The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-03
LILLE PARKS RELEASED.
Attorney General TayIor's Action In
the Case-A Story.

"Of course there may be an explanation of
the Lille Parks case and of all the other
cases that have been brought to light re-
Gently in the agitation concerning the So
called insanity trust" said Attorney Gen
eral Taylor yesterday, but the city Board
of Health owes it to the city and TO the
members of the board to investigate this
matter and probe it to the bottom and do
so at once"
Mr.. Taylor has for some time been inves-
tigating the Parks case. being requested to
do so by a widow. a former client of his.
for whom Lille Parks worked as a domes-
tic before her Incarceration in the Contra
Asylum for the Insane. TIL Parks girl will
be remembered as a young colored girl
about sixteen years of age, who was taken
from her place OF service by officers, who
gave her the first notice she had ever re-
ceived OF an insanity inquest having been
held over her. When Miss ParkS'S en-
ployer placed the matter in the hands of the
attorney general. the latter at once called
up superintendent Edenharter, of the asy-
lum. over the telephone and asked him
about the gill. DR.. Edenharter said she had
been an inmate of the institution several
days and suggested that il might be a good
idea. inasmuch as she was incarcerated
upon a regular affidavit and after court
proceedings, 10 allow her 10 remain under
his care for thirty days in order TO permit
of a thorough test OF her sanity MT Tay-
Tor consented 10 this test being applied.
Yesterday afternoon he again called up
DIR. Edenharter and asked as to the Parks
girls condition. DR.. Edenharter replied
that he had discovered 70 evidences OF In
sanity whatever in the girl. Then she will
have to be released this evening" replied
the attorney general. for Mr.. Parks, her
father. has employed Samuel Ashby. an at
torney. to secure her release, and Ashby
will institute legal proceedings Tomorrow
II the girl is not released to-day"
RELEASED FROM ASYLUM.
The young girl was at once dismissed
from the asylum and returned to the home
of her parents. at 1918 Linden avenue. Mr..
Taylor holds both DR.. Edenharter and JUS
tice Stout entirely blameless in the Parks
matter. He thinks Stout has been imposed
upon and says that Superintendent Eden
harter could not do anything else than re-
ceive the girl when she was brought to his
Institution by officers armed with legal
papers made out In due form.
The records In the Parks case form decid-
edly interesting reading. The affidavit
upon which the insanity inquest was based
ton, an employee OF the City Dispensary.
In the affidavit Mr.. Clayton charges the
Parks girl not only with being insane. but
also with being immoral. e%pileptic and a
cocaine "nend." All these charges, ac-
corcing TO friends OF the girl. are abso-
lutely untrue. When the inquest was fin
lrICN NClN UCiCOllS 0AdlalltN lees al VII
nesses and otherwise, ten OF them being
connected with the City Dispensary. l.. III.
Hicks claimed fees for two days as a med
zeal attendant" J. r. Benham and NJ. O..
Devaney charged for two days each as
medical examiners" Harry \. Jacobs. NJ.
u. callam. c. NJ. Clayton. Elwood Gray. J.
II. Young, Thomas +. Delaney and Henry
Held charged each for one day as wit
nesseS. All OF the witnesses In the case
were for the prosecution and not a single
witness was called for the defense. nor
was Parks. the father of the girl or the
girl herself notified OF the tendency OF the
proceedings; although the prosecuting wit
ness furnished the residence OF the girl's
father In the affidavit.
Mr.. Parks said yesterday that when the
insanity inquest over his daughter was
finished the officers came first to the fam
fly residence In search OF Lille. When
they were informed that she was not at
home they asked for and obtained the
employed as a domestic. but declined to
state what was the nature Of their bust
ness with the girl.
ANOTHER PATHETIC CASE.
A case fun Of pathos was stated to the
attorney general yesterday afternoon.
When that official was busily engaged with
the Parks case he was interrupted by a
young colored man of bright countenancc
and neat appearance asking il he might
say a word 10 him. When permission was
given the young man proceeded 10 narrate
a story full OF interest and tinged strongly
with pathos. lie said that about ten or
twelve years ago he studied very hard
md his mind became a trife clouded from
sheer physical WEAKNESS. lie vas taken
10 tf- Insane asylum Tor a short time. and
ghen he became well physically mis- mental
strength also returned. The other day /
was walking along the street he said.
and one OF those fellows recognized me
and said: You had better look out or we
Rill have you back In the asylum. When
b fellow IL once crazy he Is always crazy.
gou know The poor young colored man
vas so badly frightened that he trembled
violently as he told his sto-y 20 the attor-
ney general Il know those people have
held some sort OF al investigation about
me" he said. and / IN trying 10 find out
where they held II and what they did. l
Just thought j would tell you about my
situation. SO If they 1erked me up and took
me 90 the asylum YOU would know whore
! was" The attorney general is thor
ouehiy aroused on toe subject OF insanity
fnQuests without notification % the defend
ant ana n outsDokesi IN his declarations
that he will probe 10 the bottom every case
OF a doubtful appearance that Is brought
to his attention.