Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-27
EASTERN LUNATIC ASYLUM.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.

he special Joint committee OF tue
two houses Of the General Assembly
appointed to make certain inquiries with
reference to the Eastern Lunatic Asy-
lum yesterday made their report, as
follows:
To me pre,icIcm nj ne senate and Spcdker
~ ne HoVSc oI Dcle0dt,s Cf Virginia
The undersigned Joint committee. ap'
pointed in pursuance OF JOINT resolution
OF tho General Assembly OF Vlrgl mia auopt-
ed January 6, 1885. and charged with toe
duty " TO inquire and report upon the EAST
eTn LuDatic Asylum under the present au-
nintiTatlon, inquiring into the cause oi
the recent fire. the conduct OF the onhclals
aud such other matters as the committee
may deem OF sufficient importance TO de
msDd investigation. and report WIN
power ran ted to the committee to send for
persons and papers and To employ stenO
gapher, beg leave 70 report az loiiows:
nent a majority of yoor committee, on the
2Sth day of January, 1856, and again on tue
2d day OF February, 1855 visited the
Asylum. made a thorough aud careful
examination OF the same as 10 the
care and comfort Of the inmates,
aud on these two occasions at the
institution aforesaid, after due notice toai
persons known TO be interested IN the IN
vestigation. proceeded to take the testimony
Of certain witnesses b.lieved to he impor-
iant' Not being able TO complete the testi
lnoIss on these occasions. the furfher TAX
Ing thereof Was adjourned 10 the city or
y VIc' plOn d, and n II Witnesses thought 10 De
iInpaffant were summoned ana their testi.
uG1y taken. the whole Of which. as writ
Ten ont by the stenngrapher, Is nled with
and made a part OF this report.
A. 10 the cause of the recent fire your
con mittee is OF the opinion that II was
caused by the electric wires. but in the alb
sen2e OF any direct testimony or the testi
mOny Of an expert who had examined the
wiirs placed In the building. II Is impossible
tOsay whether the fire did or did not result
from the improper or imperfect arrange
meut Of the wires. No sufficient evidence
was adduced TO satisfy your COM
miuee that the fire was caused
by any negligence upon rhe part or
the officials In charge OF the electric appa
Iatts on the occasion Of said fire. The ties.
tnnony satisfies your committee that all
possible effort was promptly made 10y the
of ials and employees oi the ANy lun TO
rescue the inmates aud arrest the progress
of tne fire, but the means at hand available
for hat purpose were so inadequate that II
wat Impossible for them TO succ"ed In eN-
diminishing the fire until much OF the prQN
Gerry had been destroyed.
Asto the conduct Of The officials: The pro
prifty OF the conduct OF only four OF the
directors was called In question. Your COM
miCee is OF the opinion that the testimony
shows hat two Df this mum ber-to-Wit.T 4. J.
Chhsuan ami Robert McCandlisn were so
mu.h intoxicated whilst In attendance on
some OF the meetings OF the Board as To
renler them incompetent To transact pro-
uery the business Of the Board the former
hy Ms conduct actually broke up a meeting
OF tae Board I'm April, 1854.
Astothe other two members OF the Board
whose conduct was called in question-to
wit John X. Thurman and Henry y. Akin
son Jr-the testimony. in the judgment Of
your committee, IL so conflicting aS 10 rem
derit impossible for your committee 10 de.
icrmine with certainty whether the SAID
Thurman and Atkinson were or were not so
far under the influence OF intoxicating
lig uols as 10 disqualiiN them for The trans
act on Of the business OF the liOard, som"
witnesses testlfying that they were, Others
eqtsllly credltable testifting that although
they had taken some stinnuants they were
not thereby lBcapactated rom business.
