Evening star., 1925-10-05
GRAND Jury SCORES
TREATMENT Of 4,4QO
AT ST. EL|zABETH'S
Sensational Report Con-
demns Conduct and Condi-
tions at Howard Hall.
MANY OF SOUND MIND
BELIEVED IN ASYLUM
Ask Probe of Charge That Some
Are Detained From "Ul-
terror Motives"

4 sensational report condemnine
the conduct and conditions at Howard
Hall. where the criminal insane IN
mates of ST. Eliza beth : Hospital are
incarcerated, and expressing the be
lief that there are many persons now
confined there who are not now an'
never were insane, but who have peer
sent there for ulterior motives, was
presented to. the District supreme
Court today by the Federal Sranc
Jury, of which Daniel \. Edwards Is
foreman. Congress should be asked
the grand jurors point out, to author
ize the appointment by President
coolidge of a commission to lnVestl
gate the condition of every question
able" case in the hospital.
The grand jury investigated condl
tionS at the hospital in connection
with an inquiry into the killing ol
William Green. a colored inmate o1
the hospital, in July, 1924, but made
n separate report to the court on the
conduct and situation at Howard Hall
Attendants Indicted.
At the same time an indictment for
1anslaughter was returned against
William Mcintyre and Irwin r.
Sweeney white attendants at the hos
pital who are accused of having
beaten Green when he refused TO sub
nit to having his hair cut.
Save for its criticism of conditions
at Howard Hall. the report generally
approved the situation in other por
tons of the hospital AS to the
charge that sane persons are now con
fined in Howard Hall, which is based
on the testimony of witnesses, the re-
have been prevalent in Washington
and whether true or false are unqueS
tionably injuring the hospital in the
estimation of the people of the Dis
trict and some steps should be taken
to clear up the situation
The report of the grand jury fol-
lows:
I'm connection with the inquiry
into the cause of the death of Will
liam Green, a patient of ST. Eliza
beth's Hospital, on the 18th day of
July, 1924, the grand jury made an
investigation as to the general con
ditions of life at said institution.
The grand jury visited the hos
pital in a body and We're shown about
the grounds and through many of the
buildings. AS William Green came
to his death in Howard Hall, they
inspected it with greater care anc
more closely than they did the other
buildings.
Overcrowding DeplOred.
There are approximately 4,4oG
patients and 1900 attendants in the
entire institution. about 200 of the
patients being veterans of the World
War. We found the hospital greatly
overcrowded, and most deplorable
conditions existing as a result of this
overcrowdins: there are some rooms
intended to accommodate 20 single
beds containing more than 40 beds:
there is scarcely enough room to walk
between these beds, and consequent
~ there cannot be the least privacy
for the patients in dressing or un-
dressing. The patients should be
either sent to other institutions until
there is a reduction of from 500 to
1000 under the present total patient
popula ton of 400. or sufficient
money should he appropriated to
erect enough additional buildings
10 the end that these unfortunate
people may enjoy at least the com
mon decencies of life. If the over
crowded condition of the hospital is
not remedied at an early date, we
fear that the percentage of inmates
becoming hopeleSsly insane will be
of the best efforts of the superintend :
ent and his assistants.
conditions in Howard Hall are
particularly bad. This building houses
about 200 patients: it was originally
intended TO accommodate about half
this number Here are confined not
only those of the dangerously insane
type. but, as well, those who have
become insane while serving criminal
in r,t-iS Il
l,enitentiaries. Many of these men
are suffering only from the mildest
forms of mental disorders, but, ac
cording to the statements of the
physicians in charge, are likely to
escape if given greater liberties. and
are accordingly confined in this build
ing, which is surrounded by a very
substantial wall, "A feet in height.
Recreation Space Small.
There is an open court in the cen
ter of the building about 100 fee,
square. called by the inmates the
Bull Pen" This is the only recrea
ion space available. and here the
dangerous as we'll as the noisy pa
rients mingle with those whose minds
are almost normal. This intermnS
ling must be very depressing to the
latter class of patients. The sky is
visible to the patients while they are
in This court. and a glimpse of the
outside world may he had by looking
over the 24-foot wall. AS there is nc
assembly hall in the building. it Is
but seldom that religious services are
held. and accordingly the spiritua
well-beins of the patients is sadly
neglected.; there is nothing to break
the dead monotony from one end OF
the week to the other.
I'm the Winter season conditions
in Howard Hall must be even worse
than in mild weather. as during the
cold months the inmates cannot, be
cause of the cold. long remain in the
open court, their only place of recre
alton. During the Winter months
both day and night the patients mus,
either stay in their rooms or in the
wards: condition, in our opinion
very depressing upon the inmates
especially those only mildly afflicted
Would Affect Sound Mind.
After examining conditions il
Howard Hall, the members of the
arand jury could readily believe the
statement of the guard who said: Il
man went in there CHoward Hall
with a perfectly sound mind, he would
he hopelessly insane in less than three