The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-01-06
Arrestof Attendantat Racine
Co. Asylum to Bare Con-
duct of Institution
BOARD ACTION BEARS FRUIT
Copies of Complaint Alleging Cruelty
on the Part of Attendants are Sent
to the Members of the State Board
of Control.

| The movement started among the
members of the Kenosha County Board
to secure an investigation of the Ra
cine County Asylum for the Insane is
about to bear fruit as the probing of
the long talked of alleged abuses at
the asylum was commenced for sure
Friday afternoon, when DR.. S. Soren
son, asylum physician, appeared in the
municipal court of Racine and asked
for warrant for the arrest of Marie
Kruger, one of the asylum attendants
charging that in the presence of the
trustees, Peter Nelson, Henry Johnson,
and Superintendent Lewis and House
Physician Sorenson, the said Marie
Kruger chased Mary Monahan, one of
the patients of the institution and
struck her a forcible blow in the cen
ter of the back with her fist. Be-
cause of New Year day and Sunday
the warrant was not served until to-
day.
AS stated, DR.. Sorenson, is the com
plainant, and it is understood that he
has retained Attorney Martin J. Gillen
of Racine, to prosecute the case. The
purpose of this arrest, it is said, is to
call the attention of the citizens of
the state to the exact conditions pre-
vailing at the asylum.
The first heard of anything wrong at
the asylum was during the annual meet
ing of the county board, when Super
man William Shenkenberg of the trus-
tees in regard to reported abuses, such
as the cold water cure and the patients
being whipped, etc. At that time Mr.,
Shenkenberg denied any knowledge of
such practices and the county board
members made an investigation on
their own accord and came to the con
clusion that there was nothing to the
charges which had gained considerable
circulation and the matter was dropped
except that newspaper articles appear
ed, giving interviews with one of the
patients who had been discharged as
cured and then there was a secret meet
ing of the board and nothing done to
bring about an investigation. The
Kenosha County Board, however, ask
ed for an investigation. Now comes the
warrant for the attendant on the
charge given.
In addition to the warrant COM
plant has been drafted setting forth
number of specific charges. The
basis of the complaint IS that the Ra-
cine County Insane Asylum is not
maintained and operated as home
and hospital for the unfortunate
inmates, but is operated from the
standpoint of cost and expense alone;
that the patients are treated like in
mates Of a prison rather than as
patients receiving care and whose lib
erty is only restrained because of their
unfortunate condition; that the build
ing in the fall, winter and spring has
been insuficiently heated, in certain
rooms, and patients with very scant
clothing on have been kept in rooms
with low temperature; that the venti
lating fan has not been operated at
night for at least one year and that
the air has become foul; that the poll
cy Of the trustees and superintendent
has been to oppose any and all investi-
cations into the sanity of the patients
confined there and upon the discharge
Of patients have not provided them
with railroad fare to the city of Ra-
cine.
Further, the complaint alleges that
they have persistently neglected to
give the patients the services of dem
fist; that this last year they have not
permitted the large percentage of
patients to have any recreation in the
summer or winter, save<a graphophone;
that the matron and superintendent
have been away the past year a whole
Eday at a time with no one in charge;
that patients who were not permitted
to have any recreation have been taken
and worked on farms close by the
asylum for whose profit is not known;
that there is no regular fire drill at
the asylum at the present time.
Copies of this complaint will be sent
to District Attorney Fulton Thompson
of Racine, to the trustees of the asy-
lum, to the state board of control and
some members of the county board Of
supervisors, with an object in view, to
create public sentiment to compel
those in charge of the asylum to
adopt different policy and oper-
ate the asylum as a hospital for
insane rather than mere prison house
or detention place, operated at the low
est possible cost because it is
county necessity.