Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-04-26

n NeFOltlnK tTime -htphDilCaH miH'"e
The American sentry.
That almshou3cs, insane asylum
and prisons, especially state prisons
are very commonly managed in gros
violation of every principle of justice
and humanity has been toe often proyeI
70 admit of doubt US to the wrongs
and too frequently vile brutality, o
which inmates are tho hclpless victims
whose woes are seldom made Enowl
beyond the cold, fair-loohing walls tina
the outside world sees and passes by
with scarcely a realizing or s. mpntheti'
thought of the wrCtchcdness of tiiO''
shut IN from the worlds surging If,
and activity.
If Governor Butler, With his original
cauStic methods, brings to tho hnnwl
edge and appreciation of Massachusetts
people the tnormities that have beer
habitually practised within her whitcC
sepulchres known as ainShousts, aSy
lums and prisons, he will have carneC
the gratitude not alone of the Old Bay
state, but also of every humane citizcr
of the country.
In the evidence which he last week
placed before the charitable institutions
committee of the Massachusetts lcgis
lature relative TO the management o.
the state almshouSe at TcwkSbury, il
the testimony Of c. II. Dudley, former
~ night watchman there, which de-
mands thorough consideration and
sitting.
Referring to the treatment of infants
Mr.. Dudley said:
"At night they were in charge Of an
inmate. One night | said to her that
she didn't seem TO have 50 much
trouble with her babies. as they seemed
to be quiet all night. She said she had
found out way 10 keep them quiet.
She took down bottle and said that
when they got troublesome she gave
them three or four drops out Of that,
and they were quiet all the rest OF the
night. | asked her what it was, and
she said she didn't know; it was some.
thing the day nurse used. ! smcllcd
Of it and found it was Il mixture OF
morphine. She said she was put there
for punishment, and was determined
TO make her work rs easy as she could.
| asked her il she knew the power Of
the stuff she was giving them. She
said she didn't know and didn't care.
| told her it was liable TO kill some OF
them, and she said she didn't care
how many of them died, it was none of
her business Out of the scvcnty-three
babies that were born there, and that
were brought in during the first year
we were there, only one was alive at
the end of the year.
after they died used to see 4 man,
Tim, with a small box under his arm
going from the house TO the dead
house think that was what they
carried the dead babies in. They never
had any service over the dead during
my term there. \ man whose expenses
were aid by u benevolent lady OF
Boston, and who came there as sort
Of missionary, said to me one day;
This is very healthy place. | have
been here about three weeks and You
haven't had any deaths here said,
Yes, we have. for had known OF
more than Il dozen. He SAID, That is
strange. am an official to take charge
Of the funeral services. said, You
don't seem to be in the right places, If
You are really in earnest and wish 10
oiliciate ut a funeral, place yourself
between the house and the gate almost
any night, and you will have IN oppor-
tunity that Is, provided they will wait
for YOU
Ii this testimony is fully sustained,
General Butler will have inflicted Il
blow upon the leaders of the party that
has So long controlled the state, from
which they can only hope for very
slow recovery, if at all.
A more inhuman crime than that
which appears to have been systematic
ally practced upon helpless babes in
that institution can hardly be conceived
of, and its recital should send Il thrill
of horror through the soul of every
man and woman in on" land, and bring
down upon the heads of the criminals
In tho case such n storm IF aversion
and cxecration rs to make them wish
for the rocks to cover and shield them
from the righteous wrath of outraged