Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-09-01
A PRIVATE
INSANE ASYLUM.

eitudIeu niue miles IrOm tine CITY. 0aQ
been in existence for ten years when
the first breath Of suspicion was raised
against 1t. The editor Of the Daily Ar
gus was personal friend of the doc.
tor. He regarded it as one Of the
model Institutions Of the country and
had time and again commended 1t in
the most favorable terms.
One day young woman escaped
and told such tales as led to an inves-
ttgation.
The trick Of getting reporter into
prison or On asylum for few weeks
to report On the condition Of affairs
was a new thing then. though old
enough now. On the city staff of the
Argus was a man named Green He
suggested the plot that was carried
out. He WIS to be sent to DIR. Treats
asylum for treatment The editor took
mp the idea not because he doubted
the doctor. but from newspaper
standpoint. Green would find nothing
to criticisc during his stay. but his ar
ticles on life in an insane asylum
would make. good reading 1t would be
stroke Of newspaper enterprise to
show thar she Arpus was wide awake.
The details Of the plot were worked
out and then Crccn suddenly dissp-
peored II was learned from the editor
afterward TINT his friends had him
lncarceratei in the ASYLUM as ..trou-
blesome PERSON" In plain English
that meaLt that he stood between
somebodv md property. Two doctors
wore fonnf to certify TO the fact that
no was .harmlessly insane" That
meopt no ,ras IN the way Int NOT ex
act,v given To chopping nm peop,e with
an ax. His examination by these doc
TORS lasted less than half an hour.
The ediror continued TO visit the
doctor,s rr+reat and To assure him
that he believed in his integrity. but
Zach fine no went out tbere no man.
AGED IN secpre a brief interview with
Creon In fact no was handed a writ.
fen renort Of what had been seen and
: hoard WHY none Of these REPORTS
twa,ve In au-were never nuhlished
wi,, no exr,ained later. Green had not
gone tn tho asvlnm- to dissemble. He
Qnnnnnppd hiG arrival that he WAS
perfectlv sane md he continued to
talk and act like any sane man.
For tho Arst three davs he was well
treated rhen no was called into the
doctor,s of73ce and told that n he con-
t,nued n NAV the hvnocrite he would
hiring down nunIshment on himself.
Tho doctor meant nv that that II
Green sin continued 70 act like sane
man no might expect trouble. He re-
fused TO make any change and was
n,aced IN q d,rk col, for three DAYS.
A. no woa s,,,, rational when he came
ont one If the keepers knocked him
down With n club.
Thar was the beginning Of the mans
persecntion He could have been re-
leased At onv time nv Timing the wink
n the editor bnt he had determined
to make his investigation thorough
one One Of the punishments was be-
inc fled down on a cot face inward,
and dish of water suspepded from
rho ceiling in such A manner that a
single drop struck his face every Sec
ond Ar the end of an hour each drop
.oamed IN have the force of a sledge
hammer. Another was to tickle the
soles Of his feet until he went into
hvsterics. There was ferocious
rreat hound at the asylum, the proper
~ Of one If the attendants Green and
other patients would be tied in a chair
and the ding tied to a ring in the wall
and left together for half an hour. The
rome on the dog would be tied 90 that
he con,d ret his teeth within an inch
of his v,ctim's legs. On several occa.
sions the rome stretched and enabled
him 10 infftct terrible bites. Green con-
cealed pencil and paper and managed
TO write Of these things and pass them
tn the editor. After a month had
passed he had made a good case
against the doctor and was told to
chop IL of there. This he refused to
do He wanted to get the whole of 1t
A 90 ~, ,ost dotofl