Evening star., 1926-03-22
BLANTON NAMES IS VETERANS
In NEW ATTACK ON FENNINC
Charges Commissioner Works With DR.. White of
St. Ekxabeihs to Get Guardian Appoint
ments for Rich Fees.

the monthly compensation from the
Government.
"And when you are guardian for
wards that number up to 103 in one
Government insane asylum. your
revenue is beyond honest eXpecta-
ton" commented Mr.. Blanton.
am now having the courts prepare
a complete statement, showing al
amounts that have been received by
Commissioner F'enning from the es-
tates of his mental defective WafoS
and from the monthly compensation
paid by the Government. l have the
names of the parties in ST Elizabeth's
who have been furnishing this Valu-
able information to Mr.. F'enning, upon
which he has had himself appointed
as guardian in 80 many cases.
Showing that these profits continue
even after DEATH" Mr.. Blanton con
tinued Since July l, 1925, Commls-
sioner Fenning has had five or MS
wards to die in St. Elizabeth One
died on July 3, 1925; another died on
July II, 1925; another died on Decem'
Der 2, 1925; another died on January
81, 1926. and another died on FEBRUARY
"a, 1926. / am reliably Informed that
Commissioner Fenning has many
wards in ST. Elizabeth's whom he has
never seen, yet from whose estates
he regularly draws his 10 per cent.
And | am also reliably informed that
when his wards die Mr.. Fenning man
ages still to control the administration
OF their estates
"Undertal1er Scandal"
An "undertaker scandal was next
called to the attention Of his colleagues
by Mr.. Blanton, who said: Yesterday
=,
beths. Many die there annually.
New ones are taken in there each
month by squads. The turnover is
enormous. Until a short time ago,
the firm of Joseph Gawler's Sons, Inc,
enjoyed an exclusive monopoly on all
undertaking business at ST. Eliza
beth's. Finally the sundertakers of
Washington got tired of it and raised
a riot, since which time GaWlcr's gets
now only the greater part of it.
have some very Interesting statements
from Washington citizens familiar
with affairs at St. EliZabeth's con-
corning White, Fenning and Gawler."
That Judge Katheryn Sellers knew
what she knew was next pointed out
to his colleagues by Mr. Blanton, say
ing: when Judge katheryn Sellers
testified before our committee not
long ago that any policeman in Wash
ington had the power to place a per
son in an insane asylum here l told
her she must be mistaken. But she
knew what she was talking about.
lave looked up the law and the Gus
tom prevails here"
Mr.. Blanton put copy of the law
into the record.
Under such law he said, the fol
lowing has now become the practice:
warrant any one he deems of unsound
mind; then he, with another officer or
person, executes the atfidavits, then he
gets two physicians usually the pro-
feSsionals, ready and Waiting) to ex-
ecute the unSWorn certlfcateS, ana
then into Gallinger Hospital behind
the bars the poor person goes for So
called observation. And when any per-
son is under observation for alleged
mental disorder the most natural
things that they do are always deemed
the best evidence of their unsound
mind. And by the end of the week.
when there has accumulated in Gal
linger Hospital police patrol wagon
full Of them, blank temporary com
mitment to st. Elizabeth's is filled out
for each one of them. and these blanks
are tnen sent to the District Building,
where as many as two of the Commls-
sioners perfunctorily sign them Oil.
and then the poor unfortunates are all
huddled into the patrol wagon ana
into St. EliZabeth's they go. when no
warrant has ever been issued, no tridl
has ever been had and no chance mas
over been given them to prove their
sanity"
SAYS Much Time Elapses.
"If the law were complied with.
Mr.. Blanton argued, which permits
these temporary commitments py the
commissioners to be for only ~ Gays,
II would not be quite so bad, put
in instances people have been Kept
in st Elizabeth's for as much as elgnt
months under such temporary COM
mitments issued by the COMMISSION.
ers. before they were sent before
court to be tried for lunacy by Jurys
DR.. White can make what IS known
as an 'excIse for not bringing them
to court He can claim that they are
not in a physical condition to war
rant It. He can claim that they are
not in the proper mental condltioh.
And under such excuses ne mas re-
tanned many there long after the 80
days"
Citing "some of Mr.. Jennings most
recent lunacy cases." Mr.. Blanton
argued that these show he intends to
carry on the business despite his
duties as Commissioner.
Declaring that the work is not well
performed Mr.. Blanton continued:
1.-THE duties of his office as Commis-
sioner require every moment of his
time. He has been making a mess
of his official business. ! will men,
ton Just a few illustrations Of his