St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-29
A STATE DISGRACE.
The Insane Asylums May be
Made Vehicles Of Private
Malice.
So the Special Committee
Gently and Firmly Rips
Them UP.
Mrs. .Northrop Was Committed
and Detained Without
Legal Color.
Her Unfilial Son Given the
Roasting He Richly De-
served.

pital for insane for a term of eight
months without having been regularly
committed, has been fully investigated,
and the report of the committee ap-
pointed to make the investigation by
Gov. Merriam will reach the governor
this morning. The report shows that
while there is no evidence of particular
hardship having resulted from the ir-
regular proceedings in this case, the
possibility exists of the confinement of
persons in this or similar institutions on
the mere statement of one or more in
terested parties whose motives may he
corrupt. The report also criticiZes
all connected with the case, though
admitting that there is no evidence of
corrupt motive on the part either of
Judge of Probate Schaler or DR.. Bart
lett. The disgrace to the state that
such things are possible is recognized in
the report. 1t is evident that although
this is the only case that has been in
vestigated, the opportunity has existed,
and does exist. for the most outrageous
abuses on similar lines. The report of
the committee addressed to the gov
ernor is given below in full:
Findings of Fact.
Sir-Your committee appointed to ex-
anime the case of Mrs. Sophronia
Northrop, or any other alleged COM
initials without due process of law to
the first hospital for insane at st. Peter,
beg leave to report. We find the follow
ing facts:
On or about Sept. 6, 1890, Spencer r.
Northrop. Nj. D., took his mother, So
phronia Northrop, before Julius Scha-
Ter, judge of probate for Carver county,
for examination on the charge of insan-
ity. After an informal. but not official
inquiry, by Judge Schaler, assisted by
DIR. Frank, of ChaSka, and another ply
sician, name unknown, the woman was
pronounced not insane. and the judge
states that he made no formal examina-
the county. On the same day
that this inquiry took place the
said S. j. Northrop took Sophronia to
the hospital for insane at st. Peter.
Northrop first met DR.. James, assistant
physician who asked for papers. and
finding Northrop without warrant of
commitment refused to receive her
Northrop then asked for DR.. Bartlett,
superintendent of the hospital, who re-
ceiyed the woman informally with the
understanding that the legal papers
should De sent in few days. On Sep
tember IL. DR.. Northrop wrote to DR..
Bartlett apologizing for not having sent
the warrant of commitment, and stating
that he Will be up to st. Peter soon and
will bring the warrant. On September
25, the following letter was written:
Judge julius Schaler-Dear Sir:'' 'sThis
may certify that Mrs. Sophronia Northrop
has been left here by her son for about two
weeks, and in my opinion she is proper SUBJ
ject for commitment and hospital treatment
Signed G. *. BARTLETT, Superintendent"
On September 80, after receiving the
above certificate from DR.. Bartlett, and
Without Any Examination,
as required by law, Judge Schaler is
sued warrant for the commitment of
Sophronia NOrthrOp, of Norwood. in the
county of Carver. to the First Mime
sofa Hospital for Insane. and also certi-
fed to an examination of the case. On
the examination paper in this case
Spencer S. NOrthrOp certifieS under
oath that he assisted in said eXamina-
tion. The date of the warrant stated
before is Sept. 80, 1890. On this date
Sophronia Nortbrop was formally ad-
mitted TO the hospital, although she
four days preceding, and she has re-
mained there continuously since that
time.
In the examination paper it is stated
that the woman is seventy-three years
old: of steady habits: has been insane
for the last twenty years; the cause of
the attack is nervous and passionate
debility. 1t is also stated that 1t is un-
safe for any one person to be left with
her, as she is subject to violent attacks
of passion. In the case book of the
hospital under date of Oct. 80 is found
the following official entry:
Mrs. Northrop has manifested no desire
to injure others or to be destructive; is nice,
quiet, old lady,"
Under date of Feb. 8, 1891, is found
the following:
This Woman's son Is physician and acted
as juror in the commitment of his mother to
the hospital She was brought to the hos
pital by him and left here without papers for
some time before the warrant of commitment
was issued There is a letter on file written
by her son who brought her to the hospital,
dated Sept 16, 1S90 III which he apologies
for the delay with the papers. He figures as
the examing physician, and is the only juror
who signed the papers, except the judge of
probate, Julius Schaler; and the papers are
dated Sept 30, 1890. and bear the seal of the
court. The woman has not shown a single
symptom as set forth in her history which ac-
companied her. She is a feeble woman and
has an impaired memory, otherwise no men
tai alteration has been noticed by the at
tendants or physicians
On examination, Dr. James, who has
charge of the ward in which this woman
is kept, stated that he saw her most
every day; had examined her On many
occaSions,a does not think the woman
insane.
DR.. Bartlett, superintendent of the
hospital, testified that he did not under
~ hot III 1t,t., <l,,1 Il III
judge of the correctness of the eXamlna-
ton. The warrant was
His Sole Authority
for receiving the patient, and in this
case he had the warrant of commitment
from Judge Schaler. In reference to
the insanity of the patient under con-
sideration, he testified as follows:
81 think she suffers from partial senile
dementia rather more than would occur from
old age under ordinary circumstances
There have been no signs of passion during
her eight months in this hospital l think
she could be as well cared for outside among
her friends as here"
Judge Schaler testifies that he issued
the warrant without any examination,
and did so only upon the certificate of
DR.. Bartlett. He had said to DR.. North
rup that he would sign no papers with
Oub q CCI GlliCdlO llOtu LII. DdTblGUI. w U6Q
that was received he did sign the
papers, and he had no explanation to
make for the lrregularity of the pro-
ceeding, except: Il thought she must
be insane or DR.. Bartlett would not
keep her." Judge Schaler did not
know that Mrs. Northrup was taken to
st. Peter on the 9th of September until
meeting her son sometime afterWard.
DR.. Northrup had said: Il got her in
anyway"
These are the essential facts in the
case, and the committee report the fol.
| lowing conclusions:
DR.. Spencer j. Northrup undoubtedly
misrepresented the facts both to Judge
| Schaler and to DR.. Bartlett. His action
has been wholly unfilial, and is worthy
of the severest condemnation. Youl
committee did not regard it as theil
duty to investigate the alleged insanity
of Saphronia Northrup further than The
l.nr