New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-11
SIFEGU1EDS FOR TIE INSANE.
ASKING 4 JURY TRIAL FOR ALL PATIENTS.
A REPLY TO CRITICISMS or The BILL now BEFORE
TUE STAT LEGISLATURE.

A REPLY TO CRITICISMS OS THE BILL now BEFORE
TUE sTATE LEGISLATURE.
To The Editor Of The Trtbune.
Sir: In your issue of sunday, March 4. you pub
sh statements made by Dr. l. IT. Talcoti super
ntcndcnt Of the State Lunaic Asylum a. Middle
town v regarding the bin Of the society for Pro
noting the Welfare Of the Insane which Is now In
the Legislature Of the state. | think y"u VIII DC
willing 10 publish reply 10 Dr. Taico't from ono
Of the founders Of the society which has prepared THIS
bill. The society chartered In 17o|. ana ha'
among its members many persons WHO have becn
intimately connected with tho inner Workings Va
asylums.
Ur Talent saws. Onr Of the queer thngS about
This association is that it, members have never put
thcmsc,e, in cornmunrat alton with any of hose VINO
have charge of the insane in the state We do not
need to consult with the officials Of a>ylun'. We
have seen and studied these institutions. both rom
within and without. We have had experience In
dealing with the Insane in oar families and In the
a,yum. and have arrived at conclusions far In all
vance Of SUI erintcndcfts and experts whosc Opn-
ion, are naturally cololcd ly the glt>>c> ol >rlh-
tcrcst through which they peer at the alleged -a''
tbs bill for trial by jury before conssning per
to a mad house for term that may mean I'M
Irisonmon !.f i for the protection Of the liberty
Of the Sano enc asylum OF This state rcpo"s 30 sane
patIents kept in it during its existence Judging
from thi, one asylum, how many sane persons have
been imprisoned I'm tie other six of the state asyluS
I'm the t,o nriyate a>ylnns and In The county aSy-
Inns! If the truth was made known regarding these
false. Illegal inpiisonments the country would Do
appalled, II Is the necessity for the better procc-
ton Of the liberties of the that led th's society
to prepare this bill for by The practices Of ON asylums
the sane arc included with the insane J>r. Talc"t
SAYS that in Illinois tho Supcrinicndcn'S say tha'
trial by Jury works Injustice to the insane" Bur
the judges In the state urge shat 1t does not Work
injustice. Tho secretary of she eat" Hona
Of Commit, sioncrs of PUBLIC Clarifies 81
Illinois reports that on hc took County
mnacy docket for Tho year ending March 81, I7sd.
there were Gl9 cases OF alleged INSANE persons who
tried 10y jurc. Of whom 100 were d"oih el sane
!, not vel 700 ont 81 COO from the tcrrors
ard dcprlvaiion> of Imprisonment
Dr. Talcott says that in Illinois two women "oro
taken to court alJudgcd in,an'. sent to asylnm'
and shortly thereafter died. BE- suffering from
pucrrcra fever after child birth Tic cNpo,rrn Of tho
trials Killed thcm' ak II (, not possible that the
a,yIums Killed thcml \ superintendent OF a s'aie
asylum in ihis told INC that 40 woman suffering
from pnrrl-ial insanity should ever lH sc"t !" an
a~l ium.' II these women hAd nov i''n >'" ~ i a"
a~y lam they Wou.d not have o. cied iItai ~ my
Iacuif's pine pie Oh ,cciloL To )nE ttia j. ln'
make, A -,,t of criminal OF alleged iunatic Who j.,
Ia fact, only SICK person. iaI I" 80 no"
judicial Investigation aS O." the >l' hnr', "l l'"m
TO compared To criminal iiia'' on can I,n, ,
how The iIcalmclt IN Al a. iuin "a" nai' l" .'d
custody Of an insane rn,on fci>"u feel lls.
a e s"ii Of a criminal Tho Dortor's comparison 81
A
a parallel case and 3, not worthy "i n"'"e ,.,,,,,
\ sulcrinondrn''s view ni mo in,id" ol az ~ .n.
of an nipri,oned patient, aud ho. ~ Ioid - Inc ap""
OF realizing the effect, of his as) nm upon ~, a.n'
nav sI~nd tlr.r whole lives in tito study oil lh'!mll
and Yet fail to understand IT, br laco', nap 1
rroyc. Of The prov Of the hill IN regard y" me
ii.,,cs,nnlcucc of uaficut, Ilc Ir.tcrar, he oih
iircalbar- assertion that many OF ii Irir "l LAp
ONT violating Iu-' laws Now. Niiic il O. ''n' wa
occasionally vie letter may he -rnt 10y an in ,
Al
arc Objectionable. except Thai incy are app 10 h '"r
some truth, al"ut the institutions, ana rI,l ar
asylum, /, what the sui ertnicndents do NOT "ah'
told ! beg pardon Of tho asylum d'H'"I,. u M
represent them. Cert ainiy WIRE IN ther piare, Gee.
different truth from that a. present We an ~'' ,
fair out A, to tho o,ccnity u le''ri' M l,,
are the best tc>t, which tho friends can have oi ih'
rental condition OF Tho patient ,.,,.,o ,,,,ep,s
In cnpcluSpf. pr. Jalouit a~tS why icihan ph''"''
should he obi gcd to have female physician, hl! I",
than in hS%S life e 'g n%i, r tie ~ an ., soccy
s"a u 10 n"y"% , Gc's .. S t We cs" aa
tie conduct Of pip ,clan toward Mona, ,nr u -
no power to Discard hrn and T. no ,rn M rn woman
in tho see ret halls lum should bc .ultoh 10
The OF phi, s.can oi ne .Ik','p , ,cr ,ccrci
iror,Sc, mos, o..
With regard TO Dr Taco,s charge in1 ,h %'f have ..
m"ycr Irown What u IS 10 lie afflicted win an in'ahs
Of INC ncm'cr, % his society have han ~" ,,e Icon
tic, fanill., who have been in~anr ana hAIr "t
Erui at home sent 10 a>1bin~. ana ~ - -,
80 a. fle-- sufferers and Interest IN i"r Tra'H'
,L., the friends moved 10 orranr" ah con- ~,
vLai renodic, 10 PROPOSE for tho rirs eENS -, ~"
80 o.. st,,ru There are iu The -ia'o 81 NV
YrrL thou~ands Of insane People cnilnrh ~ ,
Vitbiu the next few year this nunb's VIII ~ h,
,.o-n,.ed This ircreAse f. coming from Tie ho'I'
~ ,he ,soplr and many Of hose Who i"ah i,r ~,
vim some day find asyum door cl".ihK On h ,,
-, ,o,, de,-c.t friends. II + To saVO ih'sr rum
10 sanrc,s Of unjust commit mems. and 10 MAN F
sIe for them To- get out after cure ma, - ~, &C.
-, ,ha Gnrirfy for Promoting tho Nc'ia'e on 'i'
lhA ''' ''',t,, f.r,b IL etrorf~ II. T. LEKKi.
'"" - 'serteisrS Of he Scc!rty FOR Promoting nc
" rlfare 81 the Insane
WORK, March 2, 17--