Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-18

ING EaiiTOa0 managers were really In earnest.
In this case the bullet is known to have come
from the second third, or fourth house south
OF Grand street, on the east side Of the avenue,
and yet the "force gives the outrage up with
out even superficial examination, or any real
attempt to clear the mystery.
ALLEGED BEAUTIES.
There II an exhibition Of alleged beautiful
young women ct. q Broadway museum this
week, which is Interesting as Psychological
problem, but in that respect only. The problem
is how can young girls persuade themselves that
they are beautiful when they have no personal
attractions whatever. There they are, score
Of them or more, all arrayed in their best gown,
and hopeful of winning the blue ribbon and
carrying off bag of gold dollars went to see
them yesterday. and found great crowd Of
young men pressing against the railing, behind
which the beauties" were seated, some young
bucks among them Of the kid-glove and walk
places OF amusement, staring at the poor
creatures as they would at fancy dogs or prize
cattle The young women (who are without
doubt respectfully sat rocking nervously. or
reading dog,eared paper novels. Being stared
ct. and d. having their merits discussed,
to them and covered them with
confusion. One of the young women has big
arms, a thick waist, and curved nose. She
thinks that her profile is more striking than q
front view she keeps her face in that position.
Another girl, with yellow ringets and yellow
bang, REGIMES in large upholstered chair In
remote corner, depending upon the operation
of the law regarding distance and upon ayoluu-
tuous attitude which she maintains with untir-
ing perseverance. But for all her pains you can
see crows-feet about her eyes, and other signs
of age stealing on. There is also a large-eyed
quadroon, with her hair pasted down on her
q q aim nf
even dark beauty, although like the Others
she imagnes she Is. There are many queer
shows turning up in New York from time to
time, but this is-the queerest of them alias far
asmy observation has gone.
SANE PEOPLE IN INSANE AsYLuMs.
There seems to be general awakening to
the fact that the present laws for the commit
ment Of the insane are defective. Several per-
sons have been discharged from asylums within
the last two weeks by the order of the court
under the writ of the habeas corpus The in
sanity case that has attracted most attention is
that OF Henry Prouse Cooper, the rich 5th-aye.
tailor, who has shop as finely furnished as
drawing ROOM 1t was his desire to spend all
his money in decorating his shops that first
brought his insanity to notice He was COM
mtted to the asylum once, and a jury and
judge are now trying to find out whether he is
sane or not. ' 1~..,& :
What do you think Of jury's ability to
judge whether man is insane or not?" asked
DR.. George M. Beard yesterday.
"a jurys opinion amounts to nothing. Most
insane people now confined In our asylums, if
brought before a jury, would be discharged,
and those whom they would not discharge
would be, as a rule, the most harmless. l can
ind hundred persons who will testify that,
Henry Prouse Cooper is a sane man. You can't
see anything wrong with him if you engage.
with him in casual conversations but If you test
what he saysyou will find him full of decisions"
What do you Say of the other cases that
have been up recently?"
Probably very few of them were sane when
they were Committed, and most of them are
insane now. This Ihay not however be true of
ALL
as It possible for perfectly sane people to be
committed"
eyes. the. way the laws are now but
this isnOt sOIlikely'as the detention Of patients
after they have recovered There is required
for commitment the certifcate of two physicians.
examiners in lunaty, and the signature Of Il
Judge" a., 8 8 - ~ %,
What does the signature of the judge
Absolutely nothing. would agree to make
out certificate ofrinsanity against any one of
the judges Who signs papers of commitment,
get his own signature to 1t, and have him in an
asylum In less than twenty-four hours. The
judge does not usually read the certificate
over"
"Are the examining physicians EXPERTS on
insanity" :, -. - >.
THE majority OF them are not" s sati 10,
"What reform do you propose in the method
Of commitments"
1.-The appointment In each state of an inde-
pendent commission, composed of experts on
insanity, whose duty should be to supervise all
public and private asylums. All certificates of
doubtful cases should be referred to this COM
mission. Patients should at first be consigned
to a provisional ward. where their cases should
be carefully studod and thew shOnld not he ner-
manently committed until the commission gave
its authority. The patient should also be per-
mitted to correspond with the commission and,
his friends. These precautions should be taken,
as many new and subtle phases of insanity have
developed in the last quarter of a century"