The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-21

gesture She seemed appeased with a prom
some of my people would come to see me"
so do ]" chimed in another.
Then they began telling Mr.. Royster what
church. Every one of them seemed to have
the most implicit confidence in him. 1T WAS
Mr.. Royster this and Mr.. Register that
all over the building. IN this particular
ward one girl from her facial expression
apparently half Indian, took his arm con-
fidentally and said something. 'Oh, that
will be all right" he replied Remember
said the demented creature Il want a
change here" While this was going on an
other girl, more comely than some of the
rest, was gravely informing the reporter
that she was not insane II don't want to
be kept here with these weak-minded wom-
en- and idiots" said she. Il am not insane,
and they keep me shut up here to make
people think | am, Won't you get me out,
Mr.. Royster?" Mr. Register promised TO
has charge of the insane women, went about
seeing them comfortably housed after their
to have the most friendly feelings for her,
and she patiently listened they came to
her with imaginary troubles or simple re-
quests.
CRIB FOR VIOLENT ONES
TO the onlooker it appeared that it would
be most difficult to control this motley lot of
imbecile, insane or idiotic unfortunates.
without sometimes resorting to corporal
means The reporter was shown sort of
crib. made of stout wooden bars and pro-
vided with a wicker door. into which violent
inmates are placed when it becomes neces-
sary. Down in the basement of the building
are dark cells intended for the confinement
of violent patients, but it was ex-
planned that they are seldom used &
lighter form of punishment being provided.
The most severe thing, to the inmates, is TO
be locked in their own rooms and deprived
of the liberty of the corridor. Although all
the rooms have outside windows and are
sufficiently large, there is a horror TO the
inmates of being deprived of what company
they are accustomed to. Going on to the
fifth story of the building Mr.. Register ex-
htbited many rooms, each provided with five
or six single beds, in which the inmates
who are at liberty to move about at pleas
ure, live. The rooms were all provided with
outside windows that give light and Venti-
latlon, and the atmosphere is not so warm
as in the lower rooms, which are given over
to the decrepit and insane women. The
corridors are warmed by steam radiators.
Here, as in the lower parts of the building,
the cleanliness was almost oppressive Some
of the men are as ambitious as the women
flower pots, shelves with books and trinkets
not valuable to any one except the owners,
made some hooks brighter and less drear.
Perhaps the most desolate part of the
building is the ward set aside to the insane
men. There is large dining room, the ta-
bles in which are laid with tin cups, tin
plates-nothing else An attendant, a trusty,
was pouring molasses on each plate and
slapping down thick slices of bread beside
each plate and filling the cups with tea of
a Savory odor. Henry Anderson in charge
of this ward, said that the inmates were
given all they wanted of the diet. At noon
yesterday they had besides coffee and
bread, a generous supply of sauerkraut and
boiled beef. Beef cooked for them just
it is for u.s. explained Mr.. Andersen,
who went on to say that special delicacies
were provided for those who are not In
the best of health. When the supper was
ready sprightly inmate, who has repu-
tation of assaulting young girls when he
oh n Cr0f oh mo hCI M a
inmates hustled into their places. Several
had the savage, unkempt appearance some
times shown in pictures Of Anarchists. Each
dropped into his seat and began sopping up
the molasses with chunks of bread. At one
table were four negroes. One glared like
an animal and thrust great pieces of the
bread into his mouth, gulping it down with
tea. There was the remnant of man, tall
and gaunt, at one table. He talked aloud
hack and forth vigorously as he ate. THAT
will do Sullivan, eat your supper, from
an attendant. quieted him.
TRAGEDY AVERTED YESTERDAY.
There was a slight diversion for the in
sane men yesterday morning which came
near ending in a tragedy. The day being
bright and clear, attendant suggested to
the boys that it would be a good thing
TO go out for walk. They welcomed the
idea They were taken down the lane
half mile and were as delighted as school
boys after 4 o'clock. One of the men is
athletic, over six feet tall. and weighing
more than two hundred pounds-a man who
would be match for four or five of his
fellows, even if his nerves were not steeled
by insanity to abnormal strength. AS the
hilarious fellow wandered along, this man
came to the attendant and said:
Won't you give me a little smoking to-
bacco?"
Not to-day" was the kindly response,
but tomorrow" 1t is against the rules
g.. f@I@o H. 10 ffrr,
The man seemed satisfied. Everything went
well until home was reached again
Line up: single file. boys, said the at
tendant, intending to march them up stairs.
Suddenly with wild whoop. the big ath-
letic fellow made a dash towards the house
and began smashing in the window glass
with his fist, breaking the large panes in
three windows. The attendant started to-
ward him to demonstrate, when the insane
man suddenly attacked him, struck him in
the face, telling him to the ground. He
bounced down upon the PROSTATE man.
Three or four of the other inmates, less in
sane, came to the rescue and one would
have struck the assailant but was deferred
by a stern, Don't touch hm!" Almost
soon as the attendant was on his feet the
crazy mans fury had subsidized and he APP
peared to be quite startled as he came to
his feeble senses and glanced at his bleed
ing hand. The attendant said that no one
could tell at what moment there would be
such an outbreak.
This is not as pleasant an occupation as
f fbe n4 fe me e Ua and vet
somebody must care for these poor fellows,
must prevent them from injuring them
selves To the laynan it would not have
been astonishing to learn that it was occa~
sionally necessary to go among this savage
crowd with a club. But 1t was explained
that such severe methods are not necessary
and that it is but seldom that it is necessary
to subdue the insane inmates male or fe-
male, most of whom have been discharged
from aSylums for the insane as BILE,
by physical means. Once the attendants eS-
tablsh authority, it is respected, although
slant guard the lion trainers The at
moSphere was not so wholesome in this
ward as in other portions of the building.
About the big dining room were small rooms
partitioned off, without ceilings. Some OF
them did not have outside windows, but the
high. and windows We're set in far above
the floor. The floor itself was not so clean
as others, but this was explained by the
fact that the men had been out for walk
and had dragged in some mud, which had
not yet been mopped up. In this ward it is
the inmates. many of whom are too stupid
to perform the simplest duties. as in others.
Being in this state of mind, they are more
slovenly and less careful than are the de-
mented women, who even in their aff1ic-
tons, generally retain a love for order,
cleanliness and bits of finery. Every ward
is provided with bathrooms, and all in
mates are required to use them al least once
a week The trouble with some of them
arises over their antipathy to soap and
water. This brought on struggle with the
old woman in the insane ward who mag
ined that She had been breaking her arms
and legs
DINING ROOM FOR MEN.
The main dining room for the men is on