The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-08-11
SHAME AND DISGRACE.
Our Insane Share Fate of Common
CriminaIs-0reate Provision Need
ed for the Care of This Unfortunate
Class

ed for the care OF ! MS OnIOTtuHotS
Class.
''rhere are two insane men confined
in the county iailin Charlotte because
their relatives and friends are unable
to secure them entranceint the State
Hospital at MOrganton.
"a News man learned this morning
that repeated efforts had been made
to get these two unfortunates in the
State Hospital for treatment.
1.-THE reason given on every Occa-
sion was the Overcrowded condition
OF the Hospital and the utter impOs-
siblitv of increasing the present num-
Der of patients until this condition is
somewhat relieved. And, from the
present outlook, it will be some time
before this relief will come
SO says the Charlotte News, and
similar conditions exist i'll other
counties of the State Confined in
the common jail of Vance county to-
day, sharing the fate of Il common
felOn, is an insane man. He is ne
gro, but the State of North Carolina
owes it to he humblest one OF her
citizens that he receive better treat
ment than being confined in a COM
mon jail or county poor house when
oyertaken in this way-the mind de-
thrOned of reason. This man is not
violent and it is believed that if he
could receive proper treatment at
the Asylum he would recover. But
there is no room for him and he must
lie in jail because no better provision
can be made. He is an industrious,
hardwOrking man, Il worthy negro
and good citizen. But if he were
the sOrriest specimen OF his race, it
would not alter the question in the
least
The States obligation to its citi-
Zens is the same no matter what their
station in life or the color OF their
skin. And it is a shame and disgrace
to the State that such conditions
exist.
Col. Henry Perry, Clerk of the Court,
wrote to DR.. Miller, superintendent of
the State Hospital at Goldsboro,
and tried to get Lee Parham in the
institution. The reply, as was known
before, was that the Hospital was
crowded to overlooking and there
was but little hope Of early relief
from the unfortunate situation.
DR.. Miller suggested as the next
best thing to do under the circum-
| stances that Lee Parham be taken
from the Jail and sent to the County
Home, and, if necessary, Il special
nurse be employed to take care of
him and that the County Superinten-
dent of Health treat the case But
who is to pay for the special nurse,
and does not this man deserve better
treatment than the Superintendent
of Health could possibly give him?
We think so. And when Vance county
j. taxed to maintain the ji''Nt'"1 III
| StltutlOnS OF the State oI,a ahOuld not
he further taxed to support her own
insane-even if the county jail and
county poor house were proper places
for them.
The last Legislature repealed a law
of former session appropriating
] thirty thousand dollars for enlarge
ment Of the Goldsboro Hospital.
| Why this was done only the wiseacres
who did it know-if indeed they do.
Bet the next Legislature will have
sense and justice enough, we trust,
to be guilty OF no such niggardly and
inhumane spirit in dealing with this
unfortunate class of our people-the
most to be pitied and protected of
any class among us.
The GOLD LEAF goes upon record
as being everlastingly opposed to the
appropriation of another dollar by
the State for Observation-Disclosures in
buildings, equipment or the support
OF schools-or anything else, until
better provision is made for the in
| sane and our old soldiers. Nor will
1T endorse any mans candidacy for
| the Legislature who does not stand
on this platform.
If this be treason to the cause of
education orto the party, then make
| the most of it.
NOTE-Since the above was put in
type tits learned that another insane
| personal white man-has been put
in jail within the past few days. No
| room for him in the Eastern Hos
pital at Raleigh.