New-York tribune., 1872-08-29


r,s oer,iecate the magistrate signed the following
,rder Of commitment which had been prepared by the
Clerk Of the Court:
SECOND DISTRICT POLICE COURT JEFfERsoS MtRkEr
STATE Of Ne,c York, Ciy and county or Ae~l0TE' S..
10 the Policeman and Warden OF the BlO0mihsdale
Lunatic Asylum: Mt.
Whereas, il appears 70 the UNDERSIGNED q foltGe
Justice in and for said city by the evidence under oath
and i'm writing OF Arthur LOckrOw Of NO 36 Great Jones
st. and G. T.. Ellington of No. III LcXingtonaye Two
physicians who say hat James D. ChamDeFs
Insane and by OF such Insanity Is so FAR ds
ordered in his to endanger his own person OF
the person and property OF Others II permitted TO go AZ
large; and being satisfied upon examination, that II
would be dangerous TO permit the said Chambers 10 go
Therefore in the name of the People OF the state Of
New-YOrk. you the said Policeman and Warden, are
hereby Commanded 70 cause the sad Chambers 10 be
apprehended and be safely locked up in the LUSTC
ASYLUM at BlOomingdale, in the City or New,1oih, "a
secure place provided by the Governors OF the Aims
house and approved by standing order or resolution
OF the Supervisors Of the City and County OF
as proper Institution for the confinement OF Lunauc'J
and to be dealt with according TO law. $500.
Given under my hand and seal this IAN Day OF Augt'
A. d. 1872 JOHN Cox, Police Justice
The commitment was then handed 10 the "amateur
llnatcs" knsman, and after short conversation with
the Clerk of the Court in which he asserted that the
Justices warrant would open the doors OF any Asylum
TO the patient aud that u would be unnecessary 10 OBJ
tain permit from the Managers OF Bocmlhgahe mas
much the physicians in charge were DOunu ny hH 10
pay heed to The magistrates order, the party felreu
from the Chambers OF Justice. t.- 4.
IL had not taken long to swear away inan wis 10
deprive him fhis liberty, and TO condemn MN 10 dieaS
exile in a mad-hOuse IL was only matter OIL Ten mn
utes two aIldayits and two legal blanks Inc lnags
trate's time was precious; acquaintances and political
friends were waiting for him in his private room VISIT
Ors having business with the Court were something OF
bore; and it would be impOe 10 question the anly OF
the physicians the motives OF the knsInan Ihe ap
pcauf was a perfect stranger 10 the Court ana yet no
questions were asked; neither his name nor
his address were given me me Gl, haa sGarcey thy
Court was enoincd to make that out" The magistrate
had never the physicians they might ne feputa,
be" as the law required. or they might be yenal
but their character anu IiDlt~alOhdl clli
Iepce the Court was in q state OF unnQusltlNe lgnO-
rance and made no effort 10 enlighen itself. mans
sanity was sworn away at the request OF stranger,
and on the sworn opinions OF two unknown physlcas'
one of whom had felt the patients pulse been with him
twenty minutes and coincided with the views of pro-
fessiOna acquaintance, While the other IN hopeless
emb9rrassmcut at tie singuarity Of the ease
had beeu preindced against the young mans sanity by
the fears OF pancstrcken nurse The cerllncate had
been sncd in accordance with the laws the state OF
NcwY0rk 1892 D. ,l4G, section 20-23; the Clerk Of
the Court had made that out" in good form; and the
magistrate retired oihs chamber to finish his cigar
on TO BLOOMGSGDALE.
The physicians and the two friends drove rapidly 90
the hotel where the madman" confined under the
charge OF the and the porter The original nten
ton had been TO take the physicians in the carriage TO
the Was Office OF Of the visiting committee OF the
Asylum and TO allow him to question them in regard to
the patients condition; but owing TO the laeness OF the
hour-t was then after p. m-this project was aban-
doned, and it determined TO take the patient to
Bloomngdale at once. The Clerk of the Court had as
serted that the warrant would open the doors OF any
asylum and the two friends after consul
taton resolved to make the attempt. The
physicians commended this decision on the ground that
the pateut did not like the nurse, and that 10 would he
much better to remove the madman at once from the
hot hotel to cool and delightful retreat as Blooming
dale In view, however OF contingencies, lht young
medical student promised 20 watch by the patents br
side il those i'm charge at the asy um refused 70 admit
him of the disOrdcred brain without permit from a
member OF the Board OF Governors, ana Dr. LockrOW
agreed TO render medical service during the night.
The carriage stopped at the hotel ana ITS occupants
hastily alghted one OF the patients friends stopped
att office settle the Dill ana the OINtf ltluutIAtu
the two physicians and the attendants. The travelling
hacs were backed i'm haste and the young madman was
conducted down stairs 10 the carriage much 10 the ed
catiOn Of the guests OF the house, who mad manifested
an exraornaTy hut not unndly interest in his fate and
who were sentry at the doors OF their rooms or in the
halls anxious TO ascertain whether ms features Deoh-
ened his disordered intellect As ne entered the carriage
every window that side OF the hotel had its female Oc
cupant-whcther guest or Chambermald-and detdch-
mfnt of pOrters and habOys witnessed the leayctak
iugs on the sidewalk. The physicians shook hands with
their victim and the driver directed 10 proceed IN
an haste TO the BlOomngdae Lundtic sylum. The pa
tient who was accompanied only by his two friends,
soon became rational, and the long ride 10 the Asylum
not enlyened by any incidents thdl nave any Dear
And vet within stones throw Of the hotel where this
sane man had been confined aud not far from the
room where his reason had been sworn away, was
Chrysals College the scene Of Theodore Wnthrops
novel; where Cecil Dreeme had been hustled into ear
riage and driven by Densdeth and his creatures 10
"HuImires Unnqulsitiye Madhouse," where her enemy
could beat down her resistance by cruel Imprisonment,
Of the carriage IN the present Instance were IN alliance
for public ends. but the ease VITA which tIe Law lad
been rendered q plant instrument in their hands, sug
gcsted the terrible thought tha INSCRIPTIONS conspf
ators against private rights might take advantage ot
yenal pny scans and the Lunacy cn1cments 10 perpe
tate just such crime as the novelist porIrays III MS
fiction.
TIE ASYLUM REGULATIONS IN THEORY.
It will be necessary this point TO rerace few steps
in order to explain the part which the Asylum Commit
tee plays in the admission Of patients into Blooming
dale 1t has been stated that Dr.. LockrOw the pre-
vious afternoon had confessed that he was not
familiar with the legal requirements, and had
suggested that visit should be paid 10 one
of the members Of the BOOmingdale Asylum
Committee. This COMMITTEES includes james
H. Banker Of No. As Walst, Geo. Cabot Ward Of No 81
II. Macy of No u Wallst, Otis d. Swan OF No. 4s wall
ST. and Robert j. Livingston OF No East Forty eighth
ST. on the morning OF tha day. therefore, the patients
uncle had called upon Mr. James H. Banker at his office
in Wast and been informed that the Revised Statutes
OF TINS state required that Luhacy warrant lssuedupon
the certificates OF two reputable physicians to the fact
OF insanity should be procured from Justice Of the Peace
or Police Justice Mr BANKER also stated that the
committee had specially instructed him TO take cOgniz
Of new patients and that he would require satisac
ton on two points hfst IN regard 10 the payment OF
bOard-mOney, which was required III advance I'm terms
Of thirteen weeks at $40 week board for the first four
weeks being retained III all though the patent
were removed before the month closed and
secondly, in regard to the, patients condition
the speaker did not wish 10 see the pa
tient but preferred TO converse with the
physician in order to be convinced that the alleged
unatlc not ncurabe He also said, that In addition
2C0 paid in advance, security must be gwen against
damage property by the inmates violence; and that
permit must De granted by "A member Of the Asylum
with whom the payment Of board could be-
arranged. before the patient would be allowed 10 enter
.he Asylum.
These positive instructions rendered the patients ad
mission into the ASYLUM In the evening without per
nit extremely doubtful 10 Will be seen, however that
he regulations of the Asylum, and the zeal Of single
member of the Committee, were brought to nOught by
he heedlessness OF those VINO in charge Of the ns
tuition.
THE ASYLUM REGULATIONS IN PRACTICE.
The carnage drove up the door of the Asylum about
p m and the patents uncle aghted aud leaving his
riendslwent in quest Of lthe physician in charge Dr.
David T. Brown, superintendent out OF town, and
junior subordinate Dr. Burr had been left in charge
Df the institution. The patients uncle handed DR..
Bur the Justices warrant and stated that the patient
was in the carriage. DR.. Burril asked II permit had
been obtained from any member OF the Asylum Com
mlttee.