Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-08-01

Editor Of the Free Press and Times
DEAR R:-You charitably express the
opinion that the abuses lately disclosed in
connection with the management Of the
vermont Insane Asylum at Brattleboro are
oil comparatively recent date. Would that
facts were at hand abundantly and conclu-
siveiy to bear you out in the Judgment
thus eharitably expressed. You seem to
thInk that twenty years ago the Brattleboro
institution would compare favorably with
any insane asylum in the country, as re-
CARDS the wisdom and humaneness of its
management. 1t was not far from twenty
years ago that a man, undeniably insane,
was inearcerated in that retreat. lie
was Clergyman man of ripe culture
and Of great excellence Of character. FOR
many years he had oficiated ably and faith
fully as the pastor of the Congregational
church in Hardwick, and all his assoeia-
tons and connections were of the very high
est and most respectable kind. But be fell
sick. His sickness resulted in hopeless in
sanity, and he was committed, as already
stated, to the Brattleboro Asylum. No ap-
prchensions whatever were entertained,
on the part Of his family and friends, in re-
gard to his welfare. At length he died,
and his remains were returned 10 his rela-
tiyes. What was the horror of the latter on
becoming acquainted with the condition of
those remains Had they been returned from
Libby prison or from Andersonville during
the war, they could not well have been in a
more shocking condition. Unclean and in
tested with yermin throughout, they bore
every evidence Of wretchedness and of utter
neglect. That, dear sir, Is what the Brat
tleboro Asylum was capable Of, nay, ad-
dIcted TO, twenty years ago. One would
suppose that the officials Of that institution
must have been struck with judicial blind
ness &c suffer such evidences Of their iniqui-
ty to pass from their hands. Had they so
longpracti sed, and hence become 50 accus-
toned to. that they imagined that, with
such brazen eflrontery, they could faunt
in the face Of the wide world these
evidences Of their crimes with impun-
ity? They were not mistaken. In vain
did the relatives of this unfortunate man
relatives who to this day naturally can
never think Of this Asylum or the partie.
who then had it in charge, but with
mingled feelings Of Indignation and abhor-
rence-in vain, l say, did these wr0need.
outraged people attempt 90 call tine atten-
ton Of the public to these abuses. The
great public would neither give attention
TO their complaints, or heed TO their facts.
And now, at length. after the lapse Of all
these years and by dint Of the most strenu-
Gus possible efforts. the tale of these horrors
and atrocities has been published to the
woodworking to US the appalling fact
that our Own Is no exception 20 this class
of institutions throughout Christend1m but
adds still another blt 70 that vast and ever
swelling volume Of CamniuC evidence o. the
effect that the insane asylum has. indeed.
come 10 be the one great horror Of this
age" ] close this communication bv quot
ing few paragraphs from an editorial az
tIcle in the Boston Post. entitled " Brat
tleboro and BinghamtJu.
such disclosures are becoming much 100
common. kidnapping and imprisonment.
with subsequent course Of violence and
torture, are practices % which our Leri--
latures are urged 20 give their special at
tentlon. II imprisonment is % be power
II the hands Of c0uspirat1rs instead Of
penalty Tor crime alone, 10 is difficult o. say
where security lies. 8 cOmmuuitv VII
soon be divided up int little knots of COM
pl0ttors against individual liberty i0r the
purposes Of avarice and revenge. The pie
ture OF benevolence which the Binrhamt0n
Asylum for Inebria,es presents % the con-