Case Name: Gustavus Doren et al v. Joseph Fleming
Court: Franklin County Circuit Court
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Decision Date: 1905-03-25
Citations: 6 Ohio C.C. (n.s.) 81
Docket Number: 
Parties: Gustavus Doren et al v. Joseph Fleming.
Judges: Sullivan, J.; Wilson, J., and Dustin, J., concur.
Reporter: Ohio Circuit Court Reports (new series)
Volume: 6
Pages: 81–86

Head Matter:
COMMITMENTS OF FEEBLE MINDED YOUTH.
[Circuit Court of Franklin County.]
Gustavus Doren et al v. Joseph Fleming.
Decided March 25, 1905.
State Institutions — Courts mil not Prescribe Rules for Government of, Unless — Commitment of a Feeble Minded Youth — No Liability Created Thereby, When — Error Proceedings.
1. A defendant who, upon the overruling of his motion to withdraw the case from the jury and dismiss the action, elects to proceed with his testimony and not rely upon the claim that the plaintiff failed to prove his case, can not thereafter in error proceedings raise the question of error in the overruling of his motion.
2. Courts will not assume authority to prescribe rules for the government of state institutions. Such authority arises only when it is shown that a rule or rules in force ar.e unreasonable and subversive of.the purpose for which such institutions ar.e established and maintained by the state.
3. The rules called in question in the present case are not of such a character, and the manner in which the plaintiff below was committed to and retained- in the Institution for the Education of Feeble Minded Youth created no liability for damages to him on the part of those participating therein.
Sullivan, J.; Wilson, J., and Dustin, J., concur.

Opinion:
Joseph Fleming, the defendant in error, on the 16th of July, 1904, recovered a judgment in. the court below against plaintiffs in error for the sum of $412.50, together with costs of suit. The suit was for damages and the trial was to- a jury. Plaintiff's motion for a new trial was overruled and a judgment entered up on the record against plaintiffs in error for the amount above stated. A bill of exceptions was taken by plaintiffs in error containing all the testimony submitted to the jury and is filed here, together with the transcript and original papers. Plaintiffs in1 error complain that said judgment is erroneous, and therefore ask that the same may be reversed for errors set forth- in their petition and apparent upon the record.
Plaintiffs claim first that it is apparent from the record that the court erred in overruling their motion, made at the conclusion of the testimony of plaintiff below, to withdraw the case from the jury and dismiss the action. This question can not be considered by this court for the reason that the defendants 'below, after this motion was overreuled, elected to proceed with their testimony and not rely upon their claim that plaintiff below had failed to prove- his ease.
The other grounds of error assigned are: First, that the judgment is against the weight of the evidence and not sustained by it; second, that the- judgment is contrary to law; third, that the court below erred in overruling plaintiff's motion for a new trial. The grounds of the motion for a new trial are the same as above stated.
Though separately stated, there is but really one ground of error set forth in plaintiff's petition, and that is that the verdict is manifestly against the weight of-the evidence, and if this be true, then the- verdict would be contrary to law. Hence the so.le question here — is the verdict of the jury supported by the weight of the evidence or any evidence? It nowhere appears from the evidence that any of the plaintiffs in error aside from Gustavus Doren had anything to do with or were engaged in any way in bringing Fleming to the institution, in October, 1892, or that they in -any way restrained Fleming while there, and yet the .verdict is a joint one, covering the entire period that Fleming was at the institution. This is not averred as error, and it is perfectly apparent from the evidence, if they are liable at all, it would be only for return of Fleming to the institution August 10, 1902.
Coming now to the consideration of the evidence, set forth in the bill, we find there is not a scintilla of evidence tending to prove that the superintendent of the institution, Gustavus Doren, was actuated by any improper motive in receiving Joseph Fleming into the institution, or that it was done with any hope or expectation of any personal benefit to himself, and further there is not a scintilla of evidence that said superintendent received any personal benefit from any labor or anything done by Joseph during the entire period he was at the institution. If the proceedings taken for the admission of Joseph were irregular, the evidence show® that they were not inaugurated by the superintendent, and the part taken by him, as shown by the evidence, was necessary- and with the view to discharge his duty and for the benefit of the patient.
