The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-27
The Way People Are Sometimes Sent
10 Insane AsyIums'

The Way People Are Sometimes Sent
10 Insane AsyIums.
The Chicago Inttr.0eean lets some
light into the way sane people are some
times got into the insane asylums. tire
portsthe proceedings Of one morning. July
10Y in Court when three applications fol
commitment to tho Insane Asylum were
disposed Of by a jury. The first was by
9 son for his old mother. The Inter. 0cta'
says:
"she listened with the impassive air o
one who had suffered till capacity for SUI
tering was exhausted, while her son testl
fed she was insane. He knew II because
she was queer, and thought everybody
was against her, and had talked abou
killing herself. He wasn't willing L
support her any longer, he stated, in 70
Spouse to q question. He had his owl
family to support, and couldn't do more
Then o German doctor, who looked ant
talked as though utterly guiltless OF med
ical knowledge, testified that he though
Bhe was not right. She was low'spiriteC
and thought folks were against her. NJ
questions were asked Of her 10 learn wha'
cause there was for her melancholy, mol
10 learn whether she could be otherwise
than low.spiriied In the house o! a sor
who was unwilling, as he put It, to sup
port her. The Jury promptly found hei
insane; she was turned over to the oticerE
TO be conveyed 10 the asylum, and hel
case was disposed Of.
The next case was that Of HUSBAND
Tor his wife aged thirty.tour, but looking
fifty, wan.Iaced and broken.down, had
given birth to three children in two year
and a hall. She was melancholy and ner
vous, afraid somebody would hurt her.
"a doctor thought her mind affected
and stated simply what the husband hal
already said about her melancholy. she
TOO, was asked no questions, and the jur,
also found her insane"
II - Il \
"These two cases had occupied the tim
of the court full fifteen minutes, ut tn
end Of which the two women were con
signed to that living death-life In mad
house." The lawyers, the witnesses, tn
parties in interest, the whole court room
iull, in short, looked wearied, and undis
gulsed disgust was manifest all around
that these matters were allowed to della.
Tor full fiiteeHmiDutes tho progress Of tn
great Walker will case involving on
million dollars"
The next case was that Of q widoI
whom her brother.in.law presented as
fit subject Tor the asylum.
"She sat in q corner, quietly regarding
the proceedings with intelligent interest
She was entirely composed, but her com
posure was evidently that forced com
posure which any sane being, compre
bending the situation, would maintal
before court which was to decid
whether he or she should be committed
to mad house. Her attire was wretch
eddy shabby, but 1t was spotlesslY clea
and was arranged with most scrupulou
nicely. Evidently she knew her peri
and was prepared to meet it"
The brother.in.lsw said she had live
at his house for year, was insane, quar-
relied with his wife; had slept under tn
house three weeks at time; had twC
children and had given them away
She started when the last assertion wa
made but quickly recovered herself
These were all the facts OF her in
sanity. The County Attorney seemeC
to arouse from his stupidity and to take
little interest, and suggested to the fore
man Of the jury to ask some questions
and he did so. The result was that I
was ascertained that she slept under tn
house because she was driven out 0
doors by her sister; that she did not ca
much because food was refused her; tina
she had given away her children because
she was urged to do it by her sister ant
brother.in.law, and had nothing to sup
port them with. The attorney told TIT
foreman he did not think she was insane
and the jury thought so also, and che
was set free.
The above items are suggestive Of thu
extreme caution that should be used il
disposing Of the alleged insane. We d.
not believe Chicago is the only cit!
where great wrongs in that matter ar
done. ---