The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-18
New York Investieations.

Two of the great institutions of New
York, the state reformatory at Elmira
and the insane asylum of New York city
on Wards Island, have been under in
vestigation for some time. The chief
prosecutors in the investigations are two
newspapers, and they have handled their
cases well.
In the matter of the Elmira reforma-
tory, it is charged that Supt Brockwav
is one of the most inhuman keepers who
ever had charge of prison. He is &C
cused of acts of cruelty to helpless
prisoners that would shame a savage. 1t
is the World that makes the charges. On
the other hand, the Times and the Sun
defend the superintendent, and declare
that he is the greatest expert in the treat
ment of criminals in the world, and that
the institution he has built up at Elmira
is model reformatory, with a system as
near perfect as anything human can be.
Between these two extremes the truth
proba bly,. is to be found. 1t is acknowl-
edged that the reformatory is a great ad-
vance in the science of penology Mr.
Brockway's prosecutors have nothing to
say against the institution; they are
merely after the executive head of it.
The affair is under investigation by
commission appointed by the go vernon.
In the matter of the Wards Island asy-
lum, the Herald charges that the poor
victims of lunacy who are sent there are
fed with unwholesome and unpalat able
food, given in insufficient quantities; that
they are subjected to the caprices of
drunken, Indifferent or incompetent
nurses, and are confined as if they were
prisoners to be punished rather than I'M
fortunates to be incidentally treated so as
to effect cures. The buildings at the
asylum, it is said, are inadequate to the
| demand upon them, and the inmates are
huddled together in manner that is not
only unhealthtul, but scandalous. This
institution, like the reformatory at Ell
mira, is being investigated by a commits
sion appointed by the governor.
The two commissions have about com
pleted their laoors. Their reports will
be made direct TO the governor, and he
will submit them to the legislature at its
next session.
With these investigations, and the
Lexow, the Parkhurst, and the police in
/ designations, New York institutions are
| getting pretty thorough shaking up.
The populist legislature of Kansas at
its last session passed an act TO protect"
/ people who had to borrow money from
the rapacity of the money sharks" The
/ law gives borrowers an option Of two
/ years grace after the maturity of the
mortgages on their farms. The effect Of
the law, as might be supposed has been
directly opposite from what the populists
intended it should be. People who had
money to lend would not let il out upon
| such peculiar conditions unless they were
paid for the extended time, and cases are
reported where a bonus Of per cent. for
three years above the legal rate Of per
cent. year has been charged for loans.
/ Thus the borrower has TO pay 2 N per
cent. a year premium because Of this law
alleged TO have been enacted for their
benefit
The movement Of emigrants from this
country to Europe continues heavy. one
Of the big liners that sailed from New
York to Hamburg on last Thursday had
applications for 100 more steerage pas
sages than she is allowed by law TO
I