The record-union., 1898-07-20
The SCANDAL AT AGNEWS.
LUNACY COMMISSION WILL IN
VESTIGATE 1T.
Nearly $4,000 Covered Into the
State Treasury for Support
of Patients.

Ihe State Commission in Lunacy met
IN the superintendent office yesterday
morning, there being present Secretary
VI state Brown, DIR. F. w. Hatch, Cen
eIai superintendent of State Hospitals;
Dr. w. T. Mathews, Secretary of the
state Board of, Health, and j. c. Cor
HdH, secretary of the State Board of
Examiners.
secretary of State Brown has deter
mined, If possible, to cause an investi-
cation of the recent alleged scandals
at the Agnews State Hospital to be in
Vestlgated, and with that view, intro
ouced the following preamble and res
olution:
Whereas, The statutes of 1897, page
oll, approved March 81, 1897, entitled
An Act to establish a State Lunacy
Commission etc, provides, under Sec
ton D, Article IL, of said Act, the
following, viz:
Section ). Each Board of Managers
shall continue to appoint, for its hos
pltal, as often as vacancies occur there
in.
I. A medical Superintendent, who
shall be a we'll educated physician, a
graduate of an Incorporated medical
college, of good moral character and
experience in the care and treatment
Of the insane. The medical Superin-
tendent, and all the assistant physi
clans, of the homeopathic hospital for
its insane, shall be homeopathic physi
clans. Its Superintendent shall be a
well-educated physician, a graduate of
an incorporated medical college, of
good moral character, and who has had
not less than three years experience In
the care and treatment of the insane
in hospitals for the treatment Of the
insane
Whereas, Judge Albert G. Burnett,
Judge of the Superior Court of Sonoma
County, acting by request as the Judge
of the Superior Court of Mendocino
County. rendered a decision in the case
of the People of the State of Califor
mia, on the complaint of w. y. Moore,
plaintiff, vs.. E. w. King. defendant
said case being an action involving the
right of f. w. King, NJ D.. to hold the
position of superintendent of the Men
docino State Hospital for the Insane,
in place of w. n. Moore NJ D., who
was elected by the directors of said
hospital superintendent thereof, in
place of said DR.. f. w. King, and said
King refusing to retire as Superin
tendent from said State Hospital, be
cause Of the lack of experience of said
DR.. Moore in the care of the insane,
holding that the act of said directors
in the election of said Moore was, lille
gal, per said Section >, Article H., of
said Act, to establish State Lunacy
Commission, said court decision was as
follows viz:
AS to the qualifications of relator
there is no doubt that he is an able
physician and of good moral character.
In fact, that is admitted l do not
think, however that he has had the
experience in the care and treatment of
the insane which is required by the
statute. His experience has been that
of a general practitioner. He has treat
ed quite a number of cases of mental
disease, but no more, probably, than
the average physician. / think it was
the intention of the Legislature that
the Superintendent should have special
training and experience in the care and
treatment of the insane for full three
years. Hence my conclusion is that
the relator has not had the experience
and is not qualified as required by the
statute.
The foregoingis my deliberate judg-
ment upon the questions submitted for
determination.
- The defendant is entitled to judg
ment for his costs.
1T is so ordered. (Signed) Albert
c. Burnett. Judge of the Superior Court
Of Sonoma County, acting by request as
the Judge of the Superior Court Of
Mendocino County"
Whereas The Board of Managers of
the Agnews State Hospital for the In
sane elected Dr. f. NJ. Sponogle Su-
perintendent of said insane hospital;
and
whereas. Said DR.. Sponogle had less
than six months experience in the care
Of the insane as provided by law; be it
Resolved, BY this Commission in
Lunacy, acting in good faith and sworn
to obey the laws of the State, that
the legal right of DR.. F. NJ. Sponogle
to serve as Superintendent of said
State Hospital at Agnews, Cal, and
the right OF this commission to recog-
nize the official action of said Dr. F. NJ
Sponogle (Which cannot be, if his ap-
pointment should be determined ille-
gaD be referred to the Attorney Gen
eral Of this State for opinion"
DR.. Mathews and Secretary German
opposed the resolution and after con-
siderable discussion the following COM
promise resolution was adopted as an
amendment:
lLeSOtNed, 4 nat llle ocCietdts " 80
structed to write to the honorable At
torney General and ask his construc-
tion of Subdivision /, Section D. Art-
Gle IL, of the new State insanity law,
approved March 81, 1897. especially as
TO whether the medical Superintendents
under that section must have three
years experience in treating insane
cases in the State hospitals for the in
sane"
on motion of Secretary Of State
Brown DR.. Hatch and Secretary of the
Commission, Carrere, We're authorized
to enter into negotiations with the