The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10

u A. WHITE
uncomfortable things at the passer-hy.
and the alleged wit OF some OF them
bring forth screams OF approving laugh
ter from both above and below-laughter
that is not good TO hear.
Come Under Suspicion.
Hospitals for the insane have always
come more or less under suspicion. due
in very large degree 20 the sensational
| literature that has had insane asylums
for its theme. No one did more harm in
this regard than Charles Reade. though
many other writer's haze sought to con-
vey the idea that insane asyIums were
hotbeds of brutality and injustice. What
ever truth there may have been in these
( highly colored stories OF days gone by.
| there is no truth in them to-day, so far
at least, as the Government Hospital for
the Insane is concerned.
| The one place where due caution is
needed and where there is evidence OF
restraint Is In Howard Hall, the group
of buildings in which the criminal In
sane are confined. Besides the attendant
| who had gone TO the other wards. the
special warder OF this group of build
| ings made the tour OF the criminal
wards There stepped out a negro. an
ugly-looking yellow man, who carried a
bundle Of clean sheets in his hand II
turned out that he had been sentenced 10
fifteen years Imprisonment for having
held up a postal carrier in some South
ern State-held him up az the point Of
revolver He has been in the hospital
for years. This negro had never seen
the new attendant before. but as soon as
saw him he began burst Of insult and
profanity that was unbelievable. Not a
word did the attendant say In reply.
but the warder Of the hall said quietly:
"That VIII do, Jim
Yes, IL will do" cried the insane man
savagely. and raising his arm quickly
he struck the attendant over the head
with the bundle that he carried There
was no resentment-not even OF speech.
| The negro was led 20 his room and told
to remain there, and progress through
the wards was made as if nothing I'M
usual had happened.
Criminal TaInt Evident.
Throughout this ward the attitude is
one Of marked hostility-the criminal
faint is evident
"Give US a nickel. Mister. TO buy some
tobacco" cries a bearded man.
why, that - - - wouldn't
give yer nuthing." cries nearby negro.
Both of them are murderers. One
killed a revenue officer in Arkansas.
man who had caught him making moon
shine" The other was post-ohice rob-
Der from the South.
Seated about the brick-paved yard.
walking around it IN circle after circle.
or standing about making strange gestu-
lations these men. white and colored. are
the only ones in the institution who look
like Gagged beasts But most OF them are
dangerous men with great potentialities
FOR evil. TWO of them are locked in their
rooms for trying TO escape. and from
behind their barred windows they pour
out torrents OF abuse. One of them fash
toned a long rope out of torn blankets
and also made an imitation revolver out
of soap, covering the soap with tinfoil
to lend his weapon verisimilitude. II was
plain that he had intended 10 overawe
the keeper with this fantastic weapon.
Appearing to be an intelligent man, you
will learn that he was postal clerk who
forged many postal orders and cashed
them, and now as he sees the guard
standing there he cries:
Say you, guard Tell him about the
man who hanged himself last year. Say,
do you know you can't get a letter out
stamps. Better take a good look at me,
I'm going TO escape some day" and so
on, ad nauseum-
ssyviokersham" His Name.
Down there in the shade you may see
man neatly dressed in black playing
checkers with a soldier who IS dressed
in service garb. even to the puttees. The
black-garbed man is lawyer who took
I'D some claims in Alaska, and when
man tried to jump his claim, he shot and
killed him. He served three years i'm
prisonment at McNeals Island and then
went insane and so he is here. He firm
w believes now that he is the Attorney
General OF the United States and that
Mr. wickersham has usurped his Job.
All Of these men have TO be watched.
Each one Of them in Howard Hall is a
source of danger. It has only been
short while ago when one Of them, very
quiet and well-behayed, suddenly set on
keeper with pocketlknife and nearly
killed him. He stabbed several other
patients. and as for the keeper, he has
lost the use of his right arm for life
from the cuts that he received.
But in spite OF this the slumbering
volcano OF all that is evil in mems ma
lures, made worse and more virulent by
lack OF reason, there is no unklndness.
No shackles or chains are used. The
keepers carry no weapons. The patients
are es irresponsible as ehiidren-as chill
dren. they are treated.
II is pleasant 10 get away from the
criminals out into the grounds once more,
where, seated IN the shade OF the trees,
the patients sit and doze and chatter the
hours away. Up comes an aged darby,