The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1869-11-19
Official Abusc---InhumaD Negli-
sence or MisMMnagemeMt at the
Insane HOspival.

lnsdUc IlOskDkt0ts
| The Legislature makes ample provis-
Ision for " hat arcknOwn as the state Char
li,ics - the Hospital for the Insane, the
Deaf and Dunn Asylum, and the lnsti-
lutte for the Blind and il is no iault of
1.-The tax payers of Indian il any thing
should be lacking for the comfort, the
restoration OF reason. or the education OF
their unfortunate and 10 be pitied in-
mates. The people, by an overwhelming
majority, provided tor The erection OF
these States Charities and the support OF
their occupants by constitutional enact
ment, and the intent Of the people thus
Expressed has been faithfully carried out
by the different legislatures that have as
scn,bled since the adoption Of the pres
ent Constitution. From year to year The
most ample appropriations have been
made for the care Of the afflicted occu-
lpants of these institutions, so that neg
lee: on the part OF the managers must bc
Regarded as inhunan, if it can not be
made criminal in the eyes OF the law.
| We understand from reliable parties
that the inmates Of the Insane Asylum
suffered from cold during the past winter
land even by the inclenent weather OF
this season thus far. from The failure OF
those in charge Of the Institution 10 sup
ply the means Of healing il. What ex-
cuse can be given by the Managers OF the
Insane Asylum Tor this gross neglect
Has iron and coal become SO costly that
the State can not afford to procure heat
ling apparatus sufficient ~ warm the
buildings, and make thc inmates CON-
|iortable! Has the management become
80 corrupt that the ring" must make
few hundred dollars by allowing poor
ldemen,cd beings to suffer tie pangs OF
cold, rather than lessen profits by com.
lpelling iai,hlcs contractors 30 fulfill
|awartcd contracts!
4 We certainly have no disposition 10
publish, unnecessarily. matters that VIII
reflect upon the State Government III the
management Of her benevolent ih>titu-
ltions, Tut a sense OF duty, not only to
thos. who suffer. Tut Ia the people com.
pcls us to make public the following
facts:
About the Goth Of November, 1868. tie
then managers OF the Insane Hospital
made 4 contract iOr two new steam boil
crs, to be ready for use three weeks
thereafter, for heating the Institution,
This was before the north wing was fin.
lished. and these boilers were not intended
to be used in the heating Of that portion
OF the Hospital. About the time that
the new boilers should have been placed
lin position. according 10 contract. the
foreman Of the contracting establishment
visited the Hospital 10 make the meas.
|urcment for the work, and We understand
|he cody told the officer in charge of the
|buildinw that the iron for making the
boilers had just been ordered, and that
|probably they would bc furnished 10y
The first of January ensuing. Ills judg'
ment proved correct, for the boilers were
not ready for uec until the first week IN
january, and then they had to be pitched
after one weeks service, finally proving
Ito be utterly worthless. In the mean.
limo another establishment was request
led to furnish one large boiler, which il
,ldid in ono weeks time, and that boiler
twas the main depcnence for heating the
,,Iinstitution during the whole OF last win
sItcr. With the completion Of the rev
living, or addition to the Hospital, in.
lcrcased heating facilities became ncccs'
lsary, and "A contract was awarded to the
firm first named, that had failed on THEN
contract, i'm May or June, to furnish four
boilers to be ready for use by the first OF
October. This contract failed as the
first did. Two of the boilers were dc.
.|livercd by the 26th Of October, and the
lother two are not yet ready for use
I'VE arc informed that the two furnished
ilarc insufficient to warm the building
and during the recent cold weather such
of the poor inmates rs had sufficient wit
,|left to remain in bed or too little to gc1
out did not suffer from cold, but tho