Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-10-19
HOME FOB lNCURABLES.
Charges the Present Management With
Neglect and Brutality SERIOUS AIie-
cations Made In an Address he
fore the w. g. TT
fore the w. g. Y. U.

EIkins, W. Va, Oct. 16 A great
deal of interest and comment have
/ been created here and throughout this
section of the state by an address de-
liiyered before the state meeting Of
the W. g. Z. H., on the evening OF
Oct. 10th. by Mrs. Mary jackson
Ruffner, of Charleston, founder of the
/ West Virginia Asylum for Incnrables.
/ II will be remembered that Mrs
Rusfner was very active IN securing
the appropriation forthe establishment
| of this Institution, which is located
at Huntington. and was president
and general manager of the institu-
tion from the time of founding uu
til few months ago, when she was
superseded by DIR. Guthrie. of Spen-
Ger, Roane county. formerly superIn-
Spencer.
Mrs. Runffer IN her ddress stated
in effect that her removal fro Office
had been brought about BY the perso-
nal direction OF Gov. White who left
Charleston and attended the meeting
of directors for tfat purpose. Not
one of the board Of directors Mrs.
Ruffner stated bad ever spent en-
hour in the home for incnrables before
they were appointed, yet the manage
ment of the institution was taken out
Il fsfF he he, lie ftf oa hoA
ed aud built it up and tur ned over TO
entire strangers who promptly INSTALL
ed an entirely inexperienced superin-
tendent. The address contained a
8 nr mber of references to what seem 10
be we'll authenticated cases of neglect
and Jlltreatment on the part of the
new officials of that instutit ution.
In one case Mrs. Ruffner stated til 1t
DR.. Guthrie rudely and roughly re-
pulsed little cripple that crawled
up to him and asked for a penny. A
number of helpless little boys it was
charged were housed in the basement
Of the old building, which was
very damp and unwholesome place.
At DIght these little fellows, all SIT
re ing from somo incurab g trouDle,
are locked in Their cellar wards, with
no supervisor or attention, except
such as is furnished by the night watch
man. Under such conditions incur
ables were not likely to last long.
She also added that these patients
were never allowed outside The con-
lines of the back yard, and were never
given outside air and exercise. such
as they had had under previous man
agement. The particular case OF a
blind idiot, was referred TO bv IS.
Ruffner. This little unfortunate, she
i charged, is kept on the cement floor
fl ON morning till night, With only
few rags to cove his pakedness. An
old woman, Aunt Nancy. aged 105,
who had been sent to the home from
Marion county, had been annoviug,
and DR.. Gutherie had her adjudged
insane, and sent her to the Jail at
| Hon tington, where she lay ten days
before being removed to The asylUm.
Mrs. Ruffner then referred to the
case of an eplieptic woman. whom, she
charged. was cruelty punished by at
teudants because she ran away, one
sitting on her head, and another on
her feet, and both beating her. A
number of small children, she also
charged, had been placed IN straight
jackets, and others were cruelty
handled. A little imbeclle child,
Elizabeth Cooper, had been kept
sitting on the side of the bed, with
mosquito bar over her, ard when seen
by an eve witness her legs were blue
Mrs. Ruffner also charged that DR..
Guthrie and his family had appro-
prIated to themselves u large porOon
of the best part of the building, aud
that considerable sum was spent in
this IN amer, which should have been
used for the benefit of the inmates.
Mrs. Ruffner stated that Que Of the
arguments that had been used TO
b ring about her removal, was that a
man was needed at the head of the
institution, so that its work might be
increased, and the number of inmates
would grow to $50. AS a matter of
fact only 40 patients have been re-
ceived since the new management too4
charge. Mrs. Ruffner concluded her
address with an eloquent and pathetic
appeal to the members of the w. OF.
II. to agitate against continuance
of the present management of the
! home for incurables.