charge of a vessel, but afterwards died on the coast of Africa, leaving his money to his two sisters. They took his death so much to heart that they estranged themselves from all society, until at last the habit of seclusion obtained such a mastery over them that they ceased to have any communication with the outer world, and the mind itself ultimately gave way. Mrs. Tait had not seen either of them for the last seven years, when they were residing in Paterson-street, Glasgow.