The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-24

should not be treated as criminals, nor can they
safely be treated harmless lunatics, and certainly
they should not be turned back society. But
to confine them in a separate ward in the hospital
at Petersburg at Marion would be an experiment
the wisdom of which can be proved only by the re-
suit of the event. We have not read these bills,
and do not know whether solitary confinement in
such ward is contemplated or not. If not, then
surely there is much reason to fear serious trouble
1t is, indeed, very perplexing and battling prob
lem"
Senator Lassitcr claims no personal credit for
these bills. as they we're prepared by the State
Hospital Board and he introduced them by request.
There are three of them and are known Senate
bills 1913, 100 and 200 The first bill provides that
there shall be constructed on the premises of the
State Hospital at Marion and on the premises Of
the Central Hospital for colored insane at Peters
burg, a secure building at each place to be known
as the department for coored insane, The bill
further provides specifically for what purposes these
buildings shall be used.
The next bill provides
/. IF any person, who is charged with or
indicted for, any crime, be found, in the court
in which he is so charged or indicted, to be in
sane at the time appointed for trial OF such
indictment, the court shall order him to be COM
mitted to the department for the criminal in
sane at the proper hospital, where he shall be
kept in custody and cared for until he has been
restored to sanity
=. II, prior TO the time Tor trial oil any
persons under complaint or Indictment for any
crime, either the court or the attorney for the
Commonwealth has reason to believe that such
person Is in such mental condition that his con-
finement in hospital for the insane is necessary
for proper care and observation, the said court
may commit such person to 4he department
Tor the criminal insane, under such limitations
as it may order, pending the determination OF
his mental condition; and in such case, the court,
in its discretion, may appoint more ex-
perts in insanity, or other qualified physicians,
not 10 exceed three, to examine the defendant
before such commitment is ordered and make
such investigation of the case as they may deem
necessary, and report to the court the Condi-
ton of the defendant at the time of their exam
nation.
The bill further provides that if any person. after
conviction OF any crime while serving sentence
in the State penitentiary, in any other penal
institution, in any reforinatory, is declared BY
i Jury to be insane he shall be committed by the
court to the department for the criminal insane at
the proper hospital and there kept until he is re-
stored to sanity.
sons confined as above and restored to may
be discharged.
The one feature in all the bills that interests us
that which is designed TO oresta the
plea of insanity, brain-storm and personal irres-
possibility. That plea has been worked to a finish
in this State and elsewhere and the time has come
to stop it, II the bills under review are passed,
every person indicted for crime, who indicates that
when his trial comes on, he will plead insanity as
defense, will be sent to asylum for the insane,
and there kept for a season under expert observa-
ton to determine whether not he is perjuring.
We think that it would go far towards preventing
the disease called "brain-storm. 1t would GER
tainiy go far towards preventing the employment
OF the bfaif-stefm plea means OF saving Grim
inals from deserved punishment