Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-20
CASE To Be STUDIED
Proposed Release of Alexan-
der M. Willis.
MATTER Is REFERRED
DIR. WHITE CoNFERS WITH ACT
ING SECRETARY RYAN.
Condition of Veterans Confined at the
Government Hospital for
the Insane.
MATTER Is REFERRED

The matter of the release Of Alexander
Al. Willis from the Government Hospital
for the Insane on the ground that he was
not properly committed has been referred
TO the assistant attorney general for the
Interior Department for consideration
and report
copy of Attorney Duvall's opinion. as
printed in yesterdays Star, was received
at the Department of the Interior yester-
day, and Dr. William a. White. superin-
tendent of the hospital, had long con-
ference with Acting Secretary Ryan this
morning. The result of these conferences
was the reference to Assistant Attorney
General Campbell.
The question that has been raised is one
that will seriously affect the status of
600 or more inmates of the asylum, and 1t
is the desire of the hospital officials and
the officials of the Department of the In
terror to have the best possible legal
opinion in the premises. In the meantime,
It Is understood, the Willis case will be
taken to the Court of Appeals, and in
event OF an unfavorable decision from
that court will be taken to the Supreme
Court of the United States.
Practice for Many Years.
Just how seriously the matter of the re-
lease OF Willis Is considered by the gov
eminent can be judged from the fact that
for twenty-five years commitments to the
asylum have been made from soldiers
homes on the same basis as that under
which Willis committed. and that thou
sands of patients have gone into the insti-
tuition under the same circumstances. The
officials in charge of these people also an
tiCipate some trouble through the turning
loose of 50 many insane persons at one
time. This trouble will come to the patients
themselves In greater measure than to of
fiCials of the government. Every one of
the five hundred persons affected by JUS
tice Wrights decision and Attorney Du-
wallis opinion is insane. ii is declared.
Some of them are violently afflicted, some
of them with mild mania and some with
incurable dementia OF one form another.
Some Of them have been inmates of the
asylum for years and have been in such
condition that they must be cared for like
children. Many of them pensioners of
the government and their pensions are
drawn and cared for by the asylum au-
thorities. II is regarded as a dangerous
thing to turn such people out on a com
munity OF the size and character of Wash
ingtOn Without ability TO care for them
selves and wit hmoney that can easily be
taken from them, they would be in a de-
plorabe condition before the processes of
law could be invoked TO secure their re-
commitment to the asylum in accordance
with the terms of Justice Wright's decision
and Attorney Duvalls opinion.
Provisions of the Statutes
1t appears that the statutes provide that
Institution under the charge of the govern
ment shall be suspected of insanity he shall
be examined by the medical director of the
institution of which he is an inmate and
that the report of the medical director
shall be forwarded to the adjutant of the
home, who. in turn, is required to forward
the report to the president of the board of
managers or trustees or directors, and that
officer IS empowered by the law to sign and
prepare the commitment. The insane per
son is then sent to the asylum in this city
and the commitment from the president of
the board of trustees is the order accepted
and recognized by the superintendent
thereof as due authority for detention and
treatment
AS the asylum for the insane was estab-
lished for the benefit of insane soldiers and
sailors and volunteers in both branches OF
the service, its buildings are therefore filled
with veterans committed for treatment in
just this manner, and II is an important
thing for the asylum authorities TO know
whether the authority heretofore recognized
is proper and ample
The situation is regarded as most peculiar
and embarrassing to the officers of the gov
eminent who have charge of the asylum
and its administration. They are doing
their best to help the people who are placed
in their care. and they are convince1 that
their patients need care and treatment,
otherwise they would not let them remain
at the asylum. They are fearful OF the re-
suits should Justice WTight's decision be
sustained. AT present the asylum authorl-
ties have, to a certain extent. the manage
ment of the pensions of the inmates. If
the men were turned out 1t would mean the
surrender of the money that belongs to
them and of the right to administer IT, and
II would also mean to place the former in
mate at the mercy of the first sharper who
came along