The undisputed evidence shows substantially the- following state of factsi:
Joseph was without a home. He had been driven from the home where he had lived for some seven years. His relatives, residents of Columbus, one being the sister of his father, with full knowledge of his situation and condition, did not want to furnish him a home, so they, together with the priest superintendent of the parochial school Joseph had attended up to that time, held a conference at which they determined from their knowledge of Joseph's situation and mental condition that he was a proper subject and entitled to enter the State Institution for the Feeble Minded. The relatives of Joseph, or at least one of them, took steps to have him entered there. They stated that Joseph was fourteen years of age or thereabouts. The statute does not provide that the applicant should be first examined as to .his or her mental condition, but authorizes the trustees to prescribe and publish instructions and forms for the admission of pupils, and may include such interrogatories as they may think necessary or useful to have answered. The trustees in pursuance of this authority did for muíate and publish rules for the admission of applicants and authorized the superintendent to submit such interrogatories as he thought should be answered by the parents, guardians, etc., of the applicant. The rules provide that applicants may be admitted by the superintendent with the advice and counsel of the executive committee. Section 671 of the Revised Statutes provides who may be admitted. Any person of the class therein named is entitled to admission. The Legislature, for wise reasons no doubt, left with the trustees the authority to say what proceeding should be taken to enable them to determine whether an applicant was of the class named in Section 671, supra. Interrogatories were propounded by the superintendent to be answered by the persons presenting the applicant for admission. Nos. 7, 11, 12 and 26 relate directly to symptoms that would be a subject of inquiry, if an examination by some authority outside of the institution was required. These were propounded to the relatives presenting Joseph for admission by the superintendent. In addition to this the superintendent testifies that he made an examination as to Fleming's mental condition the day he was brought to the institution. True, Fleming denies this, but no other witness corroborates Fleming. The superintendent states that he found Fleming came within the class named in Section 671 and hence entitled, to admission. Upon this matter he is corroborated by such a number of respectable and unimpeached witnesses that there can be no doubt as to the fact. The relatives who made the application were the nearest friends of Joseph, and those who are still living do not deny, but admit, that they applied to have Joseph admitted. Neither do they deny their answers to the several interrogatories submitted to them. Hence, it is wholly immaterial whether they did or did not sign them. It was left to the superintendent as to what interrogatories should be answered by parents.
In conclusion upon this point we are clearly of the opinion that Joseph was a proper subject to be admitted to the institution, and that he was not unlawfully deprived of his liberty thereby. Joseph testifies that he knew he could not be discharged from the institution, except upon the application or order of those who placed him there, if living. He wrote his uncle and aunt, who, in connection with Ryan, now dead, procured his admission-, to take him out, but they refused and said to the superintendent that the institution was the better place for him. The superintendent in person solicited the uncle to take him out and give -him work. The uncle admits this and that he refused to do so. The rule that those admitted should be entirely subject to the direction of the parents, and discharged therefrom upon their order or direction, we -are of the opinion is a very salutary one. "Were it otherwise anyone at his or her pleasure upon their own volition- might leave and ramble anywhere and everywhere without the needed care and supervision of anyone. When Joseph left the institution July 27, 1902, it was without any order from those instrumental in placing him there, and it was the duty of the superintendent to have him returned to the institution, as much so as it would be his duty to return a youth of tender years. The rules must be uniform, otherwise the efficiency of the institution would be destroyed. We are therefore of the opinion that the superintendent acted within the scope of his authority, and the return of Fleming was not a legal wrong. Courts will not and do not assume the authority to prescribe rules for the government of institutions -of this character. Their authority to interfere arises only when it is shown that a rule or rules are unreasonable and subversive of the purposes for which such institutions are established and maintained by the state.
We are of the opinion that the rule observed by the authorities of the institution- and enforced against Joseph when returned to the institution- upon August 10, 1902, is not an unreasonable one. Joseph's own testimony is, we- think, entitled to but little credit. In support of this view we regard it necessary to only call attention to his testimony respecting his statement to Powell relative to a contract with the Press Post, and his denial of such contract, and that he- simply told the falsehood to get clear of his inquisitor. The admitted falsehood he told the party who accosted him one evening after dark within the enclosure -of the grounds of the institution, and the statement on the stand that he had been put in the care of the conductor when he came from Minneapolis here, and immediately after admitted he was placed in the care of an uncle from Minneapolis to Chicago and from there to Columbus in the care of a cousin of his mother's. In face of the testimony of the nurse, Frank Goehlhart, not denied by Fleming, Fleming's statement of the treatment he received while kept on the third floor we think is not correct. He is contradicted not only by witnesses of the defendants, as to the time he was kept in the room on the third floor, but also by George Hill, his own witness, who testifies he was there but two weeks, corroborating defendants' witnesses upon this point.
Smith Bennett, for plaintiff in error.
M. E. Thrailkill, for defendant in error.
Upon the whole record we think that the verdict in this case is not only' against the weight of the evidence, but that there is no evidence to support it, and the judgment, therefore, will be reversed. Cause remanded at the costs of defendant in error.