The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-14
IMPOSITION ON COUNTY
GRAND JURY FINDS INMATES AT
POOR FARM WITH RESOURCES.
Eighty Insane People There-A Bicy-
Gle Pump as "a Concealed
Weapon.

The county grand jury made a final report
to the Criminal Court yesterday, returning
a number Of indictments. But one was made
public, no arrests having been made on the
others. John Arthur was indicted for ut
tering forged check. 1t is claimed he
used the signature of J. w. Smith, former
treasurer of Hancock county. Arthur is a
farmer and lives near Philadelphia, this
State. The jury ordered the following pris-
oners discharged: Martha Names. grand
larceny; George Beard, burglary; Robert
Franklin, grand larceny, and Robert Green
baum, assault to rob. Greenbaum was ar
rested in the Union Station a few weeks
ago by Deputy United States Marshal Peck,
of Evansville, who charged that Greenbaum
had attempted to snatch his diamond pin.
The jury found no evidence to show that
Greenbaum attempted a robbery. He was
trying to catch a train and ran into Mar
shall Peck accidentally. The jury continued
for further evidence the following cases:
Catherine Tracy, false pretenses; William
Dickson, embezzlement; Henry Thompson,
assault with intent to kill; Irene Lindsey
and Alice Parker, robbery; Louis Lyman,
receiving stolen goods. During the term
the jhry examined 153 witnesses and re-
turned twenty-three indictments
On Thursday the grand jury visited the
Poor Farm and yesterday submitted a report
as TO its condition. The jurors found the
infrmary crowded, but the health OF the
inmates is generally good. According to the
report, there go inmates, fifty-four of
whom are women; of the total number Of
inmates, twenty-one are colored. There are
eighty insane in the inffrmary. Fifty of
these are confined in the insane wards. In
the report the jurors speak of several in
mates whom they believe the county is I'M
der no obligations to maintain. One of these
Is William M Gorham, who is said to be
lawyer by profession and who belongs in
Franklin, Ky. 1t seems that Gorham came
here early last year and was picked up by
the police while suffering from a long spree.
A commission sent him to the Hospital for
the Insane, and in September he was dis
charged. He again took to drinking and
was sent to the Poor Farm. The jurors
learned that GOrham is anxious to leave
and has written to Governor Bradley to
assist him. The courts attention was also
called to Frank Whilal another inmate,
whose home is in Warren township Whilal
Is an able-boded man and is said to be
tirst-class cabinet maker. He leaves the
PoorIFarm in the spring and works through
the summer. In the winter he returns to
inmate investigated by the grand jury is
Annie Corners, who was admitted to the
asylum in 1897 1t is claimed she is in good
health and is perfectly sane. 1t is said the
the government, and no one at the inStitu-
ton knows how the money is spent. "She
runs away occasionally" the report says,
''and gets on drunken Sprees. When she
tires of her debauchery or her money gives
out she returns and allows the county the
privilege of supporting her. We also be-
lieve there are other inmates in the insti-
tuition whose right to be kept by the county
should he investigated -