Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-06-03
ROBINSON OBJECTS TO
COMBINING MuRDERERS
WITH INSANE PEOPLE
Duty of the State to Provide
Separate Places for the
Criminal Insane.
BY DoAN

+. Pierre, S. D., May 24.-Sioux Falls
dispatches tell OF the transfer Of Will
lam H. Ward, the atrocious murderer
from Lawrence county, from the penl-
tertiary to the state insane asylum
This again calls to the attention OF the
people q situation that in all wisdom
should be remedied. 1t is an ~atroclous
thing to turn a hardened murderer
into the asylum with innocent and UNI
fortunate people Of refinement n m
telligence sufficient to realize their
situation.
There is much popular misapprehen-
sion of the state of mind of most or
the insane patients in the asylum. AS
q matter of fact it 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 we'll as perhaps all other public in
situations Of the character about the
only classifications which can be made
are those of sex and Of mental condl-
ton. That Is the acutely insane for
manifest reasons constitute one class.
The quiet chrOnics another; the boiS-
ferrous chroniCs a third, II GONZALES
cents a 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 un0r tho 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 II imagine
q more trying position for an unfor-
tunate individual, in i'll health; his
--s-1 -a-ls-~-nl1 d. ~ O. n nd
Authorizations; generally timid and SEN
sitive?
The transfer of criminals to the
asylum is frequent. l 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 it is the
duty of the state to provide separate
accommodations 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 it 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 a 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
n 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 Aiva E. Taylor a few
years ago provided some illuminating
information upon the topic, but without
going into details it must be clear to ev-
ely OpSFI NcI that Li6 WOTh OI the aver
age schools is broker and perhaps nearly
10 per cent of the years work almost
lost SO far as n real advancement is
concerned, by the fussy preparations
for commencement, the athletic and
oratorical contests and similar diver
sions. Children, too, are led to place
ar exaggerated estimate upon the i'm
portance Of the completion of the high
school course n are made to think
they have completed an education in
stead of only begun it.
During the past week two delega-
lions 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 --2S tt5 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 were most hearty.
Really the capitol is a happy surprise
to all persons visiting 1t, who are ia
miliar with great public structures
elsewhere and conversant with the
cost OF them.
-