The New York herald., 1879-02-01
ONONDAGA'S "BLACK HOLE
Better Treatment of the Help
less Insane Demanded.
NEW BUILDINGS REQUIRED
Charity Commissioners Recognize the Truth.
fulness of the Ilerald's Reports.
SYRACUSE, Jan. so. 1879

Public opinion has just accomplished in Onondaga
county feat something akin to the cleansing of the
Augean stables. which history tells cost the
brawny Hercules such world of strength. At last,
aided and abetted by the tremendous power of the
press. the demands OF an outraged community have
been recognized by the incumbent Board of Super
vsors; the stubborn facts. part and parcel of the
scandalous management of the Poorhouse and In
sane Asylum. to the full airing of which the HERALD
lent itself. have been brought home, and
with such actual force that the county's
indifferent legislators were forced to
cede to the common sentiment the remedies
prayed for. This nsures to those who. in the near
future. may become helpless wards of Onoadaga
county something more than the treatment of wild
beasts, although unfortunate enough to be placed
between the walls of an asylum for the insane.
COMPELLED TO HEED THE PRESS
That this change will be greatly for the better
need hardly be told observant readers OF the HERALD
When in December last the horrifying picture was
made public regarding the conduct of the Almshouse
and Asylum for the Insane at Onondaga Hill. the
HERALD not behind in printing the start
ling picture in its columns, and the
editorial comments with which it teemed,
when words were almost inadequate were not
at all uncertain equivocal. 1t was this
fearless position which brought to bay the Board of
taken to utter the indignation Of the public. had
vouchsafed only laughter and contempt In resolu-
ton recognizing the HERALD's demand for immediate
and searching investigation the State Board OF Char
tiles directed to step in and direct the inquiry
proposed. The response was prompt as its results
satisfactory. Hon. William p. Letchworth,
president Of the Board, and DR.. Charles
s. Hoyt, secretary, in conjunction with q
special committee of the Board Of Supervisors.
consisting Of Messrs Clarke, Gere and King
entered into the investigating business. From the
outset the efforts of Mr.. Letchworth and DR.. Hoyt
in concert, and the vast development of wrongs
and dvulgence Of evils soon enlisted the hearty CO.
operation of the gentlemen supervisors who were at
first inclined to make their duties perfunctory, as
Mr.. Gere, one of the committee. announced before
the Board the other day, he had idea that there
existed anything in the insane asylum which would
draw from the supervisors their to surrender
their insane to the custody of the State, but the in
vestigaton had caused change of heart his part
well as on the part Of every humane man in Onon
daga county. And so the county has decided that
the State is better custodian Of it's chronic insane
of prison-like buildings to receive them in
DISCOVERY OF THE "BIAcK HOLE.
The evidence adduced in the course of the inquiry,
which has been given in full in the HERALD. demon
strated far than it was expected it would. II
not alone proven that upon unheralded visit of
committee of the Board of Supervisors five poor naked
morals were found wallowing in their own filth in
as many dark dismal. unven'ilated, unlighted dun
geons but the evidence drawn by the thumbscrews
of expert examination made it apparent that these
human prison pens were in constant for the pun
ishment of unconscious fault well as for the
restraint of violent cases. Deaths had taken
place in these black holes Of horror
but as to the number the officials and the
appointed physician could not agree. That cruelty
was commonly resorted to by the insignificant corps
of incompetents. called by snnerance attendants
was shown by the evidence Of ex-keeper and his
wife, under whom were the same officials as occupy
the places to-day but whose leases of Office at
timely end. provided the mandates of the Board of
Supervisors are obeyed. Other facts equally as mon
strous made apparent before the joint comm it.
tee of investigation closed their account. Even in
the midst OF their deliberations the committee, at
the instance of the members representing the State
Board Of Charities sent preliminary report to the
| Supervisors recommending the immediate i'm
provement Of the Poorhouse and Insane Asy-
| lum buildings, which were ordered made at
once. New heating apparatus has been put in, the
basement dungeons torn down and the room utilized
for sitting room, and the whole institution is
undergoing repair which will make its interior ar
modern civilization The total incompetency and
unftness of the five attendants under whose care
were placed 100 demented beings were apparent.
MIR. LETcHwoRTHs DESCRIPTION
The opinion of the committee regarding the
state of affairs as disclosed by the investiga-
report is on open secret For instance, Mr. Letch-
WORTH in his address at the ceremonies attending the
s recent opening Of the Home for Soldiers
of the Onondaga County Poorhouse. and
Insane Asylum. without mentioning its name; but
surroundings. aud pointed illusions to the previous
vocatons of certain keepers could not be mistaken
He said:-"The class of chronic insane with which
the unfortunate soldier becomes identified are con-
fined in jail like structures often damp and unwhole
some and lily ventilated: their recreation in the
winter limited to the range Of the gloomy halls
and in summer. during the day to pens
in which they are literally herded; some
clothed ctt, an and nnclcaniy; sometimes, blush to
say it. confined in dark dungeons of solid masonry
their only comfort meagre garment and the locse
ho Irs sfcb u1a arta nl a.i
sometimes find them left to the care of the ordi
nary pauper. whose highest estate before falling 10
caring for stable horses" This was no fight of the
imagination. it was simply President Letchworths $
truthful description of the Poorhouse and Insane
Asylum of Onondaga county.
BUILDING DESIRABLE.
The extra session of the Board of supervisors held
to receive the report OF their own committee ap.
pointed to investigate the Asylum wrongs adjourned
yesterday, having taken decisive action in the prem
ises. Mr.. Letchworth and DIR. Hoyt. OF the State
Board of Charities made a special visit to Syracuse
to make verbal report. Their official report is nude
to the Legislature. Dr. Hoyt acting a. spokesman. adj
advantages which the county would derive the benefit
transferring the of its insane to the state at
the Willard Asylum. The buildings now standing at
Onondaga Hill, Dr. Hoyt said. totally unit for
occupancy an insane asylum and. what was more.
he said they wore little susceptible of improve
ment that money spent in anticipation of continu-
ing their asylum would be clear waste.
Their only uso would be amshous6 He
showed that at the lowest possible estimate
$500 for each patient-a building capa.
BILE of holding the county's insane would
involve expenditure of $4,000 This figure
disputed by Mr.. Gere. one of the Supervisors Com
mittec. who said that an insane asylum that would
cost $4,000 would be cheap. DR. Hoyt demonstrated
that the niggardly policy which had characterized
the management OF the Poorhouse and Insane Asylum
in this county, where tho insane classed with
paupers and supported for cighty-hvc cents each -
week. radically wrong, and could no longer be
dured. In this the Supervisors COMMITTEES one and
all acquiesced DIR. Hoyt argued that the rate
charged ut the Willard Asylum. 81 90 per week, is
excessive considerin all the advantages afforded
md none of which are supcrnuous and luxurious
How sorey such institution the willard
Asylum, ut Ovid, had been needed was seen in the
bcttcred condition of the insane sent there. when
the asylum first opened in 1869 there about
1900 chronic insane iii the county asylums. Since
that time there have been admitted 2l76, and there
still remain 1.y0S in the county institutions. There
In the state altogether about 1900 dependent in
sane. DIR. Hoyt was sharply catechizcd by the MEM