The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-09-19


hnw Improperly o0adaoj theuia, "a
certainly caicglsiei q rssre Use Hae#
itua, q Aene Z n1t something wrong
about ihe management
Mr. shaws casa IS . peculiar one
tie Is ~ aged clergyman Il iha Pres.
lstafiAu church. We fni hir uafne 10
tae rsll of Presbyterian Ministers pub.
.Ishel ia the Ncw York 0rr Year
Book farls12. he had become unfit
tei by years and iudmily f1r pastoral
labor and Eve years ego resided 10
Bruoklyn, y Y. with bis daughter
sui Der husband who are. wo believe,
respectable and we.l-to-89 people. lie
bad, we infer. become somewhat child.
,sA H. had "a way. semc ~ bis Icla-
tgus say al Borrowing money which
be could hardly hope "a pay from bis
aWB resources. most u which found its
way 60 the pockets gi an invalid son
whg ha8 lost leg DO the war, and has
since died. after undergoing @ w.am-
patatiou llc had evidently become a
burden tp his supporters for he was
Suddenly sent from Brooklyn 10 Brat
ucbor0 aud committed So the Asylum
As 40 insane person. His sou followed
him there add secured his release after
ten days confinement He then went
70 visit some friends 10 Mortified,
Mass where he preached several
times, and received written aud other
assurances from those in daily contact
with him that they could discover no
sign Of insanity about him He went
thence 10 Barnet, Vt, where he has a
brother aud sister, who, we have been
told are not wealthy, and who probably
did not find il convenient N keep the
old gentleman. From Bi0net. in May,
1861, he was sent again ~ Brattleboro,
by tho sclcct-men OF the town as an in
sane pauper and he has been confined
in the Asylum for over five years, sup
ported in part by the State, and in part
by the Selcctmcn nominalIy, but in
reality il is supposed by his Brooklyn
sou.in.law.
Information regarding his condition
was given by an inmate of the Asylum
who had himself been discharged by
legal process. Mr. Shaw was brought
from Brattlcboro, on a writ Of haje1s
corpus, and appeared in the United
States Court for this district He de
MED that he was either insane, land
his appearance corroborated the denial
or pauper. He told his story with
some hesitation on certain points, for
as he stated with dignity, the details
were iHexpressibly painful to him be-
cause his confinement and the treat
ment which preceded it were the acts
Of his own kindred
The Superintendent Of the Asylum,
on his part, could only say that Mr..
Shaw was sent 10 the Asylum by the
town OF Barnet and was committed on
physicians certificate that he was
insane. But he had been very quiet
in the asylum, aud had committed no
insane act The Judge at once order
ed Mr.. Shaws discharge, saying that
he could see in him only an infrm old
gentleman; that a hospital was a more
suitable place for him, if his relatives
could not or would not support him,
rather than the insane asylum, and that
such treatment of an aged clergyman
seemed to him very singular. The
Judge added that if finding it easier
| 10 borrow money than rnpay Il mae
species Of insanity, a good many OF us
would be candidates for Brattlcboro.
We have nothing to say in regard TO
Mr. Shaw's treatment by his relatives
the facts are enough without com
menting on that point. But we do
say that our State Insane Asylum is
not the place for the confinement OF
sane men. Furthermore, it seems to
us that physicians who make diseases
Of the mind their specially, ought to be
able to determine in less than five
wears time, from some look Of the eye,
or use of language or action of the
brain Of a patient whether he is Of sound
| or unsound, mind and should not
be compelled to fall back for proof OF
insanity on the statements of relatives
or the certificate OF distant doctor
There is another aspect Of this case.
! Our State annually appropriates IS 900
for the support Of the insane poor OF
the state, the money being allotted
among the insane paupers in part pay
ment Of their expenses at the Asylum.
I Mr. shaw's name appears in the list
of such benefciaries but if he has
been a sane man all this time, and not
resident Of Barnet, or legally charge
able to the town for support, the state
has been delrauded year after year.
1t may have been very convenient
for the Brooklyn merchant who took
this method Of supporting his father
inIaw. to have the aid of the State
but the taxpayers Of the State, we are
confident, would prefer that the bouu,
ty Of the state should be distributed
J among our own insane poor who are
such Beyond question On the whole
this seems 20 be case that will beaI
b looking into. If Mr. Shaw, being sane
was Illegally confined at Brattlcboro,
how many more such are there in the
asylum And ought not the Legis
laturc when it meets, to take measures