Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-12-09
INSANE BECOME
HEAVIER BURDEN

AS q result of decision made by
the auditor general of the State the
various counties making up the dis
trict for whose insane the hospital
at Danville was established, in
stead of paying $l.75 per week to that
institution for the support of their
criminal insane, henceforth will be
obliged to pay 81 %. the full cost of
maintenance. This d2es not imply an
advancement of rates at the hospital
but merely the saddling upon the
counties and poor districts of what
was formerly paid by the State
The decision of the auditor general
above referred to is to the following
effect:
That criminal insane patients COM
mitted to the several State hospitals
must not be included in the quarterly
accounts for maintenance to his de-
partment, as they are not to be class
ed under the head of INDECENT insane
(for whose support the State contrib
utes) but that the whole amount of
their maintenance is to be charged
against and collected from the several
counties and poor districts to which
they belong.
The criminal insane are properly
defined to consist of four classes
First, those under arrest, who are
found to be insane previous to trial of
the offense for which they are in Gus.
tody; second, those who have come to
trial and have been acquitted on the
ground of insanity; third, those who
have committed any criminal act who
are dangerous to the community, and
who have been found to be insane in
the manner provided by law; fourth,
those who having been convicted of n
crime have been discovered to be in
sane while serving their sentence.
On September / the county commits
sioners received a bill from the hos
| ital for the insane for the care of the
criminal INSANE patients at $1.1 per
week Much to the surprise of the com
missioners recently another bill was
received for the additional amount
due the hospital for that quarter,
which previously was paid by the
State.
The latter bill was accompanied by
letter explaining that as the result
of the above quoted decision the and.
itor general had deducted from the
hospitals statement to his department
for the quarter ending August 81, 1909,
the amount of its claim against the
State for the support of Montour
county's criminal insane patients dur
ing that period. The charge for the
maintenance of insane is 81. 2d per
week, The additional bill received
Was for the amount due the hospital
at -. 80 per week, the difference be-
tween $l,75 per week, the amount
already paid, and the full cost of
maintenance, which represents what
was heretofore paid by the State to
be applied to the support of our in.
sane.
At the close of the quarter ending
December l and regularly thereafter
the bills for all criminal cases from
this and other districts in the State,
now at the hospital, as we'll as those
that may be committed hereafter, will
be charged at the rate of 81. % per
week and bill for that sum will be
sent TO the counties.
Montour county has three criminal
insane patients ut the hospital-Will-
lam Silcox, Caroline Fillinger and
Clarence Carr. AS is shown by the
proceedings of the last session of the
borough council the county commits.
sioners are preparing to resist the sad
ding of the cost of maintaining these
onto the county. holding that under
the auditor generals decision the
Danville and Mahoning Poor district
is liable for the support of the above
named patients.