Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-04-29
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., I
April 22, 1876. !
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.

about him. He refuses to demand an
investigation by Congress of the rumors
in circulation against him; saying:
eff the Democrats think they have
anything on me, let them take the init
alive; am ready for them. Unproven
charges against public man don't hurt
him, nowadays, if he is innocent The
very fact that the Democrats don't in
vestigate these rumors shoued convince
any reasonable, unprejudiced man that
there is nothing i'll them"
That is all very well, as far as it goes;
but Mr.. Blaine's friends are not salts
fed. They are afraid that the Demo
Gratis may be only holding up for a
while, having determined not to take
any formal notice of rumors about Mr..
Blaine, or any other possible Republi-
can candidate, until after the Cincinna-
ii nomination; after which, if the nomi-
nee be vulnerable, they will ego for"
him. Notwithstanding the dead set
made against Blaine, however, and.
by the by, chiefly by Morton, Conk-
ling and other Republican aspirants for
the Presidency, and their friends, he is
regarded here as likely to be much
stronger man in the Cincinnati conven-
ton than any other man yet named.
Since the above was written, usu-
ally wellinformed Republican Con-
gresham has called upon me to say that
Blaine is going to ''rise to a question OF
privilege" in the House, on Monday,
when he will put himself rectus in curl
ia. Good for Blaine.
GEN. n. L. BANKS
said, yesterday, that one of the results
of the nomination by the St. Louis Con-
vention of Samuel J. Tilden of New
York, which is getting every day TO be
more and more probable, would be the
dissolution OF the Republican party in
Massachusetts. Gen. Banks says that
the people of that State, irrespective of
party, are so eager to see the Federal
Government honestly administered once
more, that they would give Tilden, who
is we'll known to them as the very in
earnafion Of .6fcini honesty and admin
isiratiue reform, as large majority as
they have ever yet given 10 Preslden-
tial candidate.
HON. w. $. HOLMAN
There is rapidly growing sentiment,
among New England, New York, Penn
sylvania and New Jersey Democrats, in
favor of giving to this distinguished In
dianian the second place on the ticket.
Holman has long been known and re-
spected, all over the Union, as the eccn-
omist of the House. He is man of
great capacity, and his private charac-
ter is spotless. His name on any tick
ct would strengthen it.
l give you these speculations, which
l hear from day to day, and from hour
to hour, for what they are worth.
INVESTIGATION OF TIE INSANE ASYLUM.
One need only read the sickening
details of the pending Investigation into
the management CT the Government
Insane Asy lum, to be convinced that
the charges of utter corruption in the
manners and morals of Washington
officials are, unhappily, but too true.
Stories are told, 10y attendants, aud
others, which sound more like dark
romances of the middle ages than truth
full relatiaos by witnesses, under oath,
of transactions that have taken place in
the 18th century of Christian civilizs-
ton, and within stones throw of our
Capitol. 1t is almost incredible; yet
We hear append the testimony OF three
witnesses, merely remarking that many
others testified, substantially, to the
same horrible state of affairs:
Mrs. NJ. J. Murray testified that her
husband died in the hospital in 1873; used
TO visit him; nearly always saw him but
objections we're made to her visiting him
so often; he had typhoid fever before go
ing there; was sent by the Rechabites;
was not violent; rational at times; after
DIR. Franklin left he was not well treat
ed; often found him black and blue,
caused, he said, by the attendants beating
him; complaints did no good; three times
witness found vermin covering him; often
he was cold no fire nor heat in his room;
his hands and feet were badly frosted;
witness did not know the cause Of his
death: he ALWAYS ate heartily when wit
ness brought him food; when the body
was brought home, the face was black
and blue, evidently from 4 blow.
Samuel A. Smith was recalled and tes-
titled as to working incurable patients at
CARRYING ice, with water up to their knees.
George NJ Dow testified that he is
claim agent; was an attendant III Beech
ward, in 1872; left voluntarily. Witness
said boy named Lloyd. from the city,
was placed in a cell with a maniac, Sta
bier, who terribly beat him during the
night, and would have killed him but for
aid. The attendants placed them togeth-
er by order of the supervisor; Stabler was
very violent and vicious. harmless old
man, General Loomis, was placed in
cell hot night in July; he rolled upon
the floor until all his joints were bare; he
was brought into witness's ward, but
died on the 3rd Of September. Witness
sent letter of complaint to Secretary
Belknap, but never heard from it; Loom
is was entirely nude ;couldn't keep clothes
OH him on account Of the sores with
which he was covered. Witness thought
the sores were caused by rolling upon the
stone floor; the poor, crazy, helpless ola
General didn't know enough to lie on his
mattress. Gen. Howard called to see him
once, but was told that he was asleep.
Witness had often seen attendants kick
patients, and was blamed by tho others
for not taking a hand; supervisor
named Leonard once struck patient, and
broke his jaw; witness knew of their
keeping persons there for years after they
were well. Witness knew of patient