Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-05
LUNACY PROCEEDINGS
CHANGE MADE IN MANNER OF
CONDUCTING THEM. -
Juries to Pass Upon All Cases OF Sus-
pected neutrality-suspicious.
Of Lunatics.

BY q provision inserted In the general
deficiency bill, approved yesterday, the
manner of conducting proceedings In GER
tain classes Of lunacy cases In the Distr1ct
of Columbia has been changed to very
material extent. The new law provides that
hereafter proceedings by the Commissioners
of the District Of Columbia to commit IN
digent insane persons, and insane persons
having violent or dangerous tendencies u
the Government Hospital for the lnsahe
shall be taken In the Equity Court anu
shall be In conformity with the law III
force here on the 18th day Of January, 1881
The act of Congress approved January 81,
1899. entitled IAN act to change the pro-
ceedings for admission to the Government
Hospital for the Insane In certain cases
and for other purposes with the exception
of section z, and all other acts or parts OF
acts inconsistent herewith, are repealed.
In other words, hereafter In all proceed
ings by the Commissioners or the Dlstrlct
Of Columbia to commit resloent lnulsv n,
insane persons to the Government Hospital
for the Insane it shall be the duty OF tne
United States marshal to impanel 1urles IN
such cases from the jurors In attendance
upon the criminal courts, who shall perform
such service in addition to and as part VI
their duties in the criminal courts. During
such time as jurors are not In attendance
upon the criminal courts, the marsnal may
In such cases, impanel the jurors In attend
ance upon the Police Court, who snail per-
form such duties in addition to and as part
of their duties in the Police Court.
One Section Not Repealed.
The section Of the act of January 81, 1899,
not repealed provides that 1t shall be the
duty of the Commissioners, SO soon as
practicable, to return to their places OF res
idence or to their friends all INDECENT In
sane persons not residing In the Dlstrlct at
the time they became insane.
The sections repealed include that which
required the court to appoint two or more
physicians, not connected with any hospdtai
for the insane to examine the person a.
legged in the petition to be insane, and tes-
tify as to his mental condition. each OF
such physicians to be paid per diem COM
pensation Of $40 by the District Of Column
bia.
The law of January 81. 1899. now repeal
ed, provided that the proceedings should be
in the Probate Court, and that the evidence
should be made without an inqufsit1on by
jury.
Marshal to Preside.
The United States marshal, instead Of JUS
tice Of the District Supreme Court, will pre-
side at the hearings hereafter. 1t Is explain
ed that the new manner of procedure will
result in a big saving to the District. espe-
clally in physicians fees. Private physi-
clans now testifying by reason Of their pre-
vious attendance upon the person alleged to
be insane will be entitled only to the usual
witness fee of SIPS a day. Police surgeons.
physicians to the poor and all other physi.
clans in the employ of the District, or of
the United States who may be called as
witnesses in INDECENT lunacy cases will re-
ceive no compensation for such service ad-
ditional to their regular salaries.
The law just repealed was considered I'M
constitutional by large number Of men,
bers Of the bar, for the reason that it de-
prived the person whom it was sought to
have committed to the insane asylum OF
the right to trial by jury.