Evening journal., 1889-03-09
1T WAS ALL A HUGE Joke.
The McAllisterville Orphans
Slammed Insanity.
TWENTY.FOUR OF THEM CONFESS.

How The Lark OFiginated-DOcf0rs Who
Made Learned and Technical Reports
Deeply Chagrined--The Soldiers Orphans
Wen Cared for and Happy.
PiTrsBuRa, March a--Those ''crazy or
alIansn at the McAllisterville, Pa, soldiers
orphans school have turned out 20 be frauds
and their crazy actions a sham. State Sem
ator Greer, Inspector Of the soldiers orphans
schools, has been investigating the matter,
and his report is extremely interesting. The
boys hnve all confessed, much to the con-
fusion of the wise and snowy haired doctors
who diagnosed the cases. Inspector Greer
has the written confessions of twenty-fous
boys who played crazy.
youth named Ggs Splitter was the orig
snator Of the famous disease In the dormi-
tory one evening after the boys had retired,
he was hurling pillows, when some boy cried.
'Rut him CUB; he's crazy suiting the nc.
tion TO the suggestion, he played crazy sa
wen that the alarmed bows called the princi.
pal and doctors. His confession recites hs
antics, and how he often laughed at his sue
cess. When the doctor baihed him with cold
water he shiyered with cold, but thought IL
would not do 70 admit that he was play
ing or
Like Splitter, tho other boys tell all tlai
transpired during their seeming crazy spells
In their confessions the boys say the motives
inspiring them were 10 have fun and have
their meals carried 10 them. Their ages
range from 10 to ~ years, aud their testi.
mony iselear and convincing. Each one sayl
that be has plenty 70 eat, has good clothes
and kind treatment
The testimony of thirty-six bays and pirh
who did not play crazy is in the report Th,y
speak Of the kind treatment of the principal
Of the teachers and Of the good food and
clothing furnished them
To make his investigation as thorough aa
possible, the inspector received lengthy state
nents from Rev. Mr.. Lowey, OF the Presby.
terian church,; Rev. Mr. Lusher, OF the
Lutheran church; Judge Smith, Judge
Watts now postmaster9 and number oi
other reliable citizens, including Grand Army
men. They express words Of praise Cor both
the school and the appearance of the children.
The report Of Senator Greer proves that tbs
school has been unjustly abused
The antics Of the boys In the McAlistervills
soldiers orphans school first attracted out.
side attention in. January. Some OF ths
orphans appeared TO have become idiots and
wandered aimlessly about, others would tear
up things In their rooms, some apparently
had 81. Nitus dance, while not few ex.
hibited all the symptoms Of a deranged mind
The boys whose ACTIONS were particularly liks
those Of a crazy person We're Michael Briney,
Augustus Splitter, Eddie Beck, Blair Mccoy,
Tilden Lymes, Harry Williams, Linn Sherk
Hurry Henderson, George Bader, John Brady.
Oscar Shuey Willie Cox, Bert Baker Dennis
Howell, Adam Grove, Willie Burge.
The aiiction became generally contagious
Tuesday, Feb 8 Then it was intimated thas
probably the character Of the food the chill
dlen ate was the cause of the trouble A com
mittee representing one Of the Grand Army
posts OF Miiiiln examined this school and
found the sanitary condition to. he fil'sl cass
DR.. Banks sept IN tine building one night
and wrote the following report:
1.-The first four eases developing were treat
ed by DR. Hopes, the attending physician Of
the school. Feb the nlalady broke out ia q
more aggravated form and auout seventeen
OF the boys were afflicted ON that day. was
called that evening. The boys had retired
for the night, under watch Their sleeping
apartment was visited by the physicians, bus
as they appeared 10 be resting comfortably il
was determined not 20 arouse them thas
night, and the consultation was deferred until
the following morning In the morning
noticeable symptoms were developed IN sew
enteen Of the boys, and they were reminded
70 the iniiimary for examination.
"Ihe symptoms We're alteration OF the
mind and contortion OF ths body, picking at
imaginary objects and at each others cloth-
ing, and also predispostion to misname OBJ
Iects. Some OF them are mischievous, others
melancholy, none of them admitting that
they we're sick or feeling badly ia any WAY.
"fhe physicians, after carefully examining
the condition and the pre-existing causes, de-
termned II 70 be in some cases a strong man
Hesitation Of epidemic cnorsa, while In others
II appeared 70 be a species O nervous ademla
or mental exhaustion. The exact cause OF
the trouble was not fully determined other
than, IN some cases, marked hereditary
idlosyncrasy and ths unlforla tendency of
growing chlldreA AZ study lo ailnienrs ol that
character.
''Ihere had been an epidemic Of typhoid
fever in the school during last Ian-ls many
as forty cases in all-slnd soaie Of these latter
were those who had nol had tue fever The
temperature in a few cases wsis excited show
ing a medium fever temperature, Dut ln nost
Of them the temperature ami pulse were nor
mai The strongest, however, is thac it was
/ partially sllperindured by an effort OF adj
vancing the pupils IN their studies, yet they
were not ovarworked All were diligent ~
their own accord and We're making excellent
progress, The school previoas 10 the epi-
demic was IN good spirits and healthn