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

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Friday.
Mr.: Opie lDsmecrat) arose and said:
I hold IN my hand, Mr.. Speaker. the re-
port of the Superintendent of the Western
Lunatic Asylum, at Stanton. This re-
port contains an outrageous, malicious
and vindictive charge against my party In
the county of Augusta. The Superinten-
dent OF the asylum, after the poisoning
which occurred there, which is familiar to
every reading man in the State Of Viz.
ginia, employed Pinkerton detective. He
was introduced in the asylum. That man
was allowed to visit the neighboring town.
That man made report, which I say con-
tains upon the face of 1t a felonious and
outrageous charge. say 1t is important
and necessary that the COMMITTEES 1.-THE re-
solution provided for the appointment of
q committee of investigation) should be
appointed to show where the blame lies in
regard to the poisoning. After the inves-
tigation made by the grand jury they
could not find and locate the blame npon
any particular individual.
have now new evidence which in my
opinion will show that the poisoning was
done through negligence and mismanage-
ment, and not malice. I do hope that it
will be the pleasure Of this House to ap-
point the Committee.
Mr.. Opie then lead the statement Of the
detective in the Superintendent report.
which was as follows:
I'm accordance with your request we
selected frst-class detective to make the
investigation, who was furnished with ev-
cry facility by yourself while at the asylum
to get any information that could be CO.
tanned. And the conclusion arrived at.
from the reports of the detective and per-
sonal interviews, is that the poisoning re-
suited from no carelessness or lack of pre-
caution on the part of the Faculty, but
WAS evidently the work Of design, and has
been perpetrated by parties outside OF the
institution, whom it is unnecessary, and
would also beinjudicious, to name at this
time"
contend that that is compromising a
felony. and the party should know that
those who can locate the poisoning are &C.
eessory after the fact, and are as criminal
az the man or individual who committed
it.
Mr.. Pollard (Democrat) said: 1 shall
vote, but not for the purpose of vindicat-
ing anybody. I shall vote to ascertain
whether there has been any mismanage-
ment at the asylum. Ii there has been let
US know it, that we may legislate on the
subject. 1t is a question Of public interest
that demands that we shall look into it.
Mr.. Banks (Mahoneite) said: Our party
courts a full and free Investigation In re-
gard to this matter.
The resolution was agreed to.
In the Senate this joint resolution pro-
viding for the appointment of joint
committee to make thorough examina-
tion of the management and conduct of
the present officers Of the Western Luna
tie Asylum, was agreed to. Subsequently
the vote was reconsidered and Mr.. Loven-
stein moved to amend the resolution by
increasing the number of Sc majors from
two to three, which was agreed to.
BILL TO APPOINT NEW OFFICERS AT
THE LUNATIC AsYLUMs.
Mr.. Evans, of Richmond. offered i'll
in the House to amend section 4. chapter
SO, Code of 1878. as amended by an act en-
titled ian act to amend and re-enact sec :.
lions 8 and of chapter 81 of Code of 1873
regulating lunatic asylums and the care
Of insane persons and their estates, and to
add additional sections thereto approved
February Is, 1922" and to amend and
re-enact the 59sh and Goth sections of the
aforesaid act approved February Is,
1897 touching the lunatlc asylums of the
State.
The object of the bill is to appoint new
Boards of Directors and officers In the
several lunstic asylums In the State.
The bill was referred to the Committee
On Asylcms and Prisons.
COUNTRY JURORS IN HARVEST TIMES.
Mr.. Koiner's bill to exempt from jury.
service farmers actually engaged in saying
their crops came up in the Senate.
Mr.. Meredith opposed the bill, saying
that 1t would lead to great obstruction of
justice in the courts, and would deterio-
rate the character of juries.
Mr.. Koiner said that men were exempt
ed from jury-service because they belonged
to military companies and paraded the
streets for the delight OF the boys. This
matter be regarded as of the highest i'm.
portance. The courts could not be much
delayed, and If they were little delayed,
1t would be to further 8 greater interest
The bill was further debated. and at
some length, by Mr.. Edmunds in its favor;
by Messrs. Meredith, Glasgow, and HUI
bard In opposition to 1t.
Mr.. Berry spoke in favor of the bill !;
presenting the arguments in it's favor with
the wonderful clearness and force that is
his characteristic. Come to think of It, he
was surprised that such law had not
been passed years ago. He expressed the
opinion that there never would be any
difficulty in getting jury. There are
plenty OF honest men in every community
who are not farmers; there are plenty Of
farmers who would be in condition tt
serve at any time. Replying to a remark
from one on the other side, Mr.. Berr!
said his experience as a lawyer led him tt
declare that he had as leave have "a pro
fesslonal jury" IS any other.
Mr.. HUBBARD contended that this Law
would THROW the trial Of important cases
into the hands of men who hang about
conrtrhouses waiting for such jobs.
MIR. Wickham said the bill ought to
pass that if be we're counsel for mar
On murder-trial be would rot like to have
on the jury man who had been TORI
away from the harvest-feld- would no,
be ant to find the juryman in an amiable
mood. Mr.. Wickham said that there wat