The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-04-18
Body viii Call at the County
Jail, Home for FriendIess
and the lnfirmary to See
Conditions.
CARE or THE INSANE
WILL BE CONSIDERED
In the Circuit Court This Morn
ing Judge Fox Issued Perti-
nent Orders Pertaining to
the Work.

Although it was not the intention of
the officials of the Wayne circuit
court, to have the county institutions,
such as the Jail, the Home for Friend
less and the county infirmary inspect
ed at this time of the year by the
grand jury, the necessity OF calling
that body together to investigate two
murder cases, also caused the officials
to change their plans, relative to 9TH
er matters which come within the
province of the grand jury.
In instructing the grand jury this
morning, relative to the investigation
OF the murder of Mrs. Frank Allison
by Charles Alice Revalee. the court
concluded his charges with instruc-
tions that the county institutions be
investigated before the jury adjourn
ed. The most important matter to
be considered in connection with the
inspection Of the county institutions,
will be the proposed improvements to
the county infirmary. The county COM
missioners anticipate making changes
there which will provide for better
insane who can not be admitted to
state institutions upon being declared
persons of unsound mind.
What Court Advises.
Walter Commons, foreman Of the
jury, iS very much Interested In the
subject Of county care Of its insane
residents. He has been on different
investigation committees, which visit
ed the infirmary.
The Instructions of Judge Fox are
In part as follows:
It Is the duty Of the state to care
for the insane and to provide asylums
and facilities for SO doing. But the
asylums that have been provided are
wholly inadequate and the result has
been that proper applications have
been refused and many insane persons
denied admission. 1t is evident that
these unfortunate persons must be
cared for by somebody and some
where, for the reason that they are
unable to care tor themselves. In
some cases their friends. on account
OF their poverty. are unable to pro-
vide and care for them. If they are
dangerously insane, they must neces-
sarily be restrained and this cannot
effectually be done in the home. The
truth is. an insane person who Is not
under restraint. is never safe, and as
q rule may be classed as dangerous,
for they, on account of their mental
condition, are incapable OF judging be-
tween right and wrong in a rational
manner, and may at any time yield to
insane impulses and do desperate
deeds for which they would be wholly
unaccOuntable. The state having fail
ed to provide requisite asylums for
many persons who have been adjudg-
ed insane. the result is the duty OF
properly caring for such persons Is of
necessity cast upon the respective
counties. This duty has not been per-
formed in this county, for In the past
persons who have been adjudged in
sane while waiting admission into a
state institution have been confined
in the common Jail with criminals, or
in the Home OF the Friendless under
conditions that were outrageous. This
barbarous state of affairs should be
speedily remdied in the interest of
humanity. That the board of COM
missioners have power to provide ade-
quate quarters for the purpose of ac-
commOdating persons who have been
adjudged insane while awaiting trans
mission to the state asylum there can
be no question. They have no power
to build and maintain Independent
asylums, as such, for the insane. No
body has urged or asked that such an
asylum should be built. County jails
are primarily intended for the con-
finement OF persons charged with
crime. County infirmaries are in
tended for caring for and maintaining
the pauper poor. Insane persons be-
long to neither OF these classes and
are not entitled to admission into
these institutions as such. Their
right to admission depends upon an
order for admission from the clerk
of the circuit court by virtue OF q
statute OF the state which provides as
follows:
IF, according to the result or the
inquest aforesaid the patient shall be
entitled to admission into the hospital.
the clerk shall direct how he shall be
taken care OF until he can be admit
ted: and. II necessary. may direct his
confinement In the county jail: and
II all things needful for his comfort
and proper care be not otherwise sup
piled. he shall furnish them. ana the
same shall be paid ont of the county
treasury on certificate of the clerk
and order OF the county auditor
This statute Is the clerks warrant
Continued on Pase Eight