The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-07
JERSEY ~CRAZY FARM"
oUr-oF-DooRs WORK CONSIDERED
A GOOD TONIC FOR THE INSANE.
Manner OF Employing the Inmates OF
h Neutrality-suspicious. of u
Friendly Intruder.
Philadelphia Times.

Two miles removed from the heart OF the
pretty little city of Trenton, the capital Of
the no less picturesque State of New Jer-
sey, situated on the east bank Of the Della
ware river, is the State Asylum for the In
sane. Here substantial brick buildings serve
as a haven for hundreds bereft Of mind and
reason, and surrounding them, no less a
part OF the institution. are extensive farm
lands under full cultivation. The various
crops, from the time OF seeding to the time
Of harvest, are cultivated and gathered for
the most part by the inmates, who are
given this simple employment for the dual
purpose Of lifting from their minds the
morbid mania that is weighing them down,
and at the same time to encourage self
volition and action in a set direction.
The asylum is one of the attractions for
visitors to the Jersey capital, and the
Crazy Farm" as it is styled, is fruitful OF
many amusing incidents, which, in not a
few cases, have caused the hair Of over
credulous. intruders to stand on end. And
then, too, a seemingly trifing reward Of s.
offered by the State for the capture and
return OF an escaped ward has been known
to result in the serious discontinue of
strangers whose actions suggested to the
reward-seekers that their mental poise was
Aot just AiohC oAAQ lIdl tnCy ClC ID
escaped from the State Asylum. The meth
DDS employed in the management of de-
mented men who work in the fields are also
interesting, as is the manner in which the
unfortunates take to the tasks assigned
them.
From twenty-five to fifty of the inmates.
who work in the fields, are intrusted to the
keeping of a guard, otherwise known as
the keeper" who is held rigidly RESPONSE
BILE for their safe return to the institution.
In the event of any of those in charge OF
the guard escaping, a fixed fine is imposed,
which he is required to pay, provided he
cannot show that he is entirely ~guiltless of
neglect In every way. His only assistants,
as he goes into the fields, followed by a
crowd of irresponsibles, are two or three of
the inmates of the asylum, who have
reached an advanced stage OF improve
ment, and who are deputized to assist in
looking after their less fortunate associ-
ates. Not the least interesting feature of
the guards dealings with those III his
charge is the way in which he interests
them in their duties and keeps them going
in the discharge of them. For instance,
when planting. corn. or in the discharge Of
any other work, he invariably applies him
self to the task first. in order to set an ex-
ample, which. except in rare cases, is fol-
lowed. In the pursuit OF the days work the
guard always keeps well in advance OF his
w~eak-minded imitators, who follow in his
wake, working by example, as it were. The
men. as may be expected, have little or
nothing TO say to each other while working
side by side in the fields. but are ever ready
TO engage In conversation. In their gibber-
ish, silly way, with the head guard or a
stranger. What they like the least is the
company of each other, being just the re-
verse OF the healthy-minded person In the
matter of social intercourse. As their minds
grow stronger, however, they are drawn
into more friendly relations with each 9TH
er.
The least friendly encouragement a kndly
smile or word from a stranger is SUFFICIENT
to draw out the greatest amount of cor
diality and hospitality they have in their
meagre store. Suddenly, however, like the
| pail Of a cloud after bright sunshine. a spell
seems to come over them and they become
as churlish. morbid and ugly as they have
been open and frank
AN INTRUDER'S EXPERIENCE.
Not long ago. it is related, a stranger
from the West en- route to New York.
stopped over IN Trenton for a short So
journ, and while there awaited himself of a
visit to the asylum. which, withal. is one
OF the most superbly conducted institutions
of it's kind to be found anywhere. On a
bright sunny morning when shad fishing
was at it's best. he sauntered up the east
bank of the Delaware due north from the
city and was soon deeply interested in the
fishermen on Whites island, who, with "A
drag net. were landing scores OF shad. just
opposite were the buildings OF the asylum,
while in a field Immediately adjacent were
half a hundred men. white and colored.
planting corn. Some shamb.ed, others
limped, and all looked melancholy, and
wore varied meaningless visages.
A few INQUIRIES deepened the strangers
1 III Ief6St, as ne W&IcncQ the mOllCY lraln lCi-
low the freshly furrowed rows, some drop
| ping the grains of corn and others drawing
the soil over them with their hoes. He ven
tured. into their midst, while many yards
ahead the guard plodded along. His pres
ence quickly attracted the riyeted gaze OF
those about him..
Soon there came out of the crowd a man
perhaps twenty-five years of age, with
a s~unken. expressionless c~ountenance, who.
confer. others did the same and in a short
time all OF the implements lay on the
"a 1o sbSat- daee ' FASHION on s as tho9eh a each mere nem:
eager to get the nearest.
The man with the sunken face who
reached the stranger first wanted tobacco.
and then in chorus the whole of them de-
manded tobacco. Soon the supply Of the
generous intruder was exnaustea, ana those
at those who were more fortunate. Angry
chances were exchanged and there were in
coherent mutterings Which BODIED not well
minded recalcitrants lowered closer about
him, and what he at the outset had regard
ed as a diversion he came to consider a
serious matter. Out of the conglomerate
human mass again came the sunken-faced
creature. looking more CHASTITY, and now
as he looked him straight in the face, a
mad mania seemed TO fit at intervals over
the CLASSY surface OF his eyes.
The frightened man, now captive and at
the mercy of lunatics, stood tremblingo and
pale as death. He attempted to withdraw,
but the sunken-faced b~esieger. more per-
tol1At sAe&@s 6I.&t
at every movement he made.
LUNATICS SEND MESSAGES.
d you know who ! ann" asked the
sunken-faced one in the rasping voice of
a maniac. I'm a ~prize-fghter and John
L. Sullivan is my friend. 1 want you to
take a message to John for me-. Tell him
I'm here and want him to come and get
me out"
Then another of those who stood near
the sunken-faced man sought TO send a
message to his sweetheart, who he said
was married, but he knew she loved him
still and would come TO him il she only
knew where he was. A devout man among
the number said something about the de-
struction of the world, when he would walk
as a disciple of Christ. A bronze-complex-
toned Russian interrupted the religious man
to say that he was the real Car of Russia
and that the present ruler was an impustor
and had cheated him of his rights I'm
rule yet,' he declared, as he swung his
long arms in the air. The most composed
of the maudlin assembly was an aged man,
physically broken, whose shaky voice could
hardly be heard as he told Of bis
ships that were to come in laden with
ca-goes OF diamonds, gold and silver.
At this j~uncture the chief guards assist
ants appeared on the scene and &c the din
ner hour had arrived, directed the men to
come with them This announcement came
as a relief TO the stranger, but he was not
q n Fortunate nc no anfioiDare6 As the