Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-01-11

TIC ASYLUM-THE DANvILLE CHAR
TER-sENAToR KEEzLE OF ROCKING
HAM SEATED.
HOW THE WILLIAMSBURG ASYLUM HAS
BEEN CONDUCTED.
Mr.. Porter presented in the House a
memorial of citizens of York and James
City county and the city Of Williamsburg
concerning the management of the Eas-
tern Lunatic Asylum. The petitioners
charge as follows
lst That the officials of the asylum
were guilty of gross partisanship IN in
fuencing and controlling voters and in
furnishing them with tax receipts.
3D. With refusing to purchase provis-
ions and stores offered them at reas0na.
Bile rates by persons, because the persons
Offering them were not Readjusters, and
with subsequently, and sometimes on the
same day, purchasing the same provisions
aud stores at advanced prices, when Of
fered for sale by ReadjuSters.
Sd. With increasing unnecessarily the
number of employees OF the asylum for the
purpose of furnishing paying positions to
the friends of the party to which the said
officials belong.
4th. With using the property and pat
ronage of the asylum for political purpo-
ses
5th. With using the ambulance belong
ing TO the asylum to carry political speak
ers of the Readjuster persuasion about the
county TO enable them to attend political
meetings.
9th. With using the asylum teams and
drivers to convey voters to the polls on
election day.
7th. With the entire medical corps and
superintendent absenting themselves in a
body from the institution to attend pOlit-
ical meetings and leaving the patients and
inmates of the asylum without medical
supervision.
8th. With converting the asylum into a
political machine and by means Of its en-
ployes acting as judges and commission
ers Of elections.
The memorial is numerously signed by
many leading citizens of the counties
above named.
Subsequently the House Committee on
Asylums and Prisons presented the fol-
lowing report, recommending the adoption
of resolution with regard to the Eastern
Lunatic Asylum at Williamsburg:
The Committee on AsYlums and Pris.
ons, to whom was re ferred the memorial
of certain citizens Of James City and
Y ork counties and the city of Williams
burg touching the management of the
Eas tern Lunatic Asylum, have consider
ed the same and respectfully recommend
the adoption of the following resolution
ResolUed, That special committee of
three be appointed by the Speaker to
proceed to the city Of Williamsburg, and
there investigate the charges set forth in
said memorial to the Legislature !; and
also the general character of the admins
tration of affairs in said institution,
and that said committee be empowered
to send for persons and papers. to sit
during the session of the General Assem-
bly,, and to employ competent account
ant.
DIDN'T WANT AN INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Griffin (colored Mahoneite), who
represents York and James City counties,
or rather has seat in the House from
these counties, opposed the adoption of
the report of the committee. He didn't
care to have an investigation, and spoke
long and loud in opposition to the adop-
ton of the report.
Mr.. Ellis (Democrat), in reply, said he
was surprised at the course which the
member from York was pursuing, since
the member from Norfolk (Mr. Banks,
Mahoneite) had said, which was that, This
party was always ready for any investi-
gation.''
A joint resolution to appoint commit
tee to investigate the affairs at the Will
liamsburg Asylum was adopted.
THE DANvILLE CHARTER.
The memorial of the citizens of Danville
presented in the House by Mr.. Keen ask
ing for an amendment of the charter
OF that city, if shaped into bill and pass
ed, will require the Mayor to execute
bond in the sum of 1000 aud justices of
the peace bond in the sum of SIS 900; also
to prevent levying of greater corporation
tax than ST. so on the hundred dollars
worth of personal property; to enable the
Council to subscribe to the stock Of any
incorporated company, provided that
three-fourths Of the legal voters of said
town and majority of the registered
free holders vote for said subscriptions; to
provide that the debt of the corporation
shall not exceed $500, 900.
SCHOOL sUPERINTENDENTs REJECTED.
The Senate rejected the following NOM
nations: e. F. Crock or. Fairfax; a. M.
Pierce. Frederick Sydney buchanan,
Highland; E. B. Je fries, Halifax; D. IL.
Pannill, PittsYlvania,
PENITENTIARY.
On motion of Mr.. Koiner, two resolu-
tions were passed calling upon the Board
of Directors of the Penitentiary aud Mr..
Williams, late Superintendent, for certain
information as to accounts and as to cost
of the new female ward.
SENATOR KEEzLE OF ROCKINGHAM
SEATED.
At l O'Clock Monday the Presiding
officer of the Senate announced that the
hour had arrived for the consideration of
the special order, which was the report of
the committee in the contested election
case of Keezell against Webb.
The question being on agreeing to the
resolutions reported by the committee
LIST. RESOLVED, That J. B. Webb is not
entitled to a seat in this body.
I'd. RESOLVED, That George B. Keezell is
entitled to seat III this body as the SEN
ator duly elected from the Eighteenth dis
trict.
Senators Powell and Grim presented
minority report saying thai the opportu-
nifty has not been afforded them to exam.
Inc the proof in the case, but assuming to
be correct all the facts of the report Of the
majority as ascertained by them from the
evidence Of the contestant, Keezell, the
undersigned are yet Of opinion that fur
Their time, Say ten days, should be extend
cd to conteStee Webb to enable him to