The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1899-06-07
SOME ONE TO BLAME.
The Manner in Which Body Was
Skipped to Friends by the
state Insane Asylum.

NE
The case OF the suicide of Miss Laura
Donaldson at the insane asylum laet
Sunday mo, ming, and her shipment to
The Dalles (Which was her home) on
the following day, has revealed to the
people of this city fact which was not
little surprising and caused much COM
ment in regard to the treatment Ore
gon's insane dead receive at the hands
of that institution. When officers of
such an institution are appointed to
these positions the state naturally sup
poses that they are possessed of at least
human instincts, which not only lead
them to care carefully for the living,
but to see that the unfortunate dead re-
ceive at least the meagerest attention
seem is not the case; at least in one in.
stance it has not been go.
Early Sunday morning Laura Donald
son, who was committed from The
Dalles about a year ago. committed
suicide in that Institution by tearing her
night gown in strips and making rope
out of the same, which she fastened to
the window guard, tied the other end
about her neck, and laying down upon
the floor, choaked herself.
Word was telegrapbed to Frank Men
efee, in this city, and he answered by
telling them to ship the body to this
place, supposing, of course, the remains
would receive such attention as the
exigencies of the case demand. We
know not what is considered the duty Of
the state IN such cases, but surely it
| must be that Oregon is expected to chow
more respect to her dead than was given
in the instance of the young lady
! mentioned. When the remains reached
here the undertaken was surprised to
find the coffin (pr box, for it was what is
| termed pauper coffin) had no outside
covering, such as collins are usually in
cased in. However, little was thought
Of that matter; but when Crandall
& Burget examined the corpse they were
shocked at the little attention which it
had received, having been what Ole
might term, thrown in a coffin, which
contained no lining and but very
email pillow, part excelsior and part
small blocks, with no appliances
such as are used to prevent the
body from shaking about. Worse than
all, the proper clothing had not been put
on the body, a night gown being the
only garment of clothing, AMI her hair
seemingly had not been combed for
fact her friends were not permitted to
zee her until robe had been substi-
tuted and che had been placed in a neat
coffin.
Presumably it was thought the coffin
would not be opened; but we're it not,
is this a fitting buriaI for any human
being, much less one who in her sane
moments was as refined a young lady as
could be found, and of more than ordi-
nary intelligence? Certainly the state
is not expected to bury it's dead in an
elaborate casket, but surely lining OF
Eome kind ehould be placed therein, and
.if not that, come wearing apparel should
cover the body other than a gown, and
the hair might be arranged or the body
placed so that it would not jo.t around
in the coffin. No pauper dead, nc
tramp, or even Indian, in Wasco county
ever receives such a burial at the hands
of tie county, and we sincerely trust
and must say believe, this is an ex.
ceptional case OF body being shipped
by the state in any such manner.
; Miss Donaldson was no pauper, but
; sufficient property was left by her father
; to give her a respectable burial, which
thanks to friends, she received. sh'
has large number of friends here wht
are juetiy indignant at the manner il
which her.remains were treated.
question just here suggests itself t,
everyone, il the dead receive such treat
ment, how about the living?
The CHRONICLE dislikes very much t.
, complain, but eurely something is "rot
! ten in Oregon" when such proceeding
. are allowed to go on within it's bounds
e ries.
: THE FRENcH-cLuFF WEDDING.