The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-07

WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.

Four Of Them CIV at Large and some
or Them Dangerous-Crimfn Care
Iessness Responsible fcr Two sui
cIdes.
superintendent J. Fl. McCasey Of the
Topeka insane asylum, in trying to ex-
plain his bad record says during the first
six months of his management of the
asylum, he only spent $3.50 Of the states
money IN trying to capture escaped
patients, but he neglects to say that four
insane patients who escaped during the
last few months, are still ct large
DR.. McCasey attempts to show that he
has been saving the states money, while
under DR.. Eastman's administration
about $500 was expended during the
preceding six months in capturing es
capped patients
DR.. McCasey has not used the money
the state allows him for the capture of
escaped insane, but Patients Maxwell,
RAIDER, Alderman and BlOomer have all
escaped and are still at large, and DR..
NcCasey Is making no effort to capture
them. OF course it is easy to save money
where his patients are allowed to escape
and overrun the state.
One of these escaped patients, Aczer-
man, Is a penitentiary convict who was
brought from the state penitentiary at
Leavenworth for treatment Alderman
escaped in June. but DIR. McCasey has
made no effort to have him brought back.
IL any Of these escaped patients should
commit any 0utrages, such as destroying
either life or property. the state viii be
held responsible 1t would be more to
DR.. McCasey's credit il he shonld
spend some Of the states's money
in capturing these crazy people
and put them back in his institution
where they belong.
DR.. McCasey has only spent $3.50 Of
the states money in trying to capture
escaped patients, but he compelled
Attendant DOlan a few weeks ago to pay
$50 out of his meager salary, the ex-
pense incurred in trying to locate aud
capture one Of the escaped patients,
man by the name Of BIOOmer-
The mismanage of the asylum
under DR.. McCasey is serious business,
and people who have friends in the in
stitution should understand how thor
oughly unit McCasey is for the position
he holds
The facts have just come out in regard
to the suicide of the two patients last
spring.
Dr. McCasey in his work of reform
after he took charge Of the asylum had
visiting ward, changed into a hospital
ward. In this improvised hospital ward
he placed Mrs. Swanson an insane woman
from Mcpherson county. who was only
IN the ward few days until
she was found hanging one
morning suspended from the ceiling
When the ward was fixed up for hospi-
tai purposes DR. McCRsey neglected to
have row Of strong curtain hooks re-
moved from the ceiling. and it was from
one of these hooks Mrs. Swanson was
found hanging. Had there not been
such 4 clean sweep of experienced at
tendants the more experienced ones
would have taken note of these hooks
and they would have been removed. Old
hands at an insane asylum have their
wits sharpened by dealing with the in
sane. Therefore the making of sudden
changes Is 50 much more to be censured.
When Banker J. Flora OF Linn county
suicided at the asylum last spring there
was great indignation expressed among
the friends OF Br. Flora that he
should be allowed to commit suicide
when Mrs Flora was paying
for a private attendant to care for her
husband When Banker Flora was tax
en- to the asylum, Mrs. Flora made ar
engagements to pay all the expense Of his
care, and he was placed in q double room
with private attendant who was to be
with him constantly.
DR.. McCasey kept Mr.. Flora in the
double room awhils, but afterwards trans
ferred him across the hall to a small sim
gle room where he had to be alone at
night and where he killed himself
People who have friends in the insti-
tuition have no guarantey that they are
being properly cared for.
Governor Lewelling and the state
board Of charities owe il to the people Of
the state to get McCasey out Of that in
stitution 1t once. It - too big for a man
OF his caliber4