The Placer herald., 1866-04-07
HORRORS OF THE INSANE ASYLUM.
Report OF the Legislative Investigating
Committee--The Case Of James Lilly.

appointed to investigate the management OF
the State Insane Asylum, at t.Stocktou, have
presented their report, 10 which they show
that most disgraceful state Of affairs have
existed there, and that even murder has been
committed by one or more Of the assistants, 8,
who had the unfortuuates in charge. The
report exculpates the Board of Directors
from blame generally, but is severe upon DR..
TiIden, the late Resident Physician, for neg
lect Of duty and an unfortunate temper, by
which be and the Directors got at crosspnr,
poses, much to the injury Of the discipline
and good conduct Of the Asylum. We pro.
pose to publish extracts from the report as
our space permits. For the present we give
the case of James Lilly. The report says:
"Tbs case has probably been made more
public and excited more feeling and interes:
than any other con INJECTED with the Asylum;
and it certainly has been the most difficult
to solve to our own satisfaction. There is a
mystery connected with it on which the Gu
rious may exercise their ingenuity. This
mystery might be explained on either one Of
two theories; but either explanation would
involve the existence of conspiracy, or a
want Of integrity and humanity on the part
of certain individuals, which we are 10th to
adopt and pronounce positively true without
better evidence than has yet been produced.
But though there are some things about the
case which are inexplicable TO US, we have no
difficulty in finding the facts on the main
point to which our investigation was direct.
ed. We should be highly gralified to have
ed with it either aIayed or resolved into
convictions; and yet we know more than we
wish we did about this most discreditabIe
and disgusting affair." James Lilly, patient
in the Asylum, was found dead in bis cell on
the 18th day Of May, 1865. 1t was not at
all remarkable that be should die at that
time, nor would it have startled in the slight.
est degree any one acquainted with him bad
he died several days or even weeks previous;
vet it was very soon rumored about that bis
death bad been occssioned by foul means.
and at the request Of DR.. ShurtIeff, and the
Board Of Directors, on the second Of June
following be was disinterred, and Coroner's
inquest beld. The jury in that case found
that be had died from natural causes; but
your committee have reached different
conclusion. We should indeed hesitate long
to find the verdict which the jury found,
from the same evidence which they consid-
cred; but from that evidence, taken in con-
nection with certain other evidence and cir
cumstances of which we have avaiIed our
selves and which the jury did not consider,
We unhesitatiugly declare that Lilly. died
from cruel treatment, received at the hands
of one George H. Drake, 40 attendant 10
the Asylum. We cannot say directly that
Drake intended to kill him; yet bis conduct
and declarations at the time Of inficting the
injuries show conclusively that if be did not
positively desire, he was at least quite so;lA
;nq death should be the result. Lilly was
weak and delicate; yet Drake kicked him in
the side and breast, and jumped on him,
after be was strapped down and helpless. At
another time be pushed him over violently.
Lilly falling at full length backwards, stri.
king his head on the asphaltum floor With
such force that an assistant who witnessed
the affair declared bis skull must be broken
10 thousand pieces. There was nothing
about Lilly which required or justified such
treatment, or any harsh treatment, at any
time. He was not dangerous, nor even sg-
gressive. There had been nothing 10 bis
conduct to excite any ungovernable passion
in any reasonable being. In one instance be
bad simply been noisy in bis cell; in another,
he had declined (but -quietIy'and without any
demonstration, so far as we can learn) to 60
at brakes bidding to another apartment
Besides these very ordinary circumstances
and occurrences, 10 the very midst Of the
abuses, Drake was demonstrated with ly an
assistant, admonshed that be was killing
Lilly, and begged to stop; to which Drake
responded that be meant ITO kill the d-n
s-n of b-b."
From all these circumstances, and the
wanton brutality of brakes conduct, With
clear knowledge Of the import, general and
legal, Of the term we use, we pronounce this
case of murder. If ever man deserved
the most severe and infamous punishment it
seems TO US it would be for this cowardly,
fieudish butchery of helpless, demented,
and irresponsible victim, the inmate Of a
Lunatic Asylum, The place especially devised,
and sustained by the generosity and human
ity Of the State, for their care and protec.
ton. where it is innocently presumed BY the
outside world, the utmost kindness and gen
teness are at all times exercised.
Having thus determined the main ques
ton involved in this case, we now call atten.
tion TO its mysterious features, OF which We
have already hinted. These features are
scarcely less criminal, aud probably TO many
minds more repulsve than the particulars
already detailed. 1t ssems at the Asylum
cemetery the graves are numbered. At
L,iiy's grave headboard was set up at The
time Of bis burial, (which was marked 402.
On the second Of June, some sixteen days
after his burial, when it was deemed advis'
able to have post mortem examination, the
grave marked 400 was opened; but the body
found therein was not LilIys, but the body
If m. Rarstow vho had also died 10 the