New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-22
SEVERITY FOR
CRIMINAL insane
English System at Broad
moor and Elsewhere Like
iy 10 Be Investigated.
MAN HELD 10 YEARS
FOR WRITING MENACFs
Stats in Asylums Apt To Re- D.
lated by Blood, Thus Creating
Close Corporations.
From NE Tribune co--e.nor,s..


From the Tribune Co~-e.,o,s...,
London. March N-It Is IA,
broadmoor. the most famous cr,u "s'
iunatic ASYLUM in England win vn@A.
Investigated for Cnionist rno,,h.1
Parliament has lately been irving 80,
ont the nature Of the treatment sc.o-,Y'
- the criminal insane in this o..,..
Inc case hat has attracted bts
tlon Is tna' Of young man rsmas
Pfitchard. Who i'm 1907 after bei,v
Victed or writing several foolish ~,
threatening letters. was sent 10 Re-,
moor as criminal lunatic Ever s1.
u j. alleged in some Quarters T..
been detained there ieyoud tho -
maximum time. although his parents 40.
clare that mistake has been made
The Dnionist member Mr. ro.o..
does not think that conditions 4, q,
lunauc asylums here ere ss hsd =,
the prisons and asvlums 81 Nav w..
State, but he does think there I.
for reform. One Of the thirss h. r,.,."
to do is to change the STATS rrc,, A..
prison 10 another ~ more or less ~.
ouent intervals. on the ground. ., :.
saws.
IF. az alleged a great many rr.uh...
OF the stan are related 70 other rnAuh.,.
Of the existing STAFF or mast ,r.r,.
IN" staff either by blood or marrias. !.
At once becomes obvious that soms,hi,.
IN the nature Of 4 close corporation /,
established. and II prisoner ofends on.
member OF the body h. IL IN dsnxsr a,
coming into collision with the whole
Interested in euli Asylum.
lie SAYS he has also heard that tbsr..
certain local interest among tradesm.r
OF the villages surrounding the prison,
and asylums IN keeping the institution,
illed.
II have heard" he saws. that Juror,
on the inGuests are sometimes either psn.
sloners or radesmen. the same persons
serving over and over again However
honestly such juries may do their duty. il
Will be difficult for them to escape from
bias IN favor OF the institution. | put a
question 10 Mr.. McKenna on this subject.
and all he could tell me was that the
summonins Of jurors is a matter for the
coroner.
Not only were there 80 patients at
Broadmoor Asylum last wear. but another
criminal lunatic asylum has been built AZ
hampton. where there were 80 patients
last year
The object Of the treatment should he
70 effect cures From this point or view
the system can hardly be regarded as sue.
cessful, rs II appears. from an answer
given me by Mr.. McKenna the other DAY
that during the year 1913 only five pa
tents were discharged from Broadmoor
recovered 70 the care Of their family.
seven were RENTED covered to prison.
and two discharged absolutely on eXpiry
Of sentence. This makes total OF ons
eighteen which is A very small percent
age or 80.
1T is a significant Circumstance that IN
the last five years the number Of deaths
from brain disease. as stated by Mr. Nc
Kenna in answer 70 my questions snort
time back, has only been nineteen, or an
annual average Of less than four There
are. however, many deaths from other
causes During tho last eight years "a
men and twenty-six women nave been
buried in the cemetery OF the BroadmooI
Asylum.
For Double Murder Three Years
A curious feature IL the extraordinary
variations I'm the length Of detentions ac-
cording to a list which has been supplied
to me. prisoner for attempted murder
has been released IN ten months, another
for double murder IN three wears, Tor
wife murder in four years. for mairicloe
in two and a half years. Compare tnS
with the crime OF sending Threatening
letter. for which there has already been
a detention of about thirteen years
The general experience Of those VINO
present petitions with rgard TO prisoners
is that they receive stere0typeu repp
TO the effect that the Home secretary
sees no ground for interference v"
to the effect that the prisoner IS a danser
to himself and others. and, therefore NV
petition cannot DC sIdhAt1. iitNNN -
may be sent after careful inquiry out u'
with which they are issued il''
licates a mechanical process. And so 'n'
years pass Oh. and the friends OF pr
oners die or become tired Of trying "
move this official inertia
1T is not, OF course. suggested mat a.,
abuses such az those assocla'eu VIZ
Newgate Prison in the old DAYS sA
here. nor would any one urge the fe'e'
IF any inmate Of a criminal lunauc az
um If IL we're TO involve public rsA' W
here is a danger that mistakes may "
made in sending men to these es'a'"ss
nents and that mere csrelessness OF ~
difference. or possibly even desire
prevent scandal may keep them '"'''
.erated I'm living tomb.
While | have an open mihu VIZ" -.
gard TO the allegations eoncerh"s
condition OF affairs az Broadmoor' ! COZ
,ot help thinking there is ground i'i
no,irv as to the workins Of the p'es'
system"
Ay0 CT AnCu1