Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-11
IN PRIVATE ASYLUNS
Probably -Four Hundred Insane Per-
sons Confined Within Private
Retreats in Iowa.
The State Has No Law For Proper
Regulation Of These Insti-
tutions.
Opportunity For Abuse is Great and
Victims Helpless The Speak
ership Candidates.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Nov. HIT is probably
not generally known in the state that
there are four private insane asylums
in the state that have within their walls
about 400 insane persons. These insti-
tutions are located in Dubuque, Daven-
port, Council Bluffs and Iowa City. The
first two named have nearly $50 pa
tents each, the one in Council Bluffs
about 125 and the one in Iowa City only
twenty-five or thirty. There has never
been any trouble about these institu-
tions, no scandal or sensations have APP
peared in the newspapers, but there is
nothing to prevent such things except
the good character of the management
of the institutions. There is no law al
lowing the commitment of an insane
person to a private institution. There
is no law for the regulation of these in
stitutions, or for their adequate inspec-
ton. The board of control discovered
them in making their rounds of the
county insane asylums and found them
to be, apparently, fairly we'll managed
though there is nothing to compel them
to be so managed. There is nothing TO
prevent the incarceration of sane per-
son. providing his relatives and friends
wish him so put out of the way for
their own purposes. The situation Of
fers all the opportunities for outrages
beside which murder is tame and high
way robbery is play.
| Hardly any other state in the union.
it is said. is without the most stringent
| laws for the control of private insane
| asylums. The opportunity for abuse is
so great and the helplessuess of the VIC
| tim of such an outrage SO complete
| that other states where this subject has
been considered have surrounded these
institutions with the most rigid inspec-
| tion. 1t has not been done in Iowa,
merely because it has not come to light
/ and these Institutions have not been
| guilty of any wrong, at least no COM
1 plants have been heard. The legisla-
ture will probably give this subject its
attention this winter and provide for
4 the better inspection of all institutions
where insane persons are confined. The
4 laws are so severe against unlawful de-
tention in some states that private in
sane asylums re obliged to require bond
from the relatives of patients in sums
Ias high as $4,000. or more. that the pa
tient VIII not prosecute the institution
when he gets out.
The business activity in Des Moines
continues in full blast, and it surely
has not been retarded by the result of
the election. The new stores are now
all opened and filed with customers
buying iiberaly, and buying good
goods. The boom has reached the
newspapers, 100, ard has doubled the
advertising done by nearly all the biz
retail firms. Younkers have just moved
into their magnificent new store ana
the Harris Emery Company is doing q
big business in cramped temporary
quarters. while a new and finer store is
lof its old store. destroyed by fire. Pros
meets in the streets.
The speakership viii be the next
thing. The candidates mentioned as
likely to be in the race are: Col W. G.
Dows Of Cedar Rapids, p. L. Prentis OF
Ringgold counN. w. l.. Eaton of osage
ID. H. Bowen of Allamakee county
Fred j. Blake of Fort Dodge and NJ. L
Temple of Clarke county. Not all OF
Ithese are formally announced, but they
are the ones now being considered II
is interesting TO note that the Eight
and Fourth districts each have twc
| candidates 1t will be right Lively
contest before it is over. 1t has not yet
crystalized into form.
".<~ IN