The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-05-26
ROBINSON OBJECTS TO
COMBINING MURDERERS
WITH INSANE PEOPLE
Duty Of the State to Provide
Separate Places for the
Criminal Insane.
BY DoAN ROBINSON.

Pierre, s. D., May 24.-Sioux Falls
J dispatches tell Of the transfer of Will
lam H. Ward. the atrocious murderer
from Lawrence county, from the peni-
Tertiary to the state insane asylum
This again calls to the attention of the
people situation that in all wisdom
| should be remedied. It is an atrocious
thing to turn q hardened murderer
into the asylum with innocent and un-
fortunate people OF refinement and in
| telligence sufficient to realize their
situation.
There is much popular misapprehen-
| sion Of the state of mind OF most Of
the insane patients in the asylum. AS
| a matter Of fact II required expert tes-
timony to determine whether the ma
Jority OF them were sane or insane.
Many Of them come from homes Of re-
finement and possess the most delicate
sensibilities. Under the conditions
existing in the South Dakota asylum
as well as perhaps all other public in
stitutions of the character about the
only classifcations which can be made
are those of sex and of mental condi-
ton. That Is the acutely insane for
manifest reasons constitute one class.
The quiet chronics another; the bois-
cents fourth, and others along the
same line. Among these classes the
criminal must find his place to asso-
ciate with those of his same general
condition Of mentality. He lives with
them upon the ward; accompanies
them to the dining room; eats at the
same table; takes his exercise with
them and day and night is In close as
ISOLATION with them. Can one imagine
more trying position for an unfor-
tunate individual. in i'll health; his
mind predisposed to morbidness and
Authorizations; generally timid and sem
sitive?
The transfer of criminals to the
asylum Is frequent. / do not have
statistics upon the subject. Many Of
these criminals are utterly brutal in
their instinct; all come with the odor
of crime and the prison mark upon
them. The asylum authorities are
helpless in the premises to change
present conditions. Clearly 1t Is the
accommodate rs for the criminal in
sane. 1t Is not necessary to provide a
separate institution, but there should
by all means be provided separate ac-
commodations for them within the
present hospital where innocent unfor-
tunates are not compelled to come
In daily contact with them.
The action Of the Congressional
State conference in refusing to indorse
the votes for women proposition should
not be taken as indicating hostility to
the principle. Most OF the men dele
gates expressed themselves favorably
and declared their intention to vote for
the amendment. The prevailing senti-
ment was that as a church 1t was not
the business Of Congregationalism. The
proposition to permit the women dele
gates to express their views by a ris-
ing vote was not carried out for the
same reason, although there was
present healthy curiosity among the
delegates to see what the real senti-
ment of the representative women Of
the church is upon the proposition.
Clearly they were not all of one mind
and those conversant with the situa-
ton state that more Of the men favor
suffrage than OF the women who were
In the conference.
The commencement season in the
public schools again calls attention to
the vast waste of time growing out Of
the modern attractions provided at the
season for the diversion of the minds
OF pupils from the real business Of
the schools. Judge Alva e. Taylor few
years ago provided some Illuminating
information upon the topic, but without
going into details 1t must be clear to ev-
cry observer that the work of the aver
age school is broken and perhaps nearly
10 per cent of the years work almost
lost SO far as any real advancement is
by the fussy preparations
for commencement, the athletic and
oratorical contests and similar diver
sions. Children, too, are led to place
an exaggerated estimate upon the i'm
portance Of the completion Of the high
school course and are made to think
they have completed an education in
stead of only begun 1t.
During the past week two delega-
tions OF citizens of the state have Wis
tied the new capitol. These are the
first bodies of representative citizens
to come formally to look over the
premises. The first body to be received
by the governor was the members of
the State Conference of Congregational
churches and the second was the bust
ness men of Aberdeen. Their express
sions of admiration and approval of
the new structure We're most hearty.
Really the capitol is happy surprise
to all persons visiting 1t, who are ia
miliar with great public structures