The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-13
THE INSANE ASYLUM SCANDAL.


been able to find something to put into their
report, bat he found there was nothing in it.
The abstract of the report published in the
Sentinel is headed ga Batch Of Old Cam
paign Charges Revived" At first it was
thought possible to ignore it with the general
declara ton that it was tissue of falsehoods
prepared for campaign purposes and that no
further notice need be taken of it. But from
every quarter of the State came anxious in
quiries and indignant remonstrances, and Dr.
Harrison and the Sentinel found that some
thing more had to be done. They tried to talk
of it as a report founded upon idle gossip and
based upon libel and perjury, but these libels
and perjuries were contained in the records
of their own board and in the reports of their
own superintendent. So it was found that
that would not work. Then DIR. Harrison.
under the pressure of public opinion, which
even his thick hide could not withstand, was
driven to prepare an answer. This consisted
mostly of abuse of the committee and sta
tistical statement of the expenses per capita.
in taking care of the patients. Every specific
allegation in the report is evaded. The com
mittee replied to DIR. Harrison Immediately,
and called his attention seriatirn to each of
their original charges which he had failed to
deny. The Sentinel would not publish this
reply, and in an editorial entitled ''The Senti-
mel Refuses to Print It, said the only thing to
be gained by preferring charges nowis to make
voters for the Republican party. Maddened
at their inability to escape from accusations
which they were wholly unable to deny, they
commenced to heap abuse and vilifcation
without stint upon the committee and the
Journal, upon the principle of the distin-
guished advocate who Endorsed upon his brief
the private memorandum: "No case; abuse
opposite counsel"
But not single member of the committee
was to be diverted by such epithets as "slimy
Republican reptile" "hungry hawks, "politi-
cal Pharisees,' "trinity of counterfeiters,"
double faced hypocrites" and other endear-
ing names applied to them by that dispassion-
ate newspaper. The facts appearing upon the
records Of the asylum were not to be whistled
away by epithets, and something more had to
be done. So DIR. Harrison at last makes a
statement denying that diseased meat was
used for the tables. Here at last comes one
denial of all the charges made. But the COM
mittee answered, and disclosed the unmstaka
BILE authority for their information that the
dying of cholera Then the Sentinel be-
comes comparatively silent. The abuse which
so picturesquely adorned it's editorial columns
assumed sickly hue. But something heroic
must be done. So a ''non- partisan" Board Of
Health swoops down upon the asylum, re-
mains for few hours, and comes back with
report that the happiness of paradise is
dimmed beside that which prevails in the In
diana Hospital for the Insane. Let us ex-
anime for moment the logical character of
this answer to the charges of the committee
For example:
Charge: Merithew, Thayer, Mrs. Angle
meyer, and others, saw patients beaten, leased
and inhumanly used Answer: On October
6, 1886, when the Board Of Health visited
the asylum for few hours, not single act of
cruelty was committed
Charge: In December 1884, and July
1885, hogs purchased of prominent Democratic
politicians died of cholera. Of over 600 hogs
purchased, more than one-half died. and
slaughtering for the table went right on out of
the dying drove. Answer: On October g. 1885,
when the State Board went to the asylum, no
diseased meat was observed by them.
Charge: The reports of the officers of the
day in June last show that meat was tainted
coffee not good, butter not fit to use, etc.
Answer: On October 6. 1886, the asylum au-
thorities were prepared for the visit of the
State Board of Health, and the subsistence
was all that could be desired
Charge: Maggoty butter was concealed in
the sewer to prevent its inspection by the
committee. John E. Sullivan was found by
the records Of the board to have supplied the
asylum with the oleomargarine. Answer
On October 6, 1886, the asylum authorities
saw the necessity for doing better, and pro-
vided supply Of good butter.
Charge: Gapeu, one of the trustees, has
drawn his salary for the last year, and was
present at only one of the meetings of the
board. He is running saw-mill in Arkan-
sas. Answer; The rooms Of the asylum are
clean.
Charge; Favoritism and corruption prevail
in the letting of contracts. Political fayorites