St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-23
CAN SUCH THINGS Be?
An Aged Lady Com mitted to
the Asylum at the Re-
quest Of Her Son,
Though the Judge Of Probate
Admits He Considered
Her Sane.
But on DR.. Baptlett'e Certifi-
cate He Signed the Com
mitment Papers.
A Need Shown for the Crea-
ton Of a Qualified Lunacy
Commission.

Messrs. S. G. Smith. G. E. Riggs and
c. Amundson, of the state board of cor
rections and charities, yesterday re-
sumed the inquiry into the alleged lille
gal commitment of Mrs. Sophronia
Northrop. of Norwood, Carver county,
to the insane asylum. Lieut.. Gov. Ives
was present in the interests OF DIR. Bart
lett superintendent of the st. Peter
asylum.
Judge Schaler, the first witness is
judge of probate in Carver county, and
he testified that Mrs. Northrop was
brought before him by her son DR..
Northrop, to be examined. DR.. Frank,
of Minneapolis, who happend to be in
town was called in, and they found no
traces of insanity. The judge refused
to commit, but informed DR.. Northrop
that he might take her to DR.. Bartlett.
If the superintendent of the asylum for
warded certificate, he promised to
commit her. He subsequently received
the following:
This may certify that Sophronia Northrop
has been left here by her son for about two
weeks, and is a proper subject for commit
ment and treatment in this hospital
G. K. BARTLETT.
To Judge Schaler.
DR.. Northrop, who appears to be about
fifty-five years old, gave testimony. He
remained firm in his statement that his
mother was violently insane, and that
he cared for her as long as he could.
DR.. S. q. Smith did the greater part
of the questioning, showing some sever
ity in his tone as he put the question.
do you regard nervous debility as a form
of insanity?'
mo, SIR
''What do you mean by passionate debility?
What is the meaning of debility?'
well; its-you might say it was-I don't
know how you would word it,"
do you mean weakness?"
Eyes, suppose so; don't YOUR
II am not on the witness stand" replied
DR.. Smith. rs nervous aud passionate de-
bility cause of insanity"
We'll, she was naturally of nervous tenn
permanent. Once she threw butcher knife
at my wife, and another time struck the girl
with stick. My mother Is about seventy
she was forty eight years. She was with my
sister up to '6S. She would throw dishes of
Victuals or anything. We tried to keep it
secret"
DO you think the warrant and commit
ments complied with the statutes?''
Yes; the judge of probate said he could
not see anything the matter with her, and
DR.. Frank said SO, too. She was very easy
were afraid of her She went to neighbours
house and drove the children out of bed and
drove me out of bed once. l could not keep
girl in the house. At the asylum she told
me that she was well taken care OF, and she
said nothing about my taking her home. The
woman attendant told me that my mother
was very quiet, but that she ought not to
live at home. L don't know the name of the
attendant
DIR. Bartlett wrote me in the winter that
had better take her home a few days, for she
spoke of coming home. ] wrote him that l
was sick and my family was away. Dr.
Bartlett had not advised me to take her home
and keep her there. have had no message
from the hospital since that time. Ny
mother was thrown from a buggy and struck
on her head, fracturing her skull"
The examining committee then adj
journed, and the next proceeding will
be their report to the governor.
Mr.. Ives addressed the committee
after all had retired save the members
of the committee. Mr.. Ives expresses
himself to the effect that there lis moth
ing in it,"