The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-10-08
4 Sane NAN in q Madhouse.

\
letter. Mr.. John Langley Plumbridge, OF
Wellesley Lodge, Sutton Sarrey., England,
narrates in our columns the story Of his sui,
feripgs in the private madhouse in which be
a SINE man, was unjastly immured.
/ He was sent 10 the first tsyIum when in
! delicate health, not because he was insane
| There wa. no pretence of that, but because
| be was thought to be in some danger of be-
coming insaneI As he most tru:hfuly says,
this is precisely the best way to precipitate
over the precipice the man who is any where
near its verge. That he lived through the
days and nights Of horror he describes with
gu. losing his reason is Prima jaeie proof that
be was FIR removed from tie danger Of such
catastrophe when he sent to a place
far worse than any prison upon the certif-
cate of two men who had never seen him,
without trial before Judge or jury, and
without change to speak syllable in his
own defense. He was carried to confinement
by force. 0nce inside the GLOSSY walls O.
tie madh ouse he was subject to course of
maltrea,ment he describes in sikening detail
Hi. vas no exceptional case. we mus
wear 'em out" said one Of his brutal jailers,
or there'd be no trade" Poor patients are
quickly discharged in order that they may
swell the lists of the cured which each pri-
vate madhouse inserts in It's advertisements
The rich are kept as long as my be, for every
day is so much claer gain to the owner fthe
sylnm.t No attempt was made to cure Mr.
Plumbridge & Everything was done to break
him down. This statement is prior prob
able. There are few things that the aver
age man will not Do FOR money. When such
a man has been brutalized by the possession
of such despotc power rs the keeper of a
madhouse has over hls so-cllled patients, the
temptation to exerise absolute au bority is
well-nigh Irresistible even if money cuts no
figure. 1t is true that doctors co-operateI to
keep Mr.. plumbridge in duress, but he
makes selfinterest explain this. lie says
that most of the doctors usually consulted
get regular commission. Oh the profits from
the men they send TO any asylum. The one
doctor of great repute who gave partial
opini, against Mr. Plumbriigc's sanity Gh9
one called D.. NJ in statemeat) is especial
ist IN insanity He considers the majority
o. persons as more or less insane. Any one
conversant with his books Will recognize this
fact. Now any doctor who is n specialist
will attribute almost all diseases to the work
ings Of his pet malady This is particularly
in. ba Of, 4
line which divides the sane AMI insane is so
very vaguely defined that mistakes are easy.
After Mr.. Plumbriige was pu. into the asy-
lam he made 4 ward in chancery with
out being allowed to lift his finger in oppo-
siton. His last chance Of freedom seemed
to be thu. taken away, for chancery wards
confined in madhcuses visited but once a
year, and nj time that is well known be-
forehani, so that the keepers are able to pre-
pare for the ms ,ection by driving their vic
tins IS nearly insane as possible, Cut off
from hope Of relief from other, Mr.. Plum
bridge took his fate into his own hands. His
fourth attempt at escape was successful. He
stayed some time with his brothers, who were
now perfectly convinced OF his sanity, but
found that steps were being taken to recap
turc hin. He could be legally discharged
only ON the certificate of has jliler. So lie
went to the Continent and came thence to
this country, where he travelled for sometime
with twenty-Cna gentlemen. When they
learned from his lips that he was accused OF
being insane, Gltt he WITS a lunatic ward in
chaucery, their establishment WAS great.
Tnev had not dreamed VI sucn Il posi-
blity at any mo me.t OF Their intimate
c"mp.iuship with him. They all signed u
statement That they were perfectly conf lent
OF his competence TO nanago himself and ms
affairs.
Mir. Plumbridse has been stay in. at Ev-
anstDn for Two or three Weeks. He has
written this letter not TO get money OF O.
forfeit, but TO pat his Sc b e the world
for The sake of drawing putlc attention to
similar ones. lie wants pant cuiary to
reach his friends III Eng! AID and the Eng ish
public. Many men are ut this moment suf-
fer ng the form euts from which he has hap
PLY escaped --Chtcago Tribune.