The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-11-26
BY gibson GARDNER.

WASHINGTON. Nov. Coon
gress is to be asked for sweeping
reforms in the treatment of the
insane in the District of Columbia.
st. Elizabeth hospital for the
insane is under fire. From this
hospital recently have been re-
leased two refined women who
have been proven sane, Mrs. Frank
Corbett and her daughter, Cor
nelia. Two years and four months
they were immured in this insti.
tuition under circumstances that
indicate the lack of safeguards
about the liberties of American
citizens.
Mrs. and Miss Corbett were in
the insane asylum two years and
four months!
They and their friends claim
that they were not insane when
committed nor while they were in
the asylum.
It is positive that they are now,
and were when discharged, sane.
No wrong motive can be dis
coveerd as actuating DR.. Hamlin
in the matter. He seems to have
believed himself absolutely right.
The St. Elizabeth's hospital az
fair promises to become national
in Its scope. Congress is respons-
ible for the asylum and the lunacy
laws of the district. st. Elizabeth's
is maintained by the national gov
eminent. 1t harbors $500 pa
tents, a large proportion of them
} criminally insane.
Mrs. and Miss Corbett have
been visited and examined by
scores of people since their de-
hverance from the asylum ana
have been pronounced by them to
be persons of unusual intelligence,
refinement and sanity. DR.. Robert
Rayburn, an alienist of national
reputation, who was one of Presi-
dent Garfield's attending physi-
clans, gives professional opinion
that both ladies are sane. So does
Or. Charles NJ. Emmons and many
others.
Women who have interested
themselves in the women are Mrs.
Fred Dubois, wife of the senator
from Idaho. and not only believes
them sane now, but expresses the
opinion that they were of perfect
ly sound mind while in the asylum.
Others who are emphatic as to the
sanity of the Corbetts is Mrs.
John n. Culbertson, wife of Pres
byterian minister, president Of the
Worlds INSTRUMENTATION union
of the District of Columbia; Mrs.
Clinton Smith, president of the w.
c. T. U. of this city: Mrs Sheldon
its secretary, and Mrs Kate Hay
den, who has known the family for
years.
On Saturday morning, June s,
1904, Mrs and Miss Corbett were
interrupted at their household du-
ties and bundled off to the asylum.
First came Drs. Gunion and Wat
kins. examining physicians sent by
the district sanitary officer. They
asked questions, the trend of which
puzzled the two lone women. A
police matron and two Off cers
came later and took them away
in an ambulance. A visitor dur
ing these proceedings was Mrs. DR..
Alice Burritt, a family friend and
fellow parishioner of the Church
of the Covenant, Washington S
most fashionable and aristocratic
Presbyterian church, the pastor Of
which, DR.. Tennis S. Hamlin, is
one Of the most influential of the
board of visitors of ST. EliZabeth's
asylum. Appealed to by aged Mrs.
Corbett and her daughter, this
lady treasured them as much as
possible.
What part DR.. Hamlin had in
the commitment of the Corbett
family to the asylum he has since
explained to the deacons and
trustees of his church, whom he
summoned to hear his side of the
case. His statement was support
ed by two phyicians from the
asylum. The commitment was Sc
cured at his request, DR.. Alice
Burritt signing the necessary aft
davit. Dr.. Hamlin's own sigma
ture is also on the document.
After the removal from their
home Mrs. Corbett and her daugh-
ter were kept In the asylum two
weeks before they were taken to
the city hall, where was performed
a ceremony peculiar to this local
government, Of trial by a mar
shal's jury" A bunch of 10 men
are rounded UP by the marshal and
the case is presented to them.
There is no Judge to preside, no
record Is kept of the testimony, no