The Portland daily press., 1898-08-17
ALDERMEN WON'T sign.
Question About Commitment Of an
Insane Woman.
HOME FOR AGED WOMEN WILLING
TO PAY HER BOARD.

Another Prolonged Session of the Alder
men-Board Votes to Grant Petition,
Then Reoonsiders and Tables the Mat
ter-WIiling to Settle with Messrs.
Findley and Johnston for $4,000.
Ihe alderman were again in session,
yesterday afternoon, clearing up the odds
and ends left over from Monday nights
meeting. For two hours they sat in their
seats and assisted the member from Ward
8 in conducting the business on hand. :
The first matter considered was q
petition for removal to the insane
hospital at Augusta of an inmate of the
Home for Aged Women, and the pith Of
the question which precpitated the board &
discussion of her case was whether her
life mem bership in the home, which had
been fully paid when she entered that in
stitution did not entitle her to remain
there, in spite of her loss Of mind, and
whether the home should bear the full
burden of expense of her board at Au-
gusta.
Miss Frances n. Way, tine matron OF
the home, and Miss McCobb, representing
the board of managers, were there, to
give testimony in the case. The matron
said that three physicians had adjudged
the party insane. Her loss of mind was
undoubtedly this result of extreme age.
At times her insanity takes an almost
violent turn; sometimes in the night, I'M
less restrained, she goes down stairs,
opens the doors or windows and makes
outories that disturb the inmates Of the
home and the neighborhood. 1t requires
much of the attention, and strength of
the night nurse to care for her.
eff she should recover would you be
willing to take her back at the homer'
asked Mayor Randall.
Certainly replied Miss McCobb.
"The home also expects to pay her board
at Augusta, at the same rate the city
would pay if she were not an inmate Of
the home.s"
Alderman Mannix-"Did you ever
have previous case Of this nature at the
homer"
Miss McCobb-"We did, few years
ago. There was a case Of insanity in the
home and it was disposed of in manner
similar to that proposed in this case. =
The Mayor-"So when lady goes to
the home, with her tuition paid for life,
she is permitted to stay only on condition
Il ,,+ dor,ooptod 9S3
Miss McCobb-"We have no provision
at the home for taking care of person
violently insane.
Alderman Mannix-"Have you. con-
sidered the ACCESSIBILITY of sending her to
private asylums"
Miss McCobb-"We have talked over
that matter, but we knew of no private
hospital where she would receive such
good care as at Augusta. -
Alderman Rounds-"In other words,
then, it was matter of dollars and cents
was it not9"
Miss McCobb-"It was not a question
of money. The home expects to pay the
expense of her keeping at Augusta. -
A nephew of the woman in question
was present, and he was asked by Alder
man Mannix if he was satisfied that it
would be for the best for her to be sent to
Augusta The young man replied that he
had not fully made up his mind in the
matter.
This brought Alderman Rounds to his
feet "You say you haven't made up your
mind whether it is best to send her to the
insane asylum" said he, "but you ex-
pect us to sit here and to decide, without
seeing the lady, what is best to do with
her."
board wanted to be sure it was taking
the right course before acting in the mat
ter; for it was not at all likely that
woman of her age, 76, would ever recover
from her demented condition.
Alderman Rounds Endorsed this state
ment of the Mayor, and added that the
case was very different from most insane
cases that come before the board.
DR.. Cummings took occasion to remark
that the nephew had acted in good faith,
and was anxious to do the best possible
thing for his aunt 1t would sbe better
for her to go to Augusta than to remain
at the home. The managers of the home
had considered the matter very carefully
and fully before coming before the board
to request her commitment.
Alderman Dow moved that the petition
for the woman's commitment be granted.
The motion was seconded by Alderman
Smith, and the vote passed. The two
ladies', accompanied by DIR. Cummings,
left the room, surprising that the board s
favorable action was final, but a few
minutes later there arose another dis.
cussion oyer the matter, more earnest
than before.
1t was precipitated by Alderman Man
nix, who said he did not see how the
board could conscientiously sign the
usual form of commitment, making oath
that the party named had neither money
nor relatives able to pay her board at the
insane hospital. He also wanted to know
if the city would not be liable for ner
hoard at Augusta in case the managers