Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-19
Brought Here to Be Cared
for by District.
WORK OF DEPORTATION
INVESTIGATION MADE BY BOARD
OF CHARITIES.
State Boards Cooperate With Local
Observation-Disclosures of In
position by individuals.

careful investigation of cases sent to the
insane asylum at St. Elizabeth as District
charges to eliminate as far as possible
| those who are not properly entitled to sup
port at the cost of the District of Columbia
AS the result of these Investigations sew
eral patients have been transferred to the
independent or pay list. But the greatest
hardship in this connection arises from the
care of non-residents. Many persons classed
as cranks and dangerous persons come to
Washington to present some grievance to
the President or to prosecute imaginary
claims before executive departments: and
in numerous instances such people have to
be arrested and committed to the Govern
ment Hospital for the Insane. These peo-
pie are charged to the District of Columbia,
and it is the duty of the board to return
| them to their homes soon possible.
when their homes or places of residence
can be determined.
During the year ending June 80. 1902,
| thirty-three such persons were returned to
their homes or delivered to the public
thorities in the communities in which the
persons properly belonged. This work
was accomplished at cost of ST.
534.96, including the compensation of
vestigations and In accompanying pa
tients to their homes. The saving to the
District amounted to S5,I25.0f per annum
for maintenance. The board is making still
expects that at least twice as many per-
sons VIII be sent away as were sent last
year.
One Hundred-Non Residents.
There are still in the asylum more than
one hundred nonresident patients charged
to the District of Columbia, and many Of
these can probably never be returned to
their homes, because 1t is impossible to find
| any place in which they have a legal resi-
| 81, he, hoo, Is
the asylum for periods varying from ten to
twenty-five years owing to the fact that
until 1899 no provision was made by Con-
gress for disposing of such cases, and it is
practically hopeless to expect that many of
| them can be returned to their homes after
the lapse of such a period. The board or
charities, however, has succeeded in locat-
ing and returning to the places OF their
former residence several persons who have
been confined for periods varying from 1--WE
to thirteen years. There is a much better
chance of getting information concerning g.
person who has recently been committed,
and the board is now making Investigations
Immediately after the commitment of nom
residents, and frequently succeeds in haV-
ing the patients returned to their homes
within a few weeks after the date of their
commitment
Co-operated With State Boards.
In carrying on this work Of deportation,
the board has had the active cooperation
of the state boards Of charity and charity
organization societies in the various states
and cities to which persons have been sent;
and in several instances where persons
have been returned to a foreign country, 1t
has had the cooperation of the representa-
| tives of these countries at the embassies
and legations here in Washington. In one
instance a patient was returned to a for
eign country by the bureau Of immigration,
In accordance with the laws providing for
the deportation of immigrants who become
public dependents within specified period.
The list of states and foreign countries to
which persons have been sent includes the
following: Vermont, Connecticut, New
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware.
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ten
nessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama.
Mississippi, Florida, Ohio, Illinois. Michi-
gam Wisconsin, Kansas, Arkansas, Italy,
West Indies, Azore Islands. Germany, Swe-
den, England.
While the great majority Of these nom
resident persons come to Washington Of
their own volition, there are instances
where persons have been brought here for
the specific purpose of having them placed
in the insane asylum to be cared for at
public expense.
Instances Cited.
In one instance an insane man was
brought into the city by relative and sent
into a store to make a purchase. While
the man was in the store the relative dis
appeared and of course the man was ar
tedious investigation the board learned the
manner in which the man had been brought
here He was returned to the public author
tiles of the county in which he had a resi-
dence.
Another case is that of a woman who was
brought here by her brother. The woman
became violent at the depot and was ar
rested and taken to the police station,
where the brother stated that he and his
sister were simply passing through the city.
and that he would engage a room where
he could live until his sister became quiet.
With this explanation the man left the sta
ton, saying he was going to look for a
boarding house. He did not return, and his
sister was left a charge upon the conf
munity. After investigation to deter
mine her legal residence, the board returned
her to her home and left her in the hands
Of the public authorities.
The board recently returned a man to one
of the southern states, who had been In
the insane asylum for thirteen years. The
correspondence and investigation of this
case extends over period Of almost year
1t was finally learned that the man had
owned considerable property, and on ac-
count Of his absence, his wherea bouts being
unknown, his property was sold for taxes.
When the facts were explained to the
county commissioners, they agreed to ac-
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