The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-05-18
Special to The Journal.

Tallahassee, May 1.-THE report
Of the Joint committee appointed to
investigate the State Insane Asylum at
Chattahoochee is in at last. and has
been accepted by both houses.
The nature OF The document may
be inferred from the remark made
by Senator Harris in moving its adop-
tiOn-"Tkat aeil itself would blush at
such a report
According to the committee, the asy-
lum has been made a mere dumping
ground for people, sick of supe-fuous.
whose relatives desired to get rid or
them. The nurses are described as
drunken-the system pernicious, and
the buildings utterly inadequate.
Worse than all this, are hints of
DEANS as the result of cruel treat
meat by the attendants and corrup-
ton and double-dealing among certain
officials. The money appropriated for
"a. this rottenness is declared to
have been nIisappropriated, and the
Board of State Institutions is held re-
Sp'nsible for everything.
Some idea of the condition OF the
plant and buildings at Cia-tanoochee
may be inferred from the fact that
me committee recommends an appro-
priaJion of S215.000 in the next years.
he most damaging portions of the
repOr: are as follows:
The institution is not a hospital
Tor the insane, but a dumping ground
Tor all sorts OF people, where they are
maintained, after fashion, at an enor-
nous expense TO the stare. Little
children. young men and young wo-
men. middle aged men and women, old.
feeble and decrepit men and women.
afllic ed with all sorts of mental ard
physical ailments, are, dumped into
the institution as INDECENT insane,
many of whom are not indigenI or
Insane and should be at home with
parents or relatives or at the county
poor house. or infrmaries, free to
earn their own living.
No systematic effort whatever has
been made or treatment given for the
restoration of the mind. The sick and
afflicted have not been given the
Necessary medicine or the attention
due or needful for their cure or res
:ora;iOn. Evidence is before the CON-
m-tee that the management has been
cruel. negligent and heartless in some
Instances.
Attendants and nurses have been
drunk while on duty and have been
brutality cruel and inhuman to helpless
inmates in some instances
The very atmosphere of the insti-
IN on has been scented with vice and
immortality to the extent that even in
macs have begged and pleaded for
release on account of it and citizens
living nearby have felt outraged by it.
Reports of misrepresentation of the
sta-e money and effects nave come
totae committee. No accurate system
OF accounts have been kept and from
observation of the methods of purchase
ana disbursement, the committee is
Io'ctn 70 The belief that some money
ana eHec $ did not go to the use of
the institution.
IL Is with serious regret that duty
compelS the committee to maint ain
and so present that the board of sta e
INSTITUTIONS Is very largely responsible
ana II should be so held for the de-
NIraoie conditions. the ineXcusabie
and objectionable evils that have ex-
->.'1 m and about the institution. Re-
sR'nSi0ie % these poor, helpless, I'M
fortunate inmates. who have been
caused 20 suffer the pangs of hunger.
ne humiliation and pain of keen cuts
o. me lash. the thud of the fist, the
Samp OF the foot the unknown and
untold physical sufferings and mental
anguish caused by willful, wanton neg
-ect o. management and attendants.
While the evidence is not absolute
Z. Gear that such cruelty and failure
o. duty caused death, it is sufficiently
GEAR 10 create suspicion of such be-
IN true"
L IS said by friends of the Jennings
administration that every derogatory
statement was made by discharged
shpioyees, who mad no complaint to
: make until they were dropped from
l lie pay roll of the institution.