New-York tribune., 1872-09-02
NEWSPAPER COMMENTS.
A CLEAR, CALM, TRUTHFUL STORY
s,-,s-s TAs BrooklgI Eagle Aug. 81.

roVpg ami sensational They are OF more everyday
character that respect they are even
more cordcmnng than II tOrtureS starvation anu eAtor
tons proved, aud for TINS reason: EASesso h
pronounced wrongs would .S nay iSTg ontrronS
place long Those STEADY, eOhtnuouis,
slightly defensole thngs tne % reporter trrrIbe by
render the institution more ~ tctbiuI tbat 3r,onn
being tOlerable. and give TO It's mana cement tsaI nun
iy which plausible glosSins u ~ ne look INTO the
extra0rdnary facts can insure ~ US UoA na5 Tor
particulars little. The price MI ChamDeIs pau iu
beard ai the Fth-aye Astor, metropolitan, mansion,
Nicholas, any other brst-class h9teI IN br1oHI ~
and by the day" much more. But given oaehelott
who wants 10 MAKE nd dS no % cam Get board and
comfortable quarters at the rate ra 0i ,Py pay The
Ouy equivalent he got for the money was room Ior
Wlch hc would not nave % pay 3 week IN bIO1kI9n;
and food that iutrinscay dd not cost IS per weeA anu
wlcn can be had IN boarding houses OF class thaJ ~
nisb that sort fodder for -, from sunday 10 ouu
cai and moral treatment. The medical treatment was |
one dose qunine and four nterrogatOrles rom uOc
fores were always, well how do you ieeli' Ihe moral
treatment comprised the removal OF % an ms oo'Ss; td %
matter and writing materials. the supplying MIN nun
MIN Mn cSn1iie of lime and soap srds and the quar-
terug hlm amid howlng lunaties We must n1t lpIget
game or scyeu-up. In Chambers case these Things ior
the time he was there amounted 10 peVly mIeeny, t
me aggregate Of all the prisoners they amount 10
grand Larceny aud to getting money under 1ase pre-
lenses. superadd TO these solitude no ohaee lot 10 c1
erisc diversion, the visits Of stupid Keepers ana heIu
ing az the table With ravng patients, waited upon Dy
attendants who alternated violence with smuty ana u
reportabe stories and the reader can easily determine
whether ASYLUM life Is calculated to produce rather Ihan
unacy We need hardly say tha the price pau gu
tides patients TO Injuries. At over 81 600 year tOI
that sum man can IlVe az li t % & ~ frS
grownup children can be lnainaineuIor year az & Is
class boardingschoO with medical ana moral treat
ment as well washing towels ana churSn siCtlhss,
,I,th other oognate comforts thrown in. The facts as
reported by Mr. Chambers show haoitual swlhdlng'
occasional cruelty continuous neglect, ana manage
ment partakng of the worst characteristics OF tene
ment bOarding ghOuse and county Jal; II huDsequ,eht
sratfed and surprised. tits best while the INQUIRY is
on" dwell upon the facts The tendency !mneolseD
OH tto V4fo
lion from tho damnng disclosures and lead the incul
as 10 lunacy" Let stick 70 facts now anu astateI Ior
reforms before the next legislature
PAINFUL DISCLOSURES DEMANDING REFORM
Froa ne Brooklya Ua.On, Aug. 81.
The commitment of a sane man to lunatic
asylum, TO test its management is dangerous eA
gdale Asylum chosen Nerved Wlth the khoS WI,
edge thar good is 70 be accomplished through MS
efforts asd many innocent persons are 70 be saved Ie
fortunes he suffering, he may possibly escape without
serious consequences But after the account gwen 10
the world by The TRIBUNE reporter, very few, we IN
agne, viii risk their liberty ana peace OF mhd N sueh
an enterprise This account Is full OF starting acS
ti is OF thrilling Interest because there is
SaVs @ present with the reader the knowledge that the
sufferer would be speedily reeased that many friends
10 claim him again Yet it is sufficiently hor-
rible 10 cause tine cold ohills to run over one.
