The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-11-23
Trustees of the Eastern Ind
lana Hospital for the In
sane Want $50 Acres in
Center Township.
IOHN AND CLARA
KEMPTON OWNERS
They Have Refused to Part
With the Land at a Reason
able Figure, According to
Complaint.

The state Of Indiana by John w.
Hannah, Joseph l.. Cowing, John Dete-
more and Mededith Nicholson, trustees
of the Eastern Indiana Hospital for
the Insane, today instituted condemna-
ton proceedings in the circuit court,
against John L. Kempton and Clara ].
Kempton, husband and wife.
The complaint asks that the court Or
der the land condemned and appoint
appraisers to fix the value of it. The
land in question comprises two farms
in Center township, one of 10 acres
and the other of 40 acres, which the
institution desires for colonization
purposes.
That the board of trustees has deter
mined that the institution must have
this ground and that the trustees have
attempted to purchase it, is alleged in
the complaint. The plaintiffs assert
that they have offered a reasonable
price for the land but that the defend
ants refuse to sell.
The complaint reads:
"The board has decided that it is
necessary for the welfare and conven-
ionce and successful operation of the
hospital to acquire tracts of land
separated from the present hospital
grounds but of easy access for the pur-
pose of establishing thereon a colony
Of inmates who can be better treated
by such means than now in the pres
ent institution.
1.-The board has determined it neces-
sary to acquire~t the certain farms own
ed by the Defendants which are situ-
ated in Center township-one a part of
the northwest quarter of section 10,
township Is, range ID east, comprising
110 acres, and the other part of the
northeast quarter of section 10, town
ship 16, range IA east, comprising 40
, acres
Can Condemn Land.
| All buildings and improvements now
on the land is desired by the institu.
ton, according to the complaint
By the law passed by the 1911 legis-
I lature state institutions are empower
ed with the authority to exercise the
right of eminent domain, provided
that the written consent of the gov
ernor has been procured before pro-
ceedings are instituted. The COM
plaint stated that the written consent
of the governor has been obtained in
this matter.
DR.. S. E. Smith, superintendent of
! the hospital, was instrumental in Sc
curing the passage of this law and al
so in obtaining the appropriation of
$4,000 to be spent in connection with
the Richmond institution.
DR.. Smith has been one of the lead
ing figures in the agitation for the
colonization of the insane in the state.
At the nineteenth annual session of
are Indiana State Conference of Chari-
1910, DR. Smith, who was president of
the conference at that time delivered
an address on this subject.
! Dr.. Smiths Theory.
Parts of his address touching upon
the colonization follows:
Colonies may be established in sub
stantial plain and inexpensive build
ings on land selected with a view to
convenient executive and medical con.
troll by the administrative officers OF
two or three of the existing hospitals
The colony farm should be in prox.
unity to the parent institution and
should in its advantages meet the
usual requirements of an institution
in water supply. character of soil
drainage and means of transportation
To this country place the quiet chronic
cases, the subject of periodic insanity
and even a fair proportion of the con.
valescents may be transferred, some
temporarily and others permanently
and at the same time continue under
the medical and executive supervision
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