St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-10
DAUBED IT ON THICK.
Whitewash Literally Spread
Over the Person Of Supt.
Bartlett.
Exonerated by the Insane
Asylum Trustees in the
Northrup Case.
Dr.. Northrup and Judge Scha-
Ter Must Share the Wrath
of the Trustees.
The Dentists Jaw the Entire
Day Upon Sunday Tech
nieal Topics.

The board OF trustees OF Ine MlnHe-
sofa Hospitals for the Insane met at
the Merchants at noon yesterday and
remained in session until late in the
afternoon. There were present: A. L.
Sackett, of St. Peter; DR.. j. F. Fulton,
of st. Paul; John f. Meagher, of Man.
katO; Hon. a. Z. Stebbins, OF Roches-
ter; ex-Lieutenant-Gov. BartO, of Sank
Centre; Judge NJ. R. Tyler, of st. Paul;
Charles d. Wright and John w. Mason,
of Fergus Falls, and John Peterson, of
st. Peter, all members of the board. A
host of contractors, seeking building
contracts at the Fergus Falls asylum,
were also in attendance, and Supt
Williamson, of the new asylum, was
present with Architect W. b. Dunnell
to make suggestions to the board.
Bids for the erection of boiler house,
laundry, kitchen and smoke stack at the
Fergus Falls asylum were opened and
the contract let TO John Mather, or
MankatO, for the sum OF S27 .9l5, this
being about $500 less than the bid sub
mitted by Eric Lund, of Minneapolis.
Five bids were received for the plumb
ing and nine for the heating Of the aSy-
lum, but the contract was not let, be-
cause the board was unable to decide
which ores were in reality the lowest
bidders. because the estimates were
from different standpOintS.. The matter
was settled by referring 1t to the local
board, composed of Messrs. BartO,
Mason and Wright, with authority to
let the contracts after an expert has
found the lowest bidder.
The next and perhaps the most inter-
Of ho "a
in the shape of report from the special
committee appointed to look into the Gel
ebrated Northrop case. This committee
consisted of Judge Tyler and MeSsrs.
Mason and Stebbins, who, after care
full investigation, find that DR.. Bartlett
is all right, and even DR.. Northrop
escapes with light roast. Mrs. North
rop is found to be insane, and Judge
Shaler is admouIshed to be less careful
of incurrlng expenses in the future.
The report starts cut by stating that
the committee secured DrS. c. Ii. Board
man. of st. Paul, and w. l.. Beebe, of
st. Cloud, to make an examination OF
the mental condition of Mrs. Northrop.
They reported that the old lady had
been for several years, and is now,
subject of sehile dementia, and that her
dismissal from the asylum would be
mistake. This opinion was concurred
in by Drs. James and Bartlett. From
this and other testimony the committee
stated that it was satisfied that Mrs.
NOrthrOp was tit subject Tor the
asylum.
The testimony taken at the meeting
of July l was submitted, as we'll as the
affidaYits of Drs. Boardman and Beebe,
from all of which the committee de-
duced the following 5acts:
First-That there was never any legal ex-
animation before Judge SchaIer ana no
records of the case in his office.
Second-That DR.. NortbrOp took his
mother TO st. Peter without papers or au-
thoritv from the judge. That he asked
DR.. Bartlett to receive her, informing him
that the commitment papers would be at
once forwarded. That DR.. Bartlett re-
ceived and and cared for her, but did not
commit her as an inmate until Sept 81, when
he received q commitment from Judge
Schaler.
Third-That Dr. Bartletts certificate or
letter to Schaler was in answer to an inquiry
or request from the judge either by letter or
through DR.. Northrop, and that the state
ment therein was correct
Fourth-That Judge Schaler issued the
warrant only on the certificate from Or.
Bartlett, but that he did not issue all papers
necessary for commitment, ana sald papers
were forwarded to and received by DR.. Bart
lett
Fifth-That Dr. Bartlett was informed and
believed that an examination had been made
before Mrs. Northrop was taken TO ST. Peter
and the papers afterwards sent were based
on such examination. That he believed,
from all representations, that everything was
legal and that he was not put upon inquiry
TO make special examination.
Whether il is advisable TO receive patients
as guests while waiting for commitment pa
pers is according to the report. matter that
must be left to the discretion Of the superln
tendenIS.
The committee can well see how, under
certain circumstances such state OF atalrs
might exist. as It has sometimes happened
that officers, in conveying patients 10 hospi-
tails. have forgotten TO take the commitment
papers with them.
While the scope OF our inquiry ends, per-
hans with the hospital officials, we may be
permitted to say that Judge Shaler, evident
" with the best intentions. wholly ignored
the forms and requirements of law solely on
the ground that he thought no harm could
be done and the county saved expense. This
is certainly dangerous method OF proceed
uIe.
AS TO Northrop the committee says If he
had taken his mother before Judge Smaller
and produced such evidence ds he had there
would have been no difficulty in having her
adiudged insane, and commitment papers
issued Instead he ha0 an informal exam
ination in which nothing was done, took her
TO the hospital and by Misrepresentation to
DR.. Bartlett left ner there, and by misleading
Judge Shaler secured the required papers 1t
seems 10 be a case where one prefers crooked
methods, where straightforward methods are
surer to accomplish the object in view.
All findings in this report were unani-
mouslv agreed on after the conclusion of the
testimony and before the committee separ-
ated. and no charges whatever have since
been made
This report was unanimously adopted
after which the board adjourned to meet
in Fergus Falls on Aug. Ii.
Spring Chickens to-day and to-mor-