The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-24
TOWN HALL NOTES.

THE CASE OF LADY WHO WAS SAID
TO BE INSANE.
The sanitarians Pay Visit to the Adj
minlstrators.
On Tuesday the Evening Ners published an
account of the incarceration OF lady in the
City Insane Asylum under suspicious circum-
stances. Whilst there Is, apparently. great
deal OF truth In the report. the involving OF Ad-
ministrator Chevalley, by inference. Is without
foundation, as might have been ascertained by
investigating the affair little further-as far
at least as the Department of Waterworks and
Public Buildings. The facts OF the case. as ex-
planned by the Administrator, which are sup
ported by authentic documents. are as follows:
About the beginning Of the present month a
gentleman. who introduced himself as DR.. J. T.
Chambers. applied to Administrator Chevalley
for permit to visit the City Insane Asylum.
His wife. he said. was demented. and he had
visited the State Asylum at Jackson and the
Louisiana Retreat OF this city to ascertain
whether these institutions were conducted to
his satisfaction. He had heard from many
people that the City Asylum was admirably con-
Quoted and II he found It go he might like to
make arrangements to put his wife In 1t.
The gentleman, after further consideration
obtained the permit asked for. and took his de-
parture. few days later. the Administrator
having occasion to visit the asylum. discovered
that Mre. Chambers was an inmate of the insti-
tuition. Upon inquiry he found that this lady
had been duly admitted on q commitment
issued on the first of April by Recorder Milton
80 n.. III,
self, and an accompanying certificate OF In
sanity signed by DR.. Jas. F. Finney, city physi
clan, everything therefore being In due form.
But as it was apparent that DR.. Chambers.
when he applied for the permit to visit the
asylum, had already obtained the commitment
referred to, Administrator Chevalley caused the
following letter to be written to Dr. Chambers:
NEW ORLEANS. April II, 1879.
DR.. J. +. Chambers. Cov1ngton. La:
Sri ar directed by the honorable Admins
trator q and pube to
the inmates Of the Insane Asylum Mrs. Cham
bers,, your wife. When you called at the office
2, tbs st smey
pist the asylum In order to satisfy, yourself re-
ga, ding It's merits Ia contradistinetio with
we're informed that the asylum was strictly an
establishment to provide for the INDECENT insane
of the city Of New Orleans. and not refuge for
that arrangements might be made with this de-
partment. after proper proceeding In law. viz:
an Introduction Of the insane person by one
Of the District Courts or Recorders Courts OF
this parish for admission into the Asylum on
such terms as might be aged upon between
the friends and representatives OF said insane
person and this department. and you could not
have possibly understood that you could bring
subject from the parish OF vt. Tammany. to
9 e e sna Of
days from this date, IN less Mrs. Chambers Ia
removed from the city Insane Asylum, the Ad
ministi ator will have her placed upon a Cow
ington conveyance and sent back to her proper
Ao"'' ''0'0Ol0 B. M. TURNBULL.
Chief Clerk.
On the twenty second instant. and with the
written permission OF DR.. Chastant. the asylum
physician. Mrs. Chambers was liberated and
taken home by her husband. who had come to
the city for that purpose.
In the entire matter the Administrator claims
to have acted promptly and In strict obedience
to the law, and supports his assertion by pro-
ducing the commitment of Recorder Miten-
berger without which his subordinates at the
as YUM would never have admitted the patient.
The certificate Of the city physician alone would
have been insufficient 10 authorize bier incarce-
ration but the commitment Of the Recorder In
such cases Is imperative, unless some other
process of law intervenes to destroy Its effect.
INFRINGEMENT.
In order to reduce expenses and bring them
within the figures of his budget. Administrator
at the end Oh this month, to discharge about
half dozen employees Of his department.
..- THE sANITARIANs.
Messrs. Horter and Pandely, OF the executive
committee Of the Sanitary Auxiliary Associa-
ton. accompanied by Mr.. Henderson, their
secretary. paid visit yesterday to Mayor Pat
ton and held conference with him and several
of the administrators concerning the flushing
OF the cutters Of the CITY, which the association
proposed to begin Immediately. Without
coming to any positive conclusion. for there
are many things to be looked Into before doing
would devise means to reimburse the draining
machine contractors whatever extra expense
they might incur In draining the sewers and
draining ,s canals OF the excess Of water that
other hand the Sanitary Committee will take
into their hands the flushing of the cutters on
the north side OF Claiborne street by means OF
steam fire engines. The tug boats and other
punt ping appara tus along the river front will
be supp led by the Sanitary Association.
Administrator Chevalley was entrusted with
the duty of comforting with President Toby
g ,ncerning the assistance OF the Waterworks
and Fourth Districts, through the water plugs
which, owing to the irregularity OF the streets
In the vicinity Of the river. cannot be well
flushed directly from the river. In the Second
the river front with valves at the intersection Of
each street to distribute the water pumped from
the river to the best advantage.
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL COUNCIL.
Eighth Annual Council at Trinity
Church.
The thirty-eighth annual Council of the Pro-
testant Church Of the Diocese OF Louisiana was