The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-01-20
Attendant at Racine Asylum
Not to Be Called to AnsWerII
Charges of Assault
CLAIM END HAS BEEN ATTAINED
Attorney for Dr.. Sorenson States That
There Will be no Further Prosecu-
lions in Racine County Asylum In
vestigation

The case of the State Of Wisconsin
against Marie Kruger, an attendant
at the Racine County Asylum, arrested
on complaint of DR.. S. Sorenson, who
alleges that the attendant assaulted
Mary Monaghan, an inmate, is to be
dismissed, according to a statement
made by Martin j. Gillen, attorney for
DR.. Sorenson today:
CDR Sorenson retained me in No
vember of last year and complained
that the general system of maintain
ing the Racine County Insane Asylum
was very bad, in that it was maintain
ed from the standpoint of county
necessity and workhouse, and that the
farm and patients were worked to
make the institution self supporting,
and that it was not run from the stand
point of a hospital, nor that of home
for incompetent and helpless citizens
of this community. In word, it was
merely place of detention, without
one thought of home or home life;
that this system was maintained by
and with the sanction of the supervi-
sors for this county, and that the trus-
tees accepted this system and maintain
cd bn +
character who carried out this system
was Trustee Schenkenberg from Water
ford, who had most successfully kept
down the cost of maintenance and oper-
alton in the insane asylum along the
lines of the system outlined, and was
a good disciple of "hard cash. :"
"Under this system of the cheapest
cost to the county, there grew up de-
fects
First, a man skilled in farming
and making. money is employed as SUI
perintendent of the system. The sys-
TEN requires no knowledge of the care
of insane or incompetent persons on
his part
Second, the system provides abso-
lutely no form of recreation for any
of the patients either outdoors or in
doors, which might be had at an ex-
pense not exceeding $500 a year,
which would be less than So patient.
"Third, under the system large
ventilation device was installed by the
advice of competent architects, and
then practically not operated night or
day because it entailed the cost to the
county of an engineer at night time.
Fourth, under the system, the
buildings day and night in the winter
time are kept at a temperature rang
ing from 40 to IS degrees, goodly
portion of the time, either because of
insufficient help in the engine room
or because it would cost some money
to repair the present heating system
VI AA7Oc]AA I" hOW VAC, duO lou uolpl0SS
patients are left cold and chilly.
"Fifth, under the system, no fires
were kept under the boilers at night
sufficient to keep up steam for fire
pressure, and thus no fire protection at
night, because of cost.
Sixth, no fire drill among the en-
ployes nor among the patients, with
the Iroquois fire calamity in mind
Seventh, the detention of patients
in the asylum after the attending ply
stefan declared them sane, and oppo-
sition by the board of trustees and by-
superintendent and matron as to. al
lowing the patients their legal rights,
provided by the constitution and laws
of this state, both as to parole and
hearing in court, concerning which the
Hon Max w. Heck complained so bit
terly before the board of supervisors.
Eight, the general lack of consid
crate treatment Of the patients, foster
ed by this system, which causes those
in charge of the inmates to treat them
merely as county charges, who are un-
able to protect their rights because of
their mental condition.