The daily Alaskan., 1909-04-07
A PRIVATE INSANE ASYLUM.
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 Copyright. 1907. by NJ. M. CunninGham.l
 Dr. Treats private insane asylum, situated nine miles from the city. had been in existence for ten years when the first breath of suspicion was raised against 1t. The editor of the Daily Ar gus was q personal friend of the doc. tor He regarded 1t as one of tho model institutions of the country and had time and again commended it in the most favorable terms.
 One day a young woman escaped and told such tales as led to an inveS- tigation.
 The trick of getting reporter into prison or an asylum for a few weeks to report on the condition of affairs was a new thing then. though old enough now. On the city stan of the Argus was man named Green. He suggested the plot that was carried out. He was to be sent to pr. Treats asylum for treatment. The editor took up the idea not because he doubted the doctor, but from newspaper standpoint Green would find nothing to criticisc during his stay, but his ar ticlcs on life in an insane asylum would make good reading. It would be stroke of newspaper enterprise to show that the Argus was wide awake The details of the plot were worked out. aud then Green suddenly disap' pcarcd. IL was learned from the editor aftcrward that his friends had him incarccratcd in the asylum as a 'trou- blCsomc person" In plain English that meant that he stood between somebody and property, Two doctors were found to certify to the fact that he was "harmlcSSly Insane" That meant he was in the way. but not OK actly given to choPping up people with an ax. His examination by these doc tors lasted less than half an hour.
 The editor continued to visit the doctors retreat and to assure him that he believed iu his integrity. but each time he went out there he man. aged 10 secure q brief interview with Green. In fact. he was handed a writ ten report of what had been seen and heard. Why none of these reports twelve in all-wcrc never published will be explained later. Green had not gone to the asylum to diSScmblc. He announced on his arrival that he was perfectly sane. and he continued to talk and act like any sane man.
 For the first three days he was well treated. Then he was called into the doctors office and told that If he con tinucd to play the hypocrite he would bring down punishment on himself. The doctor meant by that that 1T Green still continued to act like sane man he might expect trouble. He re- fused to make any change and was placed in a dark cell for three days As he was still rational when he came out. one of the keepers knocked him down with club.
 That was the beginning of the mans persecution. He could have been re- leased at any time by tipping the wink to the editor. but he had determined to make his investigation a thorough one. One of the puuishmcnts was be- ing tied down on cot, face upward, and a dish of water suspended rom the ceiling in such a manner that single drop struck his face every sec ond. At the end of an hour each drop seemed to have the force of sIedge hammer. Another was to tickle the solcs of his feet until he went into hvstcrlcs. There was ferocious great hound at the asylum. the proper tv Of one of the attendants. Green and other patients would be tied in a chair ond inc dog tied to a ring in the wall and left together for half an hour. The rope on the dog would be tied so that he could get his teeth within an Inch of his victims legs. On several occa' Slons the rope stretched and enabled him 70 innlct terrible bites. Green con- ccalcd pencil and paper and managed to write of these things and pass them to the editor. After q month had passed he had made good case against the doctor and was told to chop it off there. This he refused to do He wanted to get the whole of 1t down to the last detail.
 When he refused to play Insane to please the doctor, who must have known that he was a perfectly sane man. Green was starved for two days at a time. and the punishments num- bcrcd score. One of the worst was heading him up in barrel and rolling him around the back yard for half an hour at time The food he describ- ed as not Gt for dogs, though the Ar gus, to obligc the doctor. had publish cd a bill of fare nt for wealthy people to sit down to- Sane or insane, every patient had a program to go through with when visitors were being shown through the place. They must speak of the doctor as God ana bless him for his goodness. If asked what they had to eat they must mention list of twelve articles. To fall in these things meant brutal beating. The editor could see at each weekly visit bnyv Groom WnS failing. and at last q