Evening star., 1938-01-27
Letters on Supreme Court
And Defenseless Patients
To the Editor of The star:

To the Editor of The Star:
On Saturday last The Star published
two very interesting and Significant
letters.
The first, by one Robert p. Reeder,
pointed out that the room recently dedi-
Gated at the Capitol as the first meeting
place OF the Supreme Court was, IN
point of fact, not the room used by the
court at all. The letter shows careful
historical research. It Is the more i'm
portant since the Senate sergeant at
arms has selected room on the eastern
side of the Capitol to be made available
for visits by tourists as the first meeting
place of the court. This room, curiously
enough, adjoins that of the meeting place
of the United States Senate from 1900
to 1859. Now we know that the Senate
did meet there, but it is scarcely con-
ceivable that the Supreme Court during
this period, or for any considerable part
of it, could have met in room adjoining
the Senate without some mention of that
peculiar fact in all the journals and
manuscripts of the time.
It would be fitting, therefore, for the
Senate sergeant at arms to have little
more reliable evidence as to what room
was used by the Supreme Court prior to
1885 before showing the room that was
dedicated last week to tourists as the
meeting place of the court in the days
OF the great Marshall. Indeed, the evi-
dence available seems to bear out the
contention that the court met in third
room from the north on the western
side of the Capitol, as Mr.. Reeder indi-
Gates. instead of in room only q few
from, ho o1I 10 ~, o,,,I,o !.
eastern side of the building. The court
itself should have the matter carefully
investigated, as the subject is of more
than passing interest to those millions
of Americans who feel that the court
OF the early days played real and vital
part in the development of the American
tradition, and who would like to see the
early meeting room preserved.
The second letter in the same column
on the same day was no less startling
because apparently it was written by a
lawyer with social conscience. When
an attorney starts writing to newspaper
about poor, unfortunate people from
whom he cannot possibly secure a dollar,
think it is front page news. The letter
is signed James E. Tippett. but from the
context I gather he visits Washington
occasionally to represent Virginia or
Maryland client.
Mr.. Tippett, it appears, has discovered
fact known to most lawyers and many
laymen but habitually and generally
ignored: Namely, that people charged
with insanity in the District are fire.
quently remanded to an insane asylum
without benefit of counsel or the right
TO be confronted with the witnesses
against them, or provided with any
method of meeting the charge against
them. Indeed, the very elementary rights
guaranteed under the Constitution-such
as trial by jury, or the right to counsel
If need be at the expense of the Govern
ment or the right to subpoena witnesses
in their behalf-are denied those friend
less or unfortunate whose relatives or
associates want them put out of the way
for some real or fancied reason.
Many Washingtonians remember the
congressional investigation of St. EliZ-
abeth's Hospital about ten years ago and
the testimony revealing how scores Of
sane people were "railroaded" to that
institution by designing relatives or as
sociates in conspiracy with unscupulous
physicians and all for the mere purpose
OF securing control of the victims prop
erty or money. Nothing came of that
inquiry because it was checked by politi-
cal pressure before it was half completed
but now with the Democratic party in
control Of both Houses Of Congress, the
District Committee of the House should
make careful inquiry into the whole gen.
eral subject because as Mr.. Tippett
pointed out in his admirable letter, there
are grave miscarriages Of justice in many
Of these cases and the law should at least
see that they (the accused) have some
representation"
Indeed, there are instances on record
where sane men and women, through
lack of counsel or knowledge of the law,
unable even to resort to the simple pro-
cess OF habeas corpus, have been locked
in an asylum on the signature of two
physicians employed by some interested
party and there, after several months,
finding themselves unable to contact the
outside world. have given way to despair
and finally gone raving crazy. And vet
for this form Of murder there is no pen
atty, no publicity and little public inter-
est until lawyer with social conscience
comes along and calls attention to it
And then it merely makes interesting
reading. HUGH RUSSELL FRASER.