IN his connection II is proper for your COM
mittec To state that the records Oi the Board
of directors show ihai the Official acts OF
laid Board Were transacted In proper man.
utr and Indicated no lack Of Interest In the
welfare of the Asylum.
lpurcOmmittee Is also OF the opinion that
the testimony shows that certain oi1clais
connected with the Asylum-iO wit. Met 'aW.
clefk: Barlow, supcrN SOr: and MOntei-
10. second assistant physician; and others
ol ne employees OF the have
been Sern at the Asylum and on The streets
OF Williamsburg IN a state OF intOXication-
snd this fact was 50 notorious that u must
have been known 10 the superintendent;
indeed 10 seems that McCaW had on one oc-
cssion been suspended for drunkenness ami
others OF the employ ees discharged for the
same cause. Your committee mere state
that IN their judgment the employment OF
men about the Asylum with trusts - M
pOrtAut committed To their bands who are
addicted 10 the habit OF blinking 10 excess
is rot only repreheusiDle in the extreme.
bus dangerous 10 the welfare Of the lnstitu-
ticn and hazardous To the comfort and
r.atf - Of the unt1rtunnfe 1mates.
Your committee deem II proper 10 note
that during this administration that un-
fortunate occurrence took place by which
female patient was debauched and
which has RlreadS excited 50 much uotOrie-
" gud comment In the stale Your com .
nil tee axe the liberty Ia recommend that
The most rigid penal laws he enacted IL
punish crimes OF this nature. and that all
administrations OF lunRtic asylums I'm the
state be held TO the stTictest accountability; ;
that the access OF male employees or at
iehdanls 10 female wards be rigidly guard
ed and that such rules and regulations upon
This subject be adopted as 10 prevent the
recurrence ofsimilar offences.
Many things have been done and changes
made during the present administration
which commend the management to favor
able consideration. and which have Injured
To the be nefit and comfort OF the inmates.
Your committee, in view Ot all the facts
bereinheforc recited, recommend reor.
ganilatiOn OF the Board OF Directors Of the
as the appointing power may deem best
apd HAT the said Board as recognized be
charged with the duty OF calling a special
meeting Of the Board at as early day a
practica BILE and To take into consideration
ihe matters presented by this investigation
and report. And the said board shall de
ttunine what changes, II any In the present
administration are demanded by existing
circumstances and shall take such action
in Iegard thereto as in their Judgment the
interest and welfare OF the Asy lam may
demand
And your committee. having fully dis.
charged the duty enjoined upon them. ask
10 he discharged from the further conside-
ration OF the subject.
GEORGE 4. kEEEELL
SAMUEL w. WILLIAMS
X. VI. MALLORY.
l.. HENRY OBANNoN
W. G.. Loving.
CHARLES GEE,
I. =. c. tHLEIi.
We the undengigned members Of the
JOINT committee who have signed the above
report. fully concur with the committee
except 50 far as IL refers 10 the two members
OF the Board John Thurman and Henry A.
Atkinson. Jr.. and In reference 10 them. we
cannot construe the eN Nidence as warrsnting
any direct or special reflection upon their
conduct =. HENRY pBANNoN,
CHARLES GEE.
In signing the ABOVE report WISH 20 say
that have seen no proof that Nlessr,. At
kinson and Thurman were under The lnlu-
cnce OF liquor as to prevent Mr. Thurman
nom presiding ably and Mr.. Atkinson from
attending TO his duties on said Board. Mr.
McCaw is an efficient clerk. and has not
been under the influence Of liquor for long
time. L. =. CURLElr.
A MINORITY REPORT.
Judge Bolen submitted the following
minority report:
To the HoHor06i, Genefa Io,mbig NJ JIr-
GiHid'
The undersigned, members OF the special
ioint committee, beg leave to report that
they have endeaVored 10 make the lnYestl.
a.tlon authorized and required in said
resolution By visiting the Asylum and going
through all the grounds wards, and apart.
uents OF the institution, aud by taking the
testimony Of such witnesses as it was
thought proper TO examine.
Two meetings OF the committee were held
I'm Williamsburg after fair notice had been
given to al parties concerned. and other
~ eetings were held in Richm ond until all
partes who desired TO testify or be heard
had been gwen a fair chance 10 do so.
AS 10 the management OF the Asylum un-
der the present administration, which Is the
first proposition in said resolution To he
considered. your committee would respect.
ftilty rppOrt that So far as they could oh.