Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-08-01
SOUND AS A DOLLAR.
An Attempt to Declare an old man
Insane Unworthy Motives
Hinted At.

The man whose apprehension un
der u complaint of insanity wa
made ye ierday evening by Deput,
Wri2htmau is G.. N. Spicknell,
well known and respected farmer 6,
years ola who lives on the Kaise
prairie few miles north of the city
He was brought in at late hour anC
placed in the county Jail to awai
examination this morning, the Off
Ger having no other alternative. not
withstanding that the old gentleman
was able and willing to give all the
bail necessary for his appearance
and the further fact that he had tC
le've his stock tied up without feed
water or care since yesterday after
noon. 1t was one of those cases
where no provision is made for bail
Mr.. Spicknell was examined thi,
morning before County Judge Wal
do by Drs. BYRD and Smith and
there was no hesltaDcy in pronounc
ing him as sound mentally as any
man in the room, and lie was dis.
charged. Among the officers and
spectators there were mingled feel.
ings-pity for the old man and In.
dignation that he should be thus
Lantaljze1.
The cause Of Mr.. Spicknell's al
rest seems to be family disagree
ments. He is married TO a second
wife, who had family of her own
and it is said these children-who
are married in the neighborhood do
not like the old man. Their mother
lives with them mostly and Mr..
Spiknell lives by himself on a place
of his own, occasionally visiting his
wife, but whenever he does there is
row. This was the case Wednes-
day evening, when the old man
says one of his wife's daughters
made some threats against his life,
and he says he talked back and gave
them to understand he could han
die gun himself. This was the
talk which led to the proceedings
fl rst chroniclod above.
TIL JOURNAL is not in the quar-
rel, but from all its reporters can
learn the belief is freely expressed
that there Is a desire among Mr..
Epicknell's connections to get him
safely housed that he may not be in
the way, and this same belief leads
to many remarks which have been
often heard the past few years, that
there are a great number of old peo-
pie crammed into the asylum for
trivial causes, whose minds are very
little deranged, but whose declining
years make them burdepsome to
relatives, or whose lease of life is
too long to suit anxious heirs.
1t may be too late, but it is surely
none too early to Remark that The
machinery works little too
smoothly which slides people into
the insane asylum of this sta.e.
A GOOD way for the legislature tC
prevent this would be by following
the example of other states and en-
acting laws making each county pG y
the expenses of those sent from it to
the asylum-their transportation
thIther and their care while there;
then make these sums II lieu upon
the estate OF the party insa ne or OF
the next of kin, whose du y it would
naturally become to care for !hat
person. This would bring the eX-
pen5e home where it belongs and
would wipe out much of the anxiety
to prove so many people crazy.
1t would also divide the expense
of transporting and keeping those
who are insane more equitably than
under Che present system. AS ii i"
now the county from which one
person in year may be sent to the
asylum pays its portion of sending
and caring for those sent 10y the
score from another county, because
all such expenses are paid out OF
the state treasury.
The same Is true Of penitentiary
criminals and like amendment in
that line would not be bad.
lfthere is any suggestion in these
thoughts may they be worked into
practical good by our Legislators, lhe
news gathers Of the JOURNAL will
feel rewarded.