The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-24
ANNIE HANSON SO WELL BE-
HAvED SHE WILL BE SENT
TO ALMSHOUSE
JOHNSON TO BE EXAMINED.
THE CASE OF THE TWO DE-
MENTS
TURNED BACK ON THE COUNTY.
The Man to Be Taken Before Pro-
bate Judge for Dismissal or
RecOmmi tment.


board of county commissioners yester-
day, at which the question of what dis
position should be made of Ole John
son and Anna Hanson was considered.
They are the aged couple who were re-
turned to Ramsey county from the in
sane asylum at st. Peter, last Tues
day, because they were mot fit sub
jects to be treated in an insane asy-
lum.' Mayor Doran presided at the
session, and the board of control was
represented by Director Edward H.
Judson and Secretary o. J. Tong. Dep
uty Sheriff Robert appeared for Sher-
III Wagner, and County Attorney An
derson was on hand to furnish the COM
missioners with legal advice on ques-
t1ons raised as to the countys respon-
sibility in the matter.
Chairman Doran stated that from
What he had learned about the cases
and the law under which the infirm old
people had been dismissed from the
asylum, the county would have to take
some action for their care. He asked
MI. Judson if they could not be provid-
ed for at the, poorhouse
That institution is wholly unfit for
1mbeclles," replied the director. NO
pody IS employed there to care for such
people, and unless Johnson and the
Hanson woman are able to wash and
dress themselves and otherwise provide
for their own wants. l cannot figure
how they could get along at the poor
house."
Il understand that both of these neo-
pie can attend to their own wants ("
arroic crin
nave peen we'll trained during their
years OF incarceration at st. Peter
wen, from what I have learned
ABOUT them" put in Director Judson
they would fare very badly at the
almshouse."
:. ou mean that there is nobody in
the poor house to watch over them:
70 go after them if they should take
T , rehcn leaVe OF the institution" que
ried Mr.. Doran
There is only one paid emplove to
look after the wards and the wants of
inmates, said Director Judson. ono
pody is paid to care for insane or i'm
pec1le persons, and I question whether
any OF the employees would assume
such responsibilities. This case thor
ougnly demonstrates how much Ram
sey county is in need of another ward
such people. AS the situation stands
1t would not be just to the other old
inmates to faust upon them people
VINO have been discarded from an in
sane asylum
But you could care for them tenn
porar1ly, could you not?' asked Com
missioner Moritz
Not If they are dement's; in fact, I
don't see how they can possibly be
received at the poor house They are
not ut subjects to harbor there. Who
knows whether they are harmless or
desperate people?"
The woman is harmless and we'll
trained" said Commissioner Quehl.
she hasn't spoken a word since she
came to the county jail. I don't know
anything about the man"
II talked with Johnson this MORN
ing" said Commissioner Kellermann.
He could not understand English very
we'll, but when I made it known to him
that he probably would go to the poor
farm, he frightened up and said:
Three meals?' meaning to ask, I take
it, if he would get three meals a day."
At this point the commissioners asked
that the couple should be brought be-
fore them and sent for City Physician
Ancker to examine them.
Deputy Sheriff Dahl appeared with
Johnson and the Hanson woman. ac-
companied by Matron Acres. Through
an interpreter Johnson talked quite
freely, but the woman, who is a little.
shrivelled-up character, could not be
induced to say anything. Johnson is
a powerfully built man, who stands
fully six feet high. He claims to be
sixty y-seven years of age, but his fea-
lures are remarkably well preserved
for one who has been confined in an
insane asylum nearly thirty years. He
said that he was born in Sweden, but
that before coming to this country he
lived for years in Norway He could
not recollect just when he was sent to
the asylum. After coming to the
United States he settled on a farm in
Ramsey county, near st. Paul, as a
laborer, but whose farm it was he
could not remember. He was taken ill
and brought to the city hospital from
which institution he was sent to ST.
Peter. He had no relatives that he
could remember-in fact, the most es
sential points about his past were a
blank to him. Johnson said that at the
ST. Peter institution he had worked on
the farm for years until recently, when
he served in the laundry of the asy-
lum. During his conversation with the
interpreter, DR.. Ancker observed john
son closely and also the Hanson wonI-
an. Matron Acres told him that the
the Jail, and that she had developed
ravenous appetite.
81 would recommend" said DR.. Anc-
ker. finally, that the commissioners
send the woman to the poor house.
She is apparently harmless, and I think
she would get along very well there:
But in Johnson's case I do not feel
like assuming the responsibility OF rec
ommending him to be sent there.
don't lile the mans nhvsiogornV Phys
ically, he looks to be powerful fellow,
and his head and features indicate to
me that he really is insane. He may
be desperate man, and if sent to the
poor house there is no saying what ne
might do to the other patients.
The board resumed its sitting and
agreed on Dr. Ancker's suggestion as
to the woman. Director Judson SAD ne
would have her transported to the aims
house this morning. 1t was decided
that Johnson should be sent to the pro-
bate court today on warrant charg-
ing him with insanity. After the hear
ing the man and the Hanson woman
were returned to the county Jail, and
under instructions from the commits
sioners Deputy Sheriff Robert sWore
to an information against Johnson.
His case will come up this afternoon
at 1:30 o'clock He will be examined
in his own language by two physicians,
and If he is declared to be insane he
will be sent to the Rochester asylum;
if found not to he insane he will be
set at liberty. Thus the county will
find a way to get rid of him, and as
one of the commissioners put II, es-
tablish precedent for the hospital
physicians in other cases of re-exam-
ination for the purpose of sending pa
tients back upon the county.