The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-15
Will Meet Soon and Set Aside
$4,000 for the Purpose of
Constructing Ward for the
Insane.
SITE OF BUILDING
NOT YET SELECTED
Public Sentiment Favors 1t
Being Located at the In
firmary-All Plans Have
Been Prepared.

The board of county commissioners
was In special session Wednesday
for the express purpose of considering
plans for Wayne county caring for its
insane, who can not be admitted to
the asylum promptly upon being de-
clared of unsound mind, necessitating
their confinement in the county Jail
pending admission to Easthaven.
A special session of the Wayne coun-
ty council will be held on March
2ith and 25th, at which time
an appropriation of not less than
$4,000 will be made for the purpose
of constructing an insane ward. Two
locations have been suggested-one on
South Second and A streets. and the
other at the county infirmary. BY the
public generally, the infirmary is con-
sidered as the more appropriate place
for the county insane institution.
The question of the county taking
this action was up year ago. but
then 1t seemed probable that the state
would make provisions for insane now
housed in county jails. The legisla-
ture refused the necessary appropria-
tons. and by so doing at least forced
Wayne county to take action on its
own accord.
Number Of Insane.
At the present time there are three
insane persons confined in the Jail, in
cluding William Harper. Ben Spinner
(coloredD, and Ralph Lantz. Harper
has been in the Jail since January 1.
He will be the next admitted to the
hospital. Since January 1, three per.
sons have been sent to the state in.
stitution, including Carl Ledbetter, a
religious maniac, Jesse NJ. Williams
and George Harvey. OF these three
Ledbetter was the only one confined at
the Jail. Ordinarily person OF un.
sound mind stays in the Jail three to
six months before he can be admitted
to Easthaven, and there are cases on
record where insane persons have
been in the Jail for two years or
more.
According to the plans prepared a
year ago and which have been approx.
ed by the state as we'll county authori
ties. the proposed hospital for county
insane will include sixteen wards
eight for women and a similar mum.
Der for men. The apartments for men
and women will be separate. making
II impossible for the insane Of both
sexes to intermingle. In addition to
the wards for the insane, apartments
will also be constructed in the build.
ing for the guardians of the inmates
Besides the expense the county will
incur in the construction Of the build
ing. the institution will be a source of
continual expenditures, as It will ne.
cessitate the employment of man
and woman guardian for the insane 1t
is estimated that this expense will be
at least a thousand dollars year
Other incidental expenses in operating
such an institution will cost the coun.
ty several hundred year, it Is believ.
ed. but despite the expense. all who
have Investigated the conditions de.
clare that the county cannot afford to
longer confine its insane at the county
Jail.
One of the duties which the grand
jury Of the April term of the circuit
court will have, will be a complete in
vestigation of the county's care of its
insane. IL will condemn the Jail as
the place Of confining the insane dur.
ing the time they are waiting admit.
tance TO the state institution. and
probably recommend plans already
adopted by the county commissioners