Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-08-08
AN OUTRAGE.
STRANGE Conduct of the Officers OF the
Asylum at Madison.

AS will be remembered by many
people of this city, Mrs. Johanna
Goldsworthy, relict of the late Colin
Goldsworty, sometime during the
year 1882, was adjudged insane and
placed in the asylum at Madison.
After she had been there a short
time, and her condition appearing to
improve, her son VIM. Goldsworthy,
of Moline, ILL.,, asked permission to
take her to his home where he
could properly provide for her
wants. Permission to do SO was
granted, and she was sent from the
hospital upon a certificate of dis
charged cured" Goldsworshy took
his mother home with him, and she
remained with him some time with
out giving any decided evidence of a
change in the condition of her mind.
But it was not very long before Mr..
G.. realized the mistake he had
made in having been too sanguine
of her recovery 1t at length be-
came impossi' for him to keep
her any longer. At times she would
be entirely deprived of her reason.
And early last week he wrote to
John T. Jones, county judge, IN
forming him of the circumstances
and asking to have his mother sent
back to the Asylum, at Madison
Judge Jones at once telegraphed
him to have two regular physicians
examine her, and if pronounced in
sane obtain their certificate to that
effect; and to at once start with his
mother for Madison, and he Judge
Jones) would send on to the super
intendent of the Asylum the neces-
sary papers to secure her admission
there. Judge Jones made out the
necessary papers and mailed them
to DR.. Buckmaster, superintendent
of the Asylum, and to make doubly
sure that word would reach him in
time Mr.. Jones telegraphed him to
admit the woman as the required
papers had been mailed to him.
Mr.. G. complied with the instruc-
tons of Judge Jones and reached
the Asylum at Madison, with his
mother, at about 2 o'clock on Thurs
day morning, almost worn out with
the hardships he had endured. The
authorities, however, refused Mrs.
G. admission, stating in substance
that she was not a resident of this
state, and that they would not adj
NIT person upon the certificate of
physicians not residents of Wiscon-
sin, no matter whether it was so
ordered by Judge Jones or not. MIR.
G. and his mother were thereupon
compelled to walk back to the rail-
way station, q distance of nearly
three-quarters of mile, to await
the train that would take them to
Dodgeville. This was about 2 O'Clock
in the night. The woman is over
sixty-six years of age and quite
feeble, and was almost worn out by
her long journey on the cars, and
the son was fatigued in mind and
body by many nights of watching.
They reached Dodgeville on Fridays
train, fatigued almost beyond endu-
rance. Judge Jones had two Dodge
vile physicians pass an examination
upon the woman, and obtained
a certificate of her insanity from
them. Meanwhile he telegraphed
to Superintendent Buckmaster, and
received an answer that the papers
sent him had been received and that
he would admit the woman upon
them. When Gcldsworthy and his
mother got on the cars to 60 back to
Madison, he met two members Of the
State Beard of Charities, Mr.. Giles
and DIR. Vivian, and at the request of
the Doctor, Mr.. Giles promised to
give the matter attention and make
the proper representations to the
controlling board.
There seems to have been no ex-
cuse whatever for subjecting Mr..
Goldsworthy and his mother to adj
ditional hardships by refusing the
woman admission to the Asylum.
1t was not new case, as she had
been at the hospital before; and the
of her discharge were
known to the officers there. She
had never taken up residence out
side of Wisconsin, but still owns
property here, where she lived for
nearly forty years. 1t was the man
ifest duty of the officers to have at
least admitted her until the question
of her right there should be deter
The treatment which she |
and her son received at the hands of
the officers of the asylum was
simply inhuman, and the whole
matter should receive a full investi-
cation.
Toooh Gnhpaharoar 10 closing ont |