The Washington times., 1902-07-15
35 Per Cent Increase in
Number of INDECENT In
sane in Three Years.
HEAVY COST TO DISTRICT
Suspicion in Official Circles That fjon-
Resident Clause of Present Law
Opens Way 10 Abuses-Cost of St
ElizabetI: Doubled Since 1899.

rapid increase Of insanity cases in the
District. This increase is not simply
the usual rate to be expected with the
increase of the population. but is al
most phenomenal, as The record for the
past yccr shows.
For four years now the spread OF In
sanity has been marked. Considerable
comment was caused 4 year ago, when
all previous records were exceeded. but
even this record has now been outdone
Ly the statistics just compiled for the
twelve months ended June 30.
Tho following facts have been o.
tained fronI The records Of 1901. by Mr.
A. .Leftwich Sinclair, assistant corpora
tioa counsel in charge Of lunacy cases
since the INDECENT insane act went into
effect N the District Of Columbia in
1888.
During the fiscal year ended June 90
last 336 persons were committed to the
Government Hospital Tor the Insane
froGi the District of Columbia. under
The INDECENT insane act During the
yea ended June 50, 1901, the number
was 2S3; during the same period 1889
1890 Il was "a, and during lS9S-lSs9 it
vas 217. The increase in three years
was - per cent. IN addition to those
committed under this act there were
others who we're sent over as pay pa
tient3.
The cost of lunacy hearings under this
law is greater than many persons, even
in the District of Columbia. imagine
ha
point two physicians TO examine each
patient and testify at the formal hear
ing. The statutory fee is $40 per diem
for each physician or $50 for each pa
tient. The fees of the clerk of the court
amount TO S.. There are always at least
two lay witnesses. receiving S1.25 per
diem each for their services. This makes
the minimum cost $3.50 for each pa
tient simply 10 get him into the asylum
The time and salary Of the law officers
attached to the municipal governmen;
is additional. and the maintenance OF
each patient after arrival at the asylum
costs SO 4 month. 1t is not uncommon
for fifteen persons TO be adiudged in
sane in week Scarcely a week passes
that someone is not brought before the
court 70 investigation. The last Con-
gress made a deficiency appropriation of
50, 500 to pay che fees of testifying ply
sicians The original amount appropri-
ated s1,500, was not sufficient.
The physicians are not always prompt
in presenting their bills. and only re-
Gently the auditor received from some
OF those who testified bills for services
seyeral years ago. There is no way in
which the amount OF outstanding ply
sicians' bills may be readily ascertained.
Failure of the Jenkins Bill.
On a basis OF $3.50 as the cost Of try
ing each alleged lunatic it cost, approx
imately. s9.2iO to commit the 1876 persons
sent to the asylum in the year just end
ed, in addition to the cost Of treating
and supporting them afterward.
Two years ago Representative Jen-
kins introduced bill in Congress which
received the Endorsement of the then
Commissioners and those who assail the
present method of procedure. There
was.an unsuccessful effort to have re-
turn to the old method of issuing writs
de lunatico inquirendo incorporated in
the new code. The jenkins bill pro-
posed the repeal Of all other lunacy laws
in force here and proIded for admis-
sion of INDECENT insane TO the Govern
ment asylum after jury trial upon petit
tion Of the Commissioners or other re-
sponsibIe persons. The bill did not
pass.
According 30 the present method In
the District a petition is first filed with
Sanitary officer Frank for commitment
of the alleged lunatic. For awhile police |
h.I nFf ho hrtef
of examining the patients and testify
ing before the court. The case is pre-
scented TO the Commissioners and
through their legal representative. Mr.. /
Sinclair. the formal petition to the
court is filed. The court then appoints
two physicians In each case, directing
them to testify wheE the formal hear !
ing IS had. There is no jury. and the
court exercises its own Judgment and |
discretion in d;sclsrging the defendant (
or committing him to the asylum. Prior |
TO the passage Of the act OF January 81, |
1899. INDECENT insane persons were COM !
mitted after trial by jury.
Mr. Duvall's Views.
Commenting upon the faults OF the |
present law, Mr.. Andrew .. Duvall,
Corporation Counsel, said:
"A person who is alleged to be OF un-
sound mind IS entitled to have the ques-
ton OF his sanity passed upon by jury
OF his countrymen- The ordinary mode
o; procedure in such cases both in Eng
land and the United States Is to issue
commissions out OF the court OF chanc-
cry or the court OF equity in the nature
OF writs Ge lunatico inquirendo. The
commissions are issued on petition ac-
companicd by AFFIDAVIT as 10 the truth
OF the facts. This mas been regarded as
tho only proper practice IN our own
Jurisdiction. In 1885 our court had be-
fore It q case involving the question ds
to what constituted due process of law
IN lunacy cases. and Mr.. Justice James.
speaking for the court. said that there
must be T. regular adjudication"
Cost Doubled Since 1899.
For the current fiscal year the ap-
preparation for the support OF INDECENT
insane from the District in the Gov
ernment Hospital for the Insane is s215.-
go. An additional sum of 81 900 is ap-
propriatcd for the return OF alleged
Junatics TO their homes in other States.
when possible. The ordinary procedure
OF commitment viii cost $4,000 more at
the most conservative estimate
over the 1ItDrOpriatiOn Z 1