Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1890 — ABOUT THE COUNTY ASYLUM. [ARTICLE]

ABOUT THE COUNTY ASYLUM.

A Statement of the matter from S. P. Thompson. Mb. Editob. —The county is supporting and employing its. poor und’indigent citizens Sets priinafJ ily through the township Trustees, while the Board of Commissioners act on the Trustees’ reports. The board may build an asylum and employ a humane and responsible Superintendent on terms “most advantageous to the interests of the county” Sections 60G6 to 6090. The Board of Commissioners can only learn legally whether such Superintendent is performing his duty in one of five modes, as j follows: 1. His criminal prosecution, i Sec’s. 1616 and 2099. 2. By personal visits, Sec. 6095.; 3. From biennial reports of the j Superintendent, Sec. 6095. 4. Information from a board of ! visitors, Sec. 6101. 0. The direct complaint of citizens. Until June 6th, 1890, the Board of Commissioners had received no j legal information that the inmates of the asylum were by any one ; believed to be mistreated by the | Superintendent or his servants. I The Grand Jury at the March! term, 1590, visited the asylum and appended to their report of the 1 Jail i -’aired by Sec. 6116, a crit- f I ids,.: ..-on the management of the j I county asylum. A copy- of this ; j repoi 1 was filed with the Auditor |on May loth, 1890. That portion of said report which referred to the Jail was acted upon by the board on June 2nd, 1890. The wTiole report was made public in May 1890, and the citizens geiter- { ally of the C\.u,dy, were informed of the report made and signed by | five of the Grand jurors, long before the pre -ent session of the; board. The board was informed by legai counsel that the said criticism of the asylum made to the circuit court did not amount to an indictment and therefore that said

court could not proceed against the Superintendent; also that the grand jury had no legal authority to make report in that form, and that the Board of Commissioners were not authorized to expend the public money to investigate the truth of a complaint addressed wholly to the the circuit court. | Board of Commissioners of its own | motion however at once required ; the Superintendent to correct all the allege! defects in the form and | security of his contract with which ■ | direction lie at* once complied. The board also directed him to 1 make his biennial reports specific | and appointed a board of visitors, I consisting of Henry O. Harris,! I John E. Randle and Wm Wash-■ ! burn, to report at each subsequent | session of the board. The expense of a board of visitors had ; | not hitherto been incurred for the ; reason that the Commissioners! had voluntarily and without expense to the county, often visited ! the asylum and reported implicit j ; confidence in the humanity, pru- j ; deuce and efficiency or the Super-; ; intendeut. The people seemed to j ; demand a more rigid surveillance j I of the asylum and the additional legal safe guard v.as therefore or- j dered. On June Gth, Henry O, Harris and James 1). Babcock filed their written complaint endorsing said report of. the grand jury. The Superintendent there- j upon filed an answer and an in- [ , vestigation was ordered at the ex- ! pense of the county. Ralph W. Marshall was appointed attorney j for the complainants. Arthur H.: Hopkins was selected by agree-1 ment, as stenographer. Edwin P. Hammond acted attorney for the Superintendent. A thorough investigation was had. It showed that the asylum had heretofore, as a rule, been kept cleanly, that the inmