The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-25
LOCKEDIN BARRED CELLS
TWO MORE INSANE PRISONERS
FOR THE STATE ASYLUM.

TWO MORE INSANE PRISONERS
FOR THE STATE ASYLUM.
a oO-Year-Old Negro and a Woman
Before the Ordinary Yesterday.
Both Declared Insane and Confined
in the Jail Until They Can sc Re-
ceived at UNDERGRADUATES Ordin-
ary's Jury Inspects the jail Quar-
ters for the Insane-Five Lunatics
There Now-The Pitieb.e Case Of
Gertrude Grimes-What the County
Pays for the Care of It's Insane.
January Read and Laura Chaplin, both
solored, were adjudged lunatics yesterday
In the court of ordinary. Read is nearly 20
years old. The Chaplin woman is middle
sged. Both were patients Of the Georgia
infrmsry. where they became violent aud
we're taken to Jail and locked up.
A jury was summoned by Judge
Ferrill and the cases were in
vestgated yesterday afternoon. The
Jury was summoned to the jail for an in
spection of the lunatics confined there.
After bearing the evidence Of DR.. Weiohsel-
baum and DR.. Chisholm the jury went to
the corridor where the insane prisoners are
confined. Read, the old man whose case
was before it, is a gray-haired, bent, old
uncle. lie is unquestonsbly insane from
old age. He was brought from Whltmarsh
Island to Savannah sick.
BECAME A MANIAC.
After a short confinement in the Georgia
infirmary he developed violent insanity and
had to bewatched, and finally tied with ropes
He escaped from the infrmary several
times and ran through the yard and over
the wire fences until captured by the
nurses and hospital attendants. DR.. CHS
holm pronounced his case dementia from
old age. There seemed to be no doubt Of
his insanity, and the jury 80 found.
A RAvING MANIAC.
The case Of Laura Chaplin was one In
which more violence was exhibited. The
woman was in the infirmary several times,
the result of hard drinking. She
deueloped signs Of insanity soon after she
was received there, about month ago. II
not confined she would tear through the
wards, Jumping the beds and through the
windows, yelling at the top OF her lungs.
The attendants were unable to keep her
clothed and half the time she was naked.
For over two weeks she was KEEP In a
straight jacket until the hospital authorities
saw there was no changein her insanity and
no hope Of any, and she was COM
DlLlbu 10 jail. Nc bNlutlCb VI DObn
DR. WeichseiDaum and DR.. Chisholm
showed Enthusiastically that she was insane
The jury saw both prisoners, the old man
in a cell and the woman In room provided
for the insane, and returned a verdict
at once in accordance with the facts. Both
uDfortunates will be kept in the jail until
there is a vacancy in the state asylum when
they will be removed TO Miledgeville.
FIVE IN JAIL NOW.
There are now five insane prisoners in the
jail. Three men locked up in cells, the
Chaplin woman and Gertrude Grimes, the
young white girl who is allowed the free
dom of the corridor and who is looked after
by the female colored prisoners. She was
sitting on cot in a room off the corridor
when the jury visited the jail yesterday, at
tended by one Of the prisoners, jabbering
and muttering TO herself and at
intervals appealing 10 those arouad
her to take her home. She sits most OF the
time on her cot with her hands continually
in motion, or crawling on the floor. She
knows her name and can answer one or
two questions nationally, but otherwise she
is wholly unintelligent. Her case is a
pitisble one. She has mother in the city
who is an Invalid herself and poor, and is
unable to care for her daughter.
The girls friends looked after her
as long as they could, but
at times she became dangerous to those
around her and she was sent to jail She
was 8djudged a lunatic March l and has
been in 1ail ever since waiting TO be taken to
Milledgeyllle. The jail authorities give her
the best care they are able to but the food
and surroundings are not such as will enable
her condition 10 improve.
MELANCHOLY PRISONER.
Washington Thomas, one of the male
insane, is a young negro. He stands in
front of his cell door most of the time, oe-
casionally sitting on the edge Of his haul-
mock, leaning forward with his hat pulled
over his eyes. The Jail guard on duty In
the corridor said the man had not been IN
dressed since he was brought there.
Another negro is violently insane and wells
and sings at the top of his voice coed deal
of the time.
The jury and others who were present
during the inspection Of the prisoners are
impressed with the importance Of some
steps being taken for their better care
They cannot be taken to the state
asylum owing to its crowded
condition until there is vacancy Chat
ham county has now more thar its quota In
the asylum, and a similar condition of
affairs exists in other parts of the state
Chatham county paid last year for expenses
attending the prosecution and trial of iusane
people over 500. This does not include
their cost while kept at the jail.
The sentiment is strong in favor Of some
steps being taken to provide properly for
the insane at home, and the plan suggested
by the MORNING News Of caring for them
temporarily in suitable quarters at the
poor farm is favorably received.
MUST FACE THE MAYOR