The Washington herald., 1909-07-21

There Is a possibility that the Commit
Sioners will 81 an early day take action
requesting Secretary OF the Interior Bal
linger. under whose direction comes tbs
United States Hospital for the Insane. 70
institute more rigid regulations IN pre-
venting the alleged careless issuance q
freedom permits TO inmates OF that inst
tuition.
A limited number Of the patients or ST.
Ellzabeths asylum under treatment for lr-
sanity. who nre regaining their nOrmai
condition, are permitted the freedom or
the grounds, surrounded by high walls
aud looked after by guards. Some arc
not only permitted the freedom OF the
grounds, but are issued passes TO CON
TO the city All such cases are passed
upon by the physicians as either cured O.
cOnyalescing.
Recently u was charged that the of
cials OF the Government Hospital for II
Insane permitted large number OF dar
gerous patients TO roam at viii over tho
grounds o. the institution, many OF whom
escaped by scaling the walls. and tliey
were a menace to tho public safety.
Commissioner VESTS Statement.
Commissioner West, having charge {:
the police department, when asked last
night II tho Board Of Comnissio oners cor
templsted forwarding q request to ths
Secretary OF tho Interior for the mors
rigid segregation OF patients, said:
NO steps have been taken by the
board IN that direction. II appears 70 me
that the initiative should come from thu
Office OF Commissioner Aiacfariand, who
~. - - -
under whose care came the inmates OF
the asylum from the District. The Dis
trict Is a patron Of that asylum. but has
no voice IA ita management, Il being a
department OF the Federal governmer
under the care Of the Interior Depart
ment
The Commissioners would be oversteT
ing all precedents Of courtesy and thei'
well-dehned rights 10 demand or reques.
al investigation OF the management Cf
the asylum: Il would be entirely Outsidl
of their function as executive officers @
a n Unicipal government 70 assume such
a position toward a department of thu
Federal government However, If II wers
shown that dangerous insane inmates Cs
the asylum were permitted too much free
dom at the institution whereby the
could escape into the city and become
u uouhIe u AllU IuDllC euAELys Il hDulA
become the duty of the Commissioner
70 take steps 10 bring the matter 10 thl
attention Of the Secretary OF the IT.
terror.
Police superintendent Reports,
Mai. Richard Sylvester, superintendent
Of the Metropolitan police. has made ?
report to me, IN which he points out tn
dangerous inmates OF St Elizabeth's
Asylum frequently escape the guards os
the institution. and that he looks upon
these patients as a menace 10 the public
safety. I shall bring this matter to ths
attention Of the Board Of Commissioners
for the purpose Of discussing the situe-
ton and formulating some plan whereof
IL can be officially presented TO Secretar
Ballinger, OF tho Interior Department
do not beieYr the conditions are half
bad as some OF the local papers have pJ
II, but there Is evidently some groUni
for complaint. feel sure when present
ed 70 Secretary Ballinger officially this
he viii. with the hearty and active &C
operation Of Supt. White. OF the asylum
provide the protection tho public is ct
titled 20 through the Commissioners an /
the police department"
MacfarIand Expects No Action.
Commissioner Mcfarland said las
night that the board had taken no actio 4
In the matter and so far as he was 6c-
vised no such action wes contemplated.
He felt that there was little OF NJ
grounds for the complaint, but If n
superintendent Of police had made a re
port OF the escape of dangerous patient
from the asylum that Commissioner West
would at once present that report to ths
Board OF Commissioners for consideration.
In that event, Of course, he said, som
steps would be taken for the protection
OF the people.
He said that It was not within ths
power OF the Commissioners to even sus
gest 70 the Department Of the Interlcr
that any changes OF management Of tho
asylum be made. The only way that II
Commissioners could take such action
would be in the matter OF looking after
the care and comfort OF Insane patients
who were Gent there as citizens OF the
District.