The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-01
AsYLUMs AND PRISONS.


to the tender mercies of party bummers, our
people will be more keenly alive than ever
to the possibilities of cruelty and inhumani-
ty to the poor people who are unfortunate
enough to be confined within them. From
what has been made public lately there can
be no doubt that the grossest abuses exist in
widespread degree in very many public in
situations, most generally the insane asy-
possible to entirely do away with neglect
and actual wrong in the very best managed
institutions of this nature, and it
must therefore be left to the i'm
agination what is possible, if not
probable, when these sacred trusts are
abandoned to the fell spirit of party, as they
have been in this State. Not long SINCE in
deed it was only when the present manage
ment first assumed charge of our asylums
stories OF inhumanity and wrong were rife,
and they were partly substantiated by rea-
sonable proof. 1t was notorious that attend
ants were made from the hangers-on of
saloons and ward politicians were put into
places of more or less responsibility There
has been an evolution from this chaotic con-
dition incident to the early days of the sud
den and arbitrary change made by the Demo
cratic Legislature of 1879 yet even at the
best, and only lately, there have been givings
out of cruel treatment of patients at the In
sane Asylum, while it has been shown
publicly and VIGOROUSLY that commitments
to that institution were managed with the
grossest carelessness and open to the largest
abuse. Yesterday the Journal received a
letter from an ex-attendant of the asylum
making general statements~of the character
of the treatment accorded to some of the in
mates, which we hesitate to entertain; yet the
investigations into the Dixmont Asylum at
Pittsburg, and elsewhere, show that great
cruelties are practiced in these institutions
and that in the worst form the horrid scenes
pictured in Hard Cash. are daily enacted be-
hind walls which give forth to the public no
intimation of what goes on within their in
closure. New York Massachusetts, and now
Pennsylvania, have each in turn made in
quiry into the conduct of their insane asy
lums and, without exception, Investigations
which were made to investigate have reveal
ed the most appalling and discouraging con-
dition of things We are making no charges
against the present management OF the
Insane Asylum in this State; but we do
say that the past of the institution, i'm
mediately after radical change, has not
been bameess and that at the end of four
years there are yet rumors affecting it. And
if this be true, with the almost inevitable
tendency to heartless treatment, as shown
by the examination of similar institutions
elsewhere, what may not be feared when, as
soon to be inaugurated, there shall be change
in the management more or less sweeping
VIGOROUSLY based upon purely partisan
grounds, defended upon no other considera-
ton, and having no other even assumed
motive than to furnish a few places at the
States expense to party wreworkers and
campaign bummers. People who have
friends and relatives in these State institu-
tions may only take courage that an outraged
people will speedily reverse the action of the
infamous Democratic Legislature, and that a
public sentiment will be created compelling
the Inauguration and maintenance of such
rules and regulations as will reduce the pos
sibilties of improper treatment and mis-
management to the lowest minimum.
The Journal has already adverted to the
fast-thickening suspicious and the increasing
volume of stories involving the management
of the State prisons, and particularly that of
the Southern prison. No reasonable man
can doubt that there IS some truth in these
reports, as no honest man can doubt that the
'cursory view" of the legislative prison COM
mittee, which discovered nothing wrong and
had nothing to recommend, was not intended
to see anything to the detriment
of warden who dined and
wined the committee, rode them over the
amusements in Louisville, and generally and
specifically arranged picnic for them at
public expense. Some of the members of the.
committee did not accept the warden's
inequalities but the majority did, and their
report is the natural and expected result
Louis Linn, pardoned convict from the
Southern prison, man well known in In
dianapols, gives specific instances OF the
greatest cruelty and neutrality-suspicious.
city resulting i'll death and mismangement
resulting in loss to the State. 1t is not neces-
sary to believe all he says or half he says,
it is not necessary to accept the whole of the
stories coming from the inside of insane asy-