Evening star., 1899-02-01
INSANE ASYLUM ADMISSION.
The Act to Change the PrOceedinss
Signed by the President

President Mckinley has approved the act
to change the proceedings for admission tc
the Government Hospital for the Insane in
certain cases and for other purposes which
is measure of considerable local interest
The act, which became operative at once
provides that hereafter proceedings for ai-
mission to st. Elizabeths of INDECENT in.
sane persons residing in the District of Co
/ lumbia, Independent or pay patients admit.
LED under section 4So4 of the Revised Stat
Ttes. ana nonresident insane persons found
in the District shall be commenced bv nett.
ton presented in open court to the Justice
of the District Supreme Court holding q
special term for Orphans Court business
Inc petition must state facts necessary tc
admission to the hospital as already legally
provided and be signed and sworn to by
some responsible resident of the District
but snail not be filed until the court is sat
iSned as 10 the responsibility and residence
OF 'he person so signing and swearing
| Nhen hled a copy of the petition shall he
served on the alleged lunatic and another
| on the District Commissioners and a time
De EXed Tor hearing the application
Inc court Is required toIappolnt two OF
more physicians not CONNECTED with any
hosftai ior the Insane to examine ths
person alleged to be insane and testify as
10 MS mental condition, each of such nhy.
slc-ans to be paid a per diem compensa.
tion OF $40 by the District of Columbia. on
sne certiicate OF the court that his account
1or such service is just and correct Other
witnesses examined on such application
shail be paid by the District the fees anG
allowances prescribed by law for witnesses
summoned IN behalf of the United States
ana all other costs ofTthe proceeding shall
be paid by the District Itsis provided thai
In the case of independent or pay patients
the petition shallrhe signed by one Of the
nearest relatives OF such insane person, by
MS legal guardian, or by some friend, and
that all costs of the proceeding shall be
betrayed out of the estate of such person
and deposit shall be paid into court suffi.
clent to cover such costs; and the request
for admission to said hospital shall be
made within five days after the entry OF
the order of court
Ihe act further provides that the court
shall require the presence Of the alleged
lunatlc at the hearing of the application
unless for good reason it shall direct other
WISE by an order stating such reason, and
that the order of the court on the hearing
OF the application on the petition and evil
dence shall be made without an inqusition
by jury, and all the proceedings under the
petition shall be entered in the minutes of
the court
Section seven of the act provides that 1t
shall be the duty of the Commissioners of
the District soon as practicable, to re-
TURN 10 their places of residence or to their
friends all INDECENT insane persons not re-
sizing IN the District at the time they be-
came insane who are now detained in the
Government Hospital for the Insane or
VINO shall be committed to the said hospital
TO be temporarily cared for, as provided in
section forty-eight hundred and fifty of the
Revised Statutes of the United States, and
all necessary expenses incurred by the
Cotnnssloneis in ascertaining the locality
Where such persons or thair friends belong,
ana IN returning them to such locality shall
be betrayed by the District. The act re-
peais all provisions of law inconsistent
with it.