Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-07-17
VIOLENT LUNATICS
MAKE THINGS LIVELY UP At THE
JAIL
A Maniac Dsmolishss Things in His Cell and
Thnsassns Lifs-Ths Sheriff Told Thsrs
Is No Room at Weston.

The deplorable situation Of the luna
ties at the Ohio county jail, the lack OF
proper treatment for them, the annoy
ance they are to the inmates Of the in
stitution, and the constant anxiety re-
sulting to the Sheriff aud his officers,
calls for some relief at the hands OF
those in charge Of the State institution
at Weston.
There are no proper accommod atlons
for insane persons at the jail, it never
having been contemplated that they
should be kept there except tor brief
space while awaiting transportation to
the Asylum. The Asylum authorities,
however, report that there is no room
for more inmates at the institution I'M
der their charge, and as a result pa
tients, some of them very violent, re-
main in the limited quarters at the jail
in this city for months at time, entail
ing no end of annoyance, care and dis
comfort upon all connected with the
Jail, while the element Of danger Is no
small item.
A case in point is that Of colored
woman named Mrs. Jackson, who has
been at the Jail over two months. She
is very violent, and has to be kept
strapped down all the time, while her
cell and her person are often In the
most horrible condition, despite all that
can be done to keep things In order.
She can, as a matter Of course, receive
no proper treatment for the alienation
of her malady at such place as the
Jail, and as a result, even il there was q
chance for the restoration o. her mind
originally, 1T would quickly vanish
under incarceration in a prison like the
iall. Her screams and yells are
source of great annoyance to the neigh
borhood, to say nothing OF the jailor
and his family and the prisoners, but
although Sheriff Steenrod has written
several times to Weston, and done all
in his power for the patient, there are
no indications Of relief in any form.
A still more notable case is that Of a
man named Robert Strauder. This pa
tient is afflicted with insanity Of the
most violent nature, amounting to mad
ness, and he has made it extremely in
teresting upon several occasions. A
few days ago he pulled the long iron
staples supporting the steam pipes,
which were embedded foot in solid
masonry, out of the walls Of his cell, and
with one of them as club he beat
his cell door until he reduced the heavy
lock to fragments and threatened to
break the door down. He then hurled
one Of the heavy staples at prisoner,
and had the whole corridor in a state OF
fear and excitement. At another time
he got hold Of piece OF iron from the
water closet arrangements, and with it
demolished about everything in his cell.
On this occasion he stood in his cell
with a heavy fragment OF pipe in his
hand, and threatened to brain anyone
approaching, and the Sheriff and
one or two deputies were
sent for, IL requiring good deal
of diplomacy to get control OF him again.
On still another occasion he grabbed a
female prisoner through the bars as she
was passing his cell door, and it was ex-
pected she would be seriously injured,
but she fortunately got out OF his
clutches.
These are but samples Of the Incl
dents taking place there, and 1t seems
reasonable that there should be some
extraordinary effort made TO get such
people out OF jail and into the Asylum,
where they can be properly attended TO,
and where there are proper accommoda-
tions for them.