The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-05
Insane Man Who Has Proven
A Terror to the Sheriff and
To Other Prisoners Is at
Last in EaSthaven.
HARRIS PAID EXTRA
FOR HIS HARD TASK.
There Are Still Six Insane Men
Confined at JaiI---HOrribIe
Conditions Are Being Abs0-
IuteIy Ignored.

After one hundred and forty sleer
less nights, Sheriff Linus MEREDITH
wears the smile that won't come off
while the twenty odd prisoners at tn
county Jail are vociferously jubilant
The cause of this joy is an order issues
today by County Clerk Harry E. Penny
after notice had been received from
z. Smith. superintendent of the East
haven insane hospital, to admit JohI
Henry Thorman to that institution
Since last spring Sheriff Meredith ha'
been trying to have this unfortunate
admitted to the Easthaven hospital
and had almost despaired OF accom-
plishing his purpose when the ordel
was handed to him this morning BY
Mr.. Penny.
Wearing a broad smile on his face
the sheriff went at once to the county
Jail. where Thorman is confined in &
cell. and broke the glad tidings to the
prisoners. When they heard the news
every inmate of the prison. who has
been kept awake of nights by the
screams and hand clapping of Thor
man. broke into three loud cheers
Thorman will be at the insane hospital
before the sun sets this evening.
Last spring. Thorman. hopelessly in
sane. was taken to the county Jail as
it was feared he would become danger
Gus and endanger the lives of his fam
lily. Besides being insane. Thorman
suffers from dropsy. and the 40 days
he has been confined there he has been
a constant care to Sheriff Meredith and
Turnkey Ray Harris. Without extra
pay Harris has watched over the un-
fortunate man. except the thirty-two
days he was off duty. with the care of
father. Thorman's legs are cover
ed with running dropsy sores and Har-
ris. with the danger of being afflicted
with blood poisoning has bathed the
man three and four times day. for n
period of one hundred and eight days.
After cleaning the unfortunate Thor
man. who has absolutely no control of
himself. Harris would always become
frightfully i'll.
Turnkey Resigned.
A few days ago Harris went to
Sheriff Meredith and stated he would
no longer care for Thorman. and ten
dered his resignation. Sheriff Mere
dith was in despair. as he knew that it
would be next to Impossible to replace
Harris. who, for all his manifold SER
vices. receives $50 a month salary
'.the worst paid man for the work he
does. in the United States.' according
to Prosecutor Jessup and Sheriff Mere
dith.
he would stay he would see that he
would receive S1CO a month as long as
Thorman was an inmate of the jail.
Harris told of his danger of being af-
flicted with blood poisoning. but final
Iy consented to remain at the Jail as
turnkey and care for Thorman if he
was paid 500 per month. Tuesday
Meredith appeared before the county
council and told them of Harris's devo-
tion to his duty, and asked that an ap-
preparation be made to pay the man
500 per month. He stated that in the
event council did not do so. he would
secure a trained nurse for Thorman.
which would cost the county more
than increasing the salary of the turn
key. Council. before taking any ac-
tion, had County Physician Charles
Marvel. see Thorman. After examin-
ing the man. DR.. Marvel stated that he
was the most hopeless and disgusting
case he had ever seen and that Harris
deserved $500 a month. Council then
appropriated the money. Two days
To
moved to the insane hospital. How
aver. Harris will be paid his 800 this
month. the same as if he had cared for
Thorman daily. For the care Harris
has given Thorman in the past he de-
serves every cent" said Sheriff Mere
dith.
All Kept Awake.
Every night since Thorman has been
confined at the Jail he has kept Sher-
iff Meredith and his family. as well as
the prisoners, awake by his yells and
hand clapping. Some of the long term
prisoners have been making a practice
of sleeping every opportunity they
have in the day time. to make up for
their loss of sleep at nights The
stencil from Thorman's diseased body
has permeated the Jail proper. and the
portion. 1t has been neces-
sary to keep him there as he could not
be received at the county farm or the
Reid Memorial hospital. and it was re-
garded as unsafe to leave him at his
home in this city.
There are still six insane men con-
fined at the county Jail, but fortunately
nine Of them is in the condition Thor
man Is in. Harris. after this month.