The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1886-04-14
MADMEN IN CHAINS.
Terrible Cruelties Practiced on the
Helpless Insane.
A Remarkable Collection OF Chains,
shackles and Curious Implements of
Torture-A Woman Confined in'One
Room for Over Ten Years.
Philadelphia News.

| Inc easb wall OF the room occupied by
the committee on lunacy of the Pennsyl-
vania Board of Charities is covered from
ceiling to floor and from end to end with a
curious collection of barbarous imple-
mentS taken by the committee from the
different county insane hospitals of the
State and from private houses from which
insane people have been removed.
The collection is composed largely Of
chains and shackles in use at different
periods in county asylums, and balls and
chains form no small part of the exhibit.
From the size and strength of the man
acles it is evident that people have an ex-
aggerated idea of the physical strength of
the insane. There are three chains in the
collection taken from private cases dur
ing 1882, when an investigation was made
of the number of insane persons con-
cealed and confined by their friends. As
1t was optional with the people in charge
of those patients to give or retain the in
struments of torture and implements
used for the purpose Of restraint the col
lection from that source is not large.
| One Of these was heavy iron chain,
with links more than an inch long. 1t was
taken from an old man, who was confined
in hut on his nephew's farm in an in
| terror county. The chain was locked
around the maniac's ankle and fastened to
the floor by stout iron staple. He had
been thus confined for thirty years, and
when found was rs naked as the day he
J was born. There was no band or shacklo
on the chain for his ankle, the chain being
simply placed around without any protec-
| tion to the flesh underneath. The man was
taken from the care of his family and
placed in the Warren County Hospital,
where he has since improved very much
in his mental condition.
A five-foot chain Of lighter links ending
In band-shackle is the one which was
used in the case Of Mary Stover, of Lans-
dale, Pa, who was confined in n small
room for ten years. During all that time
she was secured by a chain to the bed
post, with the shnckle around her leg. 1t
was called "fre danger" chain, because
It was used TO keep her away from stove
which was kept in her room. The chain is
covered half It's length with leather, 70
prevent the bed on which the woman slept
from becoming scratched by the links.
Nearly two feet of a chain, with ve<y
large links, ending in thick staple, was
taken from the leg Of man in Dauphin
County. lie was stark mad, violent and
afflicted with homicidal mania, and his
friends had fastened him TO the floor with
this barbnrous implement, leaving but
twenty inches space In which to move.
The links were so tightly fastened around
his ankle tina. an ulcer formed, and still
his people left the chain on his leg, re-
gardless Of the terrible torture It inflicted.
One of the most interesting exhibits in
the collection is the chain, with
cuffs attached, with which the hands Of
old James Burke, patient in Blockley
Asylum, were secured. Burke was one of
the most violent cases in the institution, Of
decided homicidal tendencies and wonder
full cunning. During the time Of HIS con-
finement in III. Insane DSPurtHrent ne
kihfeu two keepers. For nearly twenty
years his hands were hoppled to prevent
him from doing mischief The chain was
about two feet long, with steel cuffs at
either end. In these his wrists were
locked. Burke perished in the great aims
house fire a little over q year ago. Al
the time of his death he was not wear
| ing his chain and cuffs, they having
been removed about year and hall
before.
Among the many curious appliances for
securing insane people and rendering
them unable to inflict injury either upon
themselves or their attendants there are
a number OF ingenious contrivances fol
securing the hands of the patients; such
as leather mitts, belts with wrist sockets
muffs, camisoles, a jacket with closed
sleeves and a "bed saddle" This last Il
for securing crazy people in bed to prevent
them from injuring themselves or thos'
who may come in their way.
The SADDLE" is made Of leather, and 4
Just large enough TO cover the back Of Al
ordinary sized man. Two straps at tn
neck and n waist-belt secured IL 10 tn
body. Two long straps fastened at tn
bottom OF the "saddle" pass up 10 tn
patients wrists, around which paddle,
leather cuffs are fastened. There Is an
other strap on each of these cuffs, whic
may be secured under the be-
or TO any object In tn
room, holding the person fns
on the bed and at the same time prevent
ing any use of the arms. The leather muff
ar camisoles were used for securing th
hands together In front Of the body. Their
are half dozen heavy balls and chain
which county patients left to the tende
mercies of pauper attendants were com
PEELED TO carry about with them. The com
mittee on lunacy OF the State board G
charities has secured the abolition Of a
of these cruel appliances used for restrain
and nothing is used at the present tim
except an inAexible fingerless mitt, whic
Is placed on the hands Of patients given
the habit Of tearing their clothing of an
injuring themselves.