Worse worse, than violent death is life in such
healthrestoring ID institutions No wonder that the
poor inmates afraid TO utter complaint or make
petition They only secure additional punishment loI
so doing aud strength and courage are nOt thers ~
after these painful disclosures, BloOmngdale u not
overhauled and its present management deposed, the
But il is hardly possible that the excitement produced
in the pubic mind viii permit any but The most pr9Tpt
and radical measures The exposure has been completes
the examination should be begun without delay.
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
Prom Ncto- York Evening Mai, HEg 81
The standing of The TRIBUNE, the falr
character of its printed instructions TO its agent, the
proI likelihood that snGa paper paper ] SelgG9 S6sa @
reliable mar the unmpeached reputation oi MI. Cham
t sTs 5af 5sf no false pTsense except the Of
ms fine powers as star aS5NF oT1ess Tfd9 of the in
vestgaton. For one, we thahA dha iene dhlSOSs NJ
for piece 81 fRfS'e enS GV give to Mr. cha@6Sr
report tie fu value OF an CT Pdre Dut larry unpISJu
diced statement OF course, no judicial deerminatiop
can he duly arrived at without weighing Of the truth
and pertnency Of the PdTe answer when the other
side will undoubtedly make Many OF Mr ChaImDerss
criticisms are mistaken the reason why no furniture or
pictures much nail IN the wall are ahowedi IN
sucen as also the rationale OF refusing the pauels
a cigar which would necessitae the placing IN tnelf
hands Of fire. the most potent agonH ago attpdene
But he shows that the medlcai attSnuance as
an cailous and brutal in manner and OCCASION
ay disgusting In speech that the food Is not sueh as u
9Th; that there is an care
essess of the comfort OF plsoners inaS tns ooudos
The sanity OF really person IN the course OF Iew
days and that qnlet PatenS s 5 are mo small matters
Tbey NAV DO and likely are the result OF carelessness'
bnt there are occasions when careessness Is crime
0nr Innate asyums should De perfect IN every detail
fbe attendants should be all kindness ana attention the
food and medical service should be OF the best the
ACCOMMODATIONS should be the oheeres and most con-
yeuieut possble SO FAR as the BlOOmngdae OF Otner
asylum fails to fulfil these conditions, reform must DO
demanded
A DISGRACE TO CIVILIZATION.
IRON TAe sprinqRsd RepubioaR Aug 2s:
Here the narrative ends, the recital OF the |
reporters experience while in the asylum BENG re- |
served for another Day But in this there ls surely
enough the necessity for radical changes III tne
Drese2t loose regulations on the subject Of consgnng
persons TO unac asylums Within 4s h9urs ir1Ia m tue Tue
time reporter commenced his feigned iuhacy ne was
lodged IN an asynn on & enS b d Sne Of whom had
only seen him for 20 minutes and upon the Ordst
police justice before whom he was not even oogeI ~
10 civilized community, and II Is devouty 10 De h0ped
that the present ventilation OF the s9oect VIII lSa1 NJ
not offer such terribly easy opportunity for lncarceang
perfectly sane persons in lunsuc asylum.
WHAT is PROVED BY THE TRIBUNE INVESTIGA-
TION.
From T7< Boston Post ANg %.
Proof is thus afforded, OF character well
calculated TO alarm society that the charges against the
perfectly sane man can be deliberately adjudRed a
lunatc this judgment be seized incafcerated,
limited and oapricious Is the liberty OF those whom
others interested IN getting out OF lDe way fernhs
ngdale Trustees Indignantly deny facts which are but
TOO clearly authenticated They would have been wise
10 admit them and to promise and faithfully caryout
vigorous reform; II is, they create grave sus-
pioions and incite just Indignation In the pub
lie mind. The prompt action Of Gov; Hoffman
ingdaIe case is praiseworthy 1t is likely TO be
efectual So long as 1t is possible that any man
clans selected by who have object gain, be
shut up IN these asyluns, danger the enOrmity aud
have unscrupulOus friends Interested IL giving them
quietds OF Gil things, legal method Of perpetratng
liberty under the shelter Of statutes constant and
terrible menace The exposure Of the system at Bloom
muate patients seems 70 Ignore even the ordinary rules