The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-03
PRICE-FIyEs
NON COMPOS MENTIS..
Scenes at the Insane Asylum. /.

A representative of the Bulletin, in bis
wanderings yester lay afternoon, found him
self in close proximity to the Marine Hos
pital, where those poor demented beings
who are, as the world goes, considered IRA
tional and destitute of ability to take care
of themselves, not that those we conversed
with were by any means lacking in what
would saem fall possession of their reason-s
ing powers, but the law lid adjndgsd them
insane and, therefore, they had to be coasid-
cred such. The question has often been
considered by medical authorities as . the
point or line of demarkation dividing ths
sane condition aud dementia, but so evanss-
cent does it become, on close scrutiny, that
the decision of the question becomes exceed
ingly difficult.
On ringing the bell at the gate we were
welcomed by Mr.. William Stephenson, who
did everything in his power to show the
working of the system now adopted as best
for the benefit of the sufferers. Immediate
ly after entering we Wee ushered into
large yard, fronting one-half the hospital,
Mhere there We're some sixty women stroll
ing about engaged according to their indi-
yidual tastes, some sitting on the grass and
Others playing with such articles as they
might have gathered about the yard. The
first woman we met was apparently about
sixty wears of age, her face furroughed win
the wrinkles of troubles past. She ran to-
x:4I 1 I. p,e f,.y l,ar mi p
her eyes, and in language sounding much
| like Gallo she launched ont what seemed
| the bitterest iuvective on our innocent
| heads. A bit of tobacco soothed the woman,
| ana we passed on. "When viii You get me
| ont ? said smiling oil lady III a fondling
way, taking our arm and aifecticnately pat
/ TIM the back of our hand. : iou know,
honey," said she, !" the woman who robbed
me Of that ten thousand dollars is over on
;he other side of the yard, and | want to get
mt and find ont where she buried the
money" Promising a speedy compliance
with her wishes we assembled the front steps
of the hospital, and walking down the wide
gallery on the right we aecosted negro
si,I. chained to one Of the ratings. " Don't
70 too near her" said our guide 'she5 dan-
serous." The girl darted look of intense
hatred at our keeper friend and forthwith
commenced to pour out the volumes OF her
wrath in anathemas. When she had eX-
pended her force she became more tranquil
md she repeated the story of her sorrows.
"You, ] know, am young, Mass'r JIM
You see they done set the devils after me-
ana when the old man sold Aleek they
opened the gates of the devil aud the rats
are after me all the time. Now, Massr ilm
lust yon pray little for me and III 20 WIT
YOU" She seemed more quiet, and we leF'
her 'It's a bad case" said The keeper
. for she'll kill when she's loose" The rest
of the unfortunatcs looked silently on al
The time, not uttering word.
Arriving at the door leading to the male
division, we waited an opportunity, ano
hurriedly entered, closing the door behind
ne.
Tue crowd were engaged, like the women
in their little amusements on the grass, bu
one fact was particularly marked, and tina
was the contrast in behavior. The womer
we're more demonstrative and noisy thai
| she men. and they exhibited more complete
ly their loss of reason.
We were list introduced to Napoleon al
I'D man of sixty-fve, profnsely decorate'
with brass medals and wearing over a cot
tonade uniform cockade hat OF the Empire
sEl Messieur" said he "attendez m moment
. Mon onc]e ven he come be gar-r-r-r lie maxi
S re man at re porte kiss him hand. You SCI
e you see" said he taking out Fan old fran
t piece, "mon oncle, Phomme de la monde,
c and the old fellow marched off not deignin
0 TO notice the crowd of sufferers which ha
: gathered around Garibaldi was extremel
# reticent. Having a new campaign on han
3. he felt some hesitancy in conversng wit
q strangers. Not so the amorous young maj
~ am in love-" he simpered, and we h~ugi
of the numbers outside these walls, IN I'll
same condition. GOA yes, I'm in love; bu
you know, don't you tell it, the family won
allow it, Queen Victoria dotes on me br
e the family-the family"
:, The poor fellow looked up seeking succt
" from the skies, and having had ourselves
9 sentiment akin to bis, we sympathizet
; About seventy invalids wandered aroun
Il the grounds, all enjoying the SIM and ope
: air, pleasure not to be had to any exten
n where they were confined at the Paris
d. Prison. 3alk
Al We cannot fail to express our satisfacti0
!, at the condition of affairs at the Insan
Asylum, the mode of treatment and attei
20 ton being all that could be desired.
Of -
Is Olive Logan says the younger Dumas