Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-21
ASYLUM PROBE BOARD
MAY SPLIT ON REPORT
legislators Hear Last Witness
Monday--Met at Capitol.
Now Considering Report

Will the special sanitarium investigat-
ing committee appointed by the last gen
eraI assembly, split on its report? Will
there be a minority and majority report
to the next session of the legislature?
VIII both reports criticise the manage
ment of the state insane asylum, and
will their difference lie in the sharpness
of their criticism?
Yes, seems to be the answer to all these
questions others might be asked which
cannot yet be answered with any basis
for the conjecture. Changes in the man
agement of the institution may be recon-
mended, though it is hardly probable that
superintendent L. NJ. Jones will be held
personally accountable for all the things
that have been told, only to be denied,
about the asylum.
MANY WITNESSES EXAMINED.
Hundreds of witnesses have been ex-
amined by the Investigating committee,
which concluded its hearing of testimony
at the capitol Monday morning. Between
1000 and 1900 pages, the official reporter
estimates, will be filled with the type
written statement of it's proceedings.
Monday afternoon at o'clock the COM
mittee reassembled at the Kimball house,
after a recess for lunch, and began the
discussion Of its report. Further meetings
members have had opportunity to look over
the typewriter testimony. The report will
be rendered to the general assembly at
its next session, hence the committeeman
feel there is no great hurry about formu-
lating it.
But it is already known on very good
authority that the committee is not
agreed in it's conclusions upon what it has
heard. For eight successive days, soon
he aA of Legislatures
1t was in session at the state asylum,
hearing testimony. Later other evidence
was taken there in rebuttal of the
charges already voiced by witnesses.
Monday the committee assembled in At
lanta, in the senate chamber OF the cap
ital to hear the last witness and get
started upon it's report
VOICED THEIR OPINION. q.
Monday afternoon for the first time
in open committee the members voiced
their opinions, though some of them
had talked privately before. Others
still reserved their judgment till they
could look over the written proceed
ings. Enough has come to light,
though, to indicate that the committee
will disagree.
Miss Burta Medlin, a former nurse
at the sanitarium for 10 years, said
by Superintendent L. NJ Jones to have
been discharged last year for maltreat-
| ing a patient, was the witness. Her
testimony was unfavorable to the man.
agement of the institution, though not
sensational nor very recent in it's vari-
| Gus subjects. she was closely ques-
toned by members of the committee,
and was cross-questioned in rebutal by
DR.. Jones, who attended the session.
The state sanitarium is said to have
now some 1900 patients. and to cover
some "a acres of floor space. 1t is big
institution, therefore. and the investiga-
ton, however, 1t results, is corresponding
! ly important
IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT.
| 1t is impossible to predict with any GER
tainty what the report or reports, will
set before the assembly. 1t is known that
! there will be some effort made in-the
| committee to recommend that the sani-
! tarium be separated into three depart
ments, one for tuberculous patients, one
| for eplieptic patients. and a third for the
regular patients. Attempt will also be
made to have the committee recommend
that the tuberculous department be segre-
dated in sanitarium of it's own IN south
: Georgia.
The members of the special committee
are as follows: Senators Mclean, Akin,
, Longley, Conley and Mcclure; Represen-
tatives Carswell, Henderson, Tuggle,
! Baker McCrory, Brown, of Fulton, and
! Brown, of Murray.