The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-09
The Old Law Gave SatisfaC'
ton and Worked Well.
TROUBLES OF NEW LAW
A Family Of Four Generations Spend
Summer together Or. Eilyson Re-
signs Passionate and Rev. j. n.
Newbil is Called.
lcn.o,,,,orh. 1,,moe.r,i.natch,

SOMOhN, SA.t Au6uSI o. io PiS"~''S
law governing the examination of per-
sons charged with or suspected OF IN
sanity is very unpopular In this section
OF the State, and Justly SO, because at
times and under Some circumstances 1t Is
imperative in the rural districts. 1t has
been pretty deliberately discussed here OF
late, and has called forth no little crit
.cism. The general tone Of the discussion
and drift OF opinion Indicate that the
next Legislature will be asked to repeal
this Objectionable statute and give some-
thing more adequate in its stead. For
many years the law provided that a com.
mission Of lunacy should be composed OF
three magistrates and one physician, and
that law worked SO we'll and met the
emergencies so satisfactorily that no OBJ
lection could be urged against There,
at least There being three or more JUS
ticcs Of the peace in the several districts
OF each county, 1t was never difficult to
assemble commission of lunacy at snort
notice. and, therefore. person charged
with insanlty could nearly always be
properly examined without having to be
confined in Jail until the requisite numper
OF officials could be procured.
PRESENT STATUTE.
That law was abolished q few years ago
and the present statute provides that
commission shall be composed or Two
physicians and one magistrate. In sec.
lions where physicians are very scarce ana
very busy, person charged with lunacy
has, to be kept In Jail for days, and some
times for weeks. before two physicians
ca n be gotten together to dispose OF the
case; and such confinement of an unfor-
tunate lunatic in a drcary rural. JAN
nearly always aggravates the malay ana
multiplies the mental and physical sui
fering and the expenses attending such
cases.
In this county great deal OF trouble
and Inconvenience has resulted from me
,nadeuuacy Of this new law. Time AFTER
time citizens charged with insanity have
had to be kept in Jail for days and days
because the circumstances were SUCH that
two physicians could not be gotten at
the same time. For some time there were
but two practicinG physicians IN TINS
county, and there are but three now, and
they are remote from each other; SO
that 1t is not often possible to get TWO
OF them together at one time.
DOCTORS CANNOT COME.
lunatic has been confined in the King
George Jail for some weeks past. await
Ing an examinat ton by commission. The
sheriff has several times summoned the
two doctors to meet. Each time one or
the other OF them obeyed the summons
and waited some hours at the courthouse
for the arrival Of the other: but It so
happened each time that one of these
medical men was detained by an emer-
gency case in his private practice-an
emergency which rendered 1t Impossible
for him to servo on the commission at
the time appointed-and up to several
days ago, at last accounts. the insane CIT,
izen had not been examined, and is still
to- toll har similar cases could
be cited 1t Is always easy to get three
magistrates and one doctor In case OF
lunacy, but hardly ever possible here to
get two doctors together for the purpose
at an appointed time. 1t can thus be seen
that the present law works hardshlps.
and that there are good reasons for the
criticisms called forth by this impracti-
cable statute. 1t Is regarded as next to
cruel to keep an insane person IN jail so
long before an examination can be made.
and yet it Is unavoidable here and where
ever physicians are so scarce.
FOUR GENERATIONS.
King George Is a close second to Neck
lenburg In the case of "hve generations
before one camera-"-the interesting pic
torial story Of the Hutchinson family that
appeared in last Sundays Times-Dispatch.
Entering the Sorrell home at this place
to-day. the visitor is greeted by four
generations-Mrs. Delphia Ferrall. her
daughter her granddaughter and her
great-grandcnildren. Mrs. Ferralrs daugh-
ter is Mrs. George w. Sorrell; her grand
daughters are Mrs. SorrePs daughters
Misses Alice and Katie Sorrell, Mrs. Lola
Purks and Mrs. Agnes Montgomery;-her
great grandchildren are Mrs. Montgonl-
ery's children. Mr.. and Mrs. George w.
sorrell, with their children and Mrs. Fer
rail-, (Afrs. Sorrell's mother). moved from
e1o II Vac 1,i, ,vtH T
fourteen years ago. They met with adj
mirable success, accumulated considera-
BILE property and educated their children
elegantly Several Of the children mar.
rled and are living in handsome city
homes of their own.
In the meantime, Mr., and Mrs. Sorrell
had their old home here remodelled and
converted into coy summer residence,
and every year the family, composed OF
four generations. as named abcVe, arrive
here about the LIST OF July. and spend the
summer amid the comforts ana !uSurles
of their ample rural home-unassuming,
unpretentious-a picture of happiness.
contentment and prosperity,
NEW PASTOR.
1t is reported that Rev. DR.. O. Ellyson
has resigned tho pastorate OF Oakland
Baptist Church, in this county. and that
the membership have extended call to
Rev. ]. II. Newbill. who Is said to have
rendered his resignation as pastor Of
Hanover Baptist Church at Edge Hill,
also in the county, short time ago.
Rev. II. r. Myers. of Philadelphia. Is
expected In King George to-day TO begin
a series of revival meetings at Potomac
Baptist Church, In this neighborhood, to-
morrow. Mr.. Myers preached at Potomac
a week last summer. and so endeared
himself to the King George people that he
was engaged then to return here this
summer and conduct the annual pre-
tracted meeting"
Mrs. Annie Z, Grgsby, who Is spend
Ing the summer here, and who went to
washington last Sunday to attend to some
business early In the week returned by
Potomac steamer yesterday,
Mr.. w, w. Mountjoy. of New York city,
arrived here this week to spend the sum
mer with his wife and son, who preceded
him to King George two weeks ago.
Misses Ellen Wallace and Lena Harr-
SON, of fredericksburg. are guests OF Miss
Flora Mason, at "Shelberne," the home
Of Judge John F. Mason. in this neighbor-
hood.