The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-27
AN APPEAL IN THEIR BEHALF BY STATE
BOARD OF CHARITIES.
A LACK OF ACCOMMODATIONS
For the Proper Care OF Many of This
Unfortunate Class of Our Population.
Suggestions for Improvement OF
Present Some Statistics
by the Board The Murderer Jones to
Make a Statement Ex Lieutenant
Especial to The Messenger)

Raleigh, n. c., March 24.-Today the
ueai to the people of North Carolina in
behalf of the insane who are now
without hospital care in the state. The
facts to which public attention is thus
directed have been definitely Gscar-
tanned. In Morganton hospital there
women's department is full with 144
applications up to June 1st, and only
seventy-twO could be admitted. By
September the rejected number was 108.
There are AS patients in Goldsboro
hospital. 1t is overcrowded, and there
are 412 patients in the Raleigh hospi-
tai. Additions to the buildings give
room for 440. The superintendent of the
western hospital presents reasons for
believing that at least 500 insane are
now uncared for in the western dis
trict, 300 of whom should be in a hos
pita1.
The board of charities finds there are
10 white and Sc colored insane in
county homes, also 64 white and SO col
ored epileptics, SO white and 81 colored
idiots, while in jails there are II white
and negroes insane, IL white and one
negro epileptics, 2 white and negro
idiots and in private care 14S white and
As negro insane, "A white and 3 negro
epileptics. AZ white and Is negro IDIOTS
total mentally insane, 527 white, 23s
| colored; grand total 766.
The board says the number repre-
sented in private care is very greatly
| less than the actual truth.
The board urges the building OF mex
| pensive cottages at asylums for colo,
| nies" of insane, in q mile or two OF
the present institutions.
The cost of the Raleigh and Morgan
| ton hospitals is about 5000 a bed and o.
the Goldsboro hospital $500. The aver
| age throughout the United States j.
about $1,000 bed. Cottages on the col
ony plan at Morganton cost but 5000
| bad.
The board says: I'VE do not dwell
upon the possibility of being subjected
| to the lash of a brulal Jaiior for an un
| conscious offence or of penning an(
| feeding like wild beasts at a so-callet
home, instances of which were lait
| before Us. Humanity shudders a
| the reflection that such things exis
in this state. But the people are en-
| titled to know the whole. The dark
| est element is contained in the fac
! that of los single women in Inorganic
| hospital p were debauched and man
of these had illigitimate children. Som
+. of these were respectable before bein,
! Victims
The board urges enlargement q
! Goldsboro and addition of lands 70
, cottage system at Raleigh.
| The board calls on the governor o
the state, the judicial officers. count
boards of visitors, Legislators, count
| officials and the press and on ever
! good citizen to aid these unfortunat
| insane.
/ EX-Lieutenant Claude Brough htor
| of the Raleigh Light Infantry, Compa
| ny B, Third regiment, charged wit
| ehmbezzlement of county funds las
| autumn, returned today and was i'm
| mediately arrested. He failed to appea
| at the last term of court. He mad
| strenuous efforts today to secure bal
| but failed. He is a brother of Re,
Len. G. Broughton, the sensationa
! evangelist.
Tom Jones, the negro in Jail her
| who murdered Ella Smith and five q
her children, says he win tell his stor
in court. 1t is said he believes that b
confession he will escape the gallow.
| Governor Russell pardons Williar
Desern, convict from Durham county
serving twenty-five years for burglary
He had served five years.