The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-04-10
r,,n rN.aNE ASYLUM.


A Dead Man's Pace Eaten ny Ra,B-Gsn.
d ernl fncOmpeteneyo i ths management.
To The Editor Gf he inlaiqeaeer.
sIR:-I have seen in your paper many
charges against Tho present m!amanage.
ment OF the various State institutions, and
believing that you are ever ready and will
ling 10 expose and correct public evils,
feel insured that the complaint l have
10 make asuina. the maladluipietra.
ton Of the West Virginia Insane Hospital
will receive attention and find space in
your columns. Permit me In the first
place TO state that am not in the leas.
sore.hcaded or disappointed, having never
sought u place IN that institution and not
now deslring ono. :.
propose to narrate absolute aud indis.
pu,ablo lacts and defy contradiction. In
tue first place | makst 10 ois.repta:ed charge
that II Is not q curative institution anu
that It never can be under the superin'
tendency OF DR.. W. ]. Band. He il not
qualified 10 manage and control au insti'
tuition Of that kind. uis time Ia chiefly
devoted to scheming and dovising plans 10
retain his position and Is not In tho least
concerned about the welfare Of these TN
der his charge. he Ia now makinga great
external show OF improvement on the
grounds In the way Of clearing and pre-
pairing for tho large crop. All Of this would
be well enough II II wore not Tor the iact
that hn eacrillces tho welfare and comfort
OF the pa,ients to do 30. He compels
many patients TO work eight hours day,
4 ID also takes one attendant from each
.ard or hall and requires them to work
the same length OF time, except the at.
tendants In tt o arge balls Of the wing. 1t
does no. occur 10 me thatit ever WIS the
object OF that institution to lesaen the
number Of employees aud depriys the in
mates oil NECESSARY attention, simply for
the purpose Of cultivatipg large crops.
After these attendants work eight hours
they are put on duty until 10 p. II, AID are
frequently called up during the night. 1t
is reasonable to suppose that they are not
III very good condition to givo any aid to
the patients, as they are only permitted TO
sleep until half past four in the morning.
10 show the neglect and carelessness OF
the officers Of the Ingare Hospital / will
give III irstancu that was - horrifying that
i, will hardly be credited. About the 2Oth
OF February, 1854, a patient whose name
waB McGame, II mistake not, died, and
hin ramaina were left to tho mercy Of rats,
and during the night they ate ca bis nose
and 80 Figured his lace that BIO could
not have been rccognjz. ID. His friends.
when understand reside in Parkels0urg,
ordered his remains 10 be sent home, and,
from some unknown cause, it was not
done, but they came hero and he Was in.
tered in the Insane Cemetery without
having been seen by them. Consequently
they were entirely ignorant OF what had
occurred.
LII. Clifton, one Of the directors OF that
institution, spends nearly ell his time there,
aud | am credtably informed, lately ap.
propTated considerable amount OF paint
belonging 10 the State, for the purpose Of
using it on his own premises. Mr.. clifton
ID known to b. Il perfect tool for DR.. Bland,
ard is at all times willing to pander to his
wilkins; and 1t may be that lis services arc
paid for in that way. His factory hands
work In the woolen mills during the sum
mer months and are transferred to the asy-
lum during the winter.
Judging from the facts heretofore pub.
lished in your paper in regard to the mis-
management OF the Insane Hospital and
the positive denials Of the Democratic
press, | am led to believe that there is
much truth in the charges you have made
against the management OF the other
Static Institutions, and l feel that many
houest meaning citizers throughout the
State should and will exercise their inlu.
eHco in aiding TO overthrow the most cor.
rupt standardization that West Virginia has
ever known. 1t is hard iyr a man OF Stu.
biilty 10 abaudon political opin.
ions thut he has entertained from in.
fancy, and i. was only after thorough III.
vestigation that was in honesty compelled
to do so. l have become thoroughly con.
WINGED that Democracy is opposed to the
interest and welfare OF the massea, and
Am determined 10 exert wha. little talent
poasess to correct tho evils that have been
wrought in its name.
We will try to keep you posted on affairs
connected with the Insane hospital, &c.
TELEPHONE.
Weston, ". Va, april Z, 1854.