The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1878-02-13
The privileges of the Helse we're extend :
ed To Hon V. Rnftfh

The LUNATIc ASYLUM INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Pintard moved that the committee TO
investigate the charges against Dr.. Wm. nj
Com pton, DO allowed TO report, and the com
mittee made the following report:
Mr. SPEAKER-Your Committee, appointed
to investigate the charges made by George L.
Hackley a citizen Of Kinds county against
VIM. NJ Compton. Superintendent of the Luz
matte Asylum beg leave to make the following
report:
On the 5th day of the present month, your
commit e, having gwen previous notice TO
William Nj. Compton, of the time and place of
holding such investigation. organized at the
State Capitol, and commenced the examination
of witnesses in support of said charges After
a long and rritica examination of twenty-one
witnesses, whose testimony was reduced to
writing, and is herewith made part of this
report, the evidence in support of said charges
was exhausted; and as WIN. NJ Compton made
no request to be permitted to Introduce any
evidence in rebuttal, after having visited the
Asylum, and examined the several patients
still there, who, it is alleged. were the objects
of cruel and inhuman treatment, your COM
mittee on the 18th instant, closed its investi-
cation.
The charges contained in George T Hack
ley's card are nine in number and are substan-
| tally as follows, to-wit:
| 1st. That patient was SO brutally beaten
by attendant that he spit blood; and that
said attendant was not discharged or even re-
| buked.
I'd. That another patient in a crazy fit,
struck his attendant for which he was severely
beaten by two attendants; one of whom, in
| his, Hackley's presence, struck said patient
another blow in the face.
| 3rd That the same attendant for trivial
| offense, mistreated and knocked down an old
man two or three times.
| 4th. That the head attendant had often re-
ported the aforesaid attendant, for his cruel
| treatment of patients, to the Superintendent 4,
but that no notice was taken of the matter.
1 II, hat 1orot hNok a.
about so years old, named George Work, SO
as to require porous plasters on his
bruises, because he: the said Work, resisted
| him.
5th. That the patients were always COM
planning to the Superintendent of the way the
| said last mentioned Attendant treated them,
but that it did no good.
It'll. That another Attendant treated man
who stayed in the attic, in cruel, indecent
and shameful manner; because, in fit of in
sanity, said patient Uttered his room.
8th That the Superintendent discharged
him, Hackley, for being Democrat.
9th. That the Superintendent harbored at
the Asylum, one of the rioters, who aided in
the murder of the young men at Clinton in
1875.
1t will be seen from the above that charges
one, two, three five and seven refer to cruelties
| to patients on the part of Attendants; while
charges four and six refer to reports of cruel
treatment to patients by the head attendant
and to complaints on the part of patients
themselves. Charge eight is personal tc
Hackley, and intimates political preference in
the selection of employees at the Asylum.
The ninth charge places the Superintendent
not only In the criminal relation Of acces-
sorry, after the fact, in harboring a fugitive
from justice, but under n imputation of usi ne
a State Benevolent Institution for improper
and political purposes.
Before cons ldering the above named charg-
es, it IS necessary to give brief explanation
of the internal management of the Asylum a
least as far as it has bearing upon the matters
under consideration and examination.
The resident officers of the Asylum, under
whose immediate supervision ave placed The
male wards, consist of the Superintendent
Assistant Physician, Senior Attendant, anC
Junior Attendants. Each of these in regula,
succession, from the lowest upward, is subjec
to the control Of all those that precede it,
The Superintendent is the chief executiv,
officer, subject, however, to the Board of Trus
tees. 1t is his duty to visit all the patient
daily, or learn their condition"
1t is the duty Of the Assistant Physician t.
attend the superintendent in his regular
, morning visits; to visit, also, the patient
each evening, and such as are under treat
ment, as much oftener as may be necessary
1t is, also his duty ''to promptly report al
cases OF neglect or abuse on the part of the at
tendants."
The duties of the Senior Attendant requir
him ito see that the Attendants perform the
duties properly, to frequently pass through
the different wards, and especially those con
tanning excited patients; and to promptly re
port all Irregularities, er improper conduct, o
2 unfalthfullness in the performance of dutie
, that come under their notice, and point ou
5 any neglect that they may discover in any o
the wards
Junior Attendants have the immediate car
: of the wards and patients There are two o
J these to every ward. 1t is their duty, enforcet
by the strlctest discipline, to be tantly il
their res pective wards Among the patient
| N ruStp6 q lynnn u nil
OF violent and dangerous types. These fire
quently require exertion of force on the par
of their attendants to bring them under con
, troll. In order to provide for such cases, rules
have been adopted And under no cir
cumstances will an Attendant be excused fo
striking blow or laying violent hands upol
patient unless In the clearest case of self
defense, or to prevent his committing a seri-
GUS injury TO himself or others"
Thus 1t Will be seen that the Superintend
: ent Is forced to rely almost entirely upon hi.
surbordinates for information touching mis-
treatment OF patients. Attendants may Otter
ABUSE their charges without the knowledge O.
; sanction of their superiors. They can easily
avoid detection by suppressing the truth. N,
other avenue of information is open, save tina
furnished by witnesses reft of reason, or sucf
indications as are familiar to the eve ant
} skill of the Physician.
The first case of violence mentioned
by Hackley, refers to patien
named James Smith, who now resides in Car
roll county This patient is represented by
all the witnesses as being given to sudden fl t
OF Insanity, at such times be was violen
and dangerous. On the occasion referred T.
by Hackley, he made unexpected assault
upon George Foxton with a chair. In endea
vorlng to control him he was thrown to tn
floor and his face was accidentally bruised
Within five minutes. afterwards the matter wa
investigated by DR.. Melville, as, also. subse
quently by the Superintendent, and Foxtor
was excused, on the ground of necessity A
the time DR.. Melville. entered the ward thu
| patent, Smith was still raging and excited
The second charge relates to patient nam
ed Blumgard, who is still at the Asylum, anc
was visited by your committee, Blumgard i
said to be moody at all times, and exeeedingl
treacherous when III fit of insanity At tn
time referred to in the charge he attacked tn
above named Attendant with stick and coul
only be overcome by force. According to th
regulationS of the In 1utinn he w n g S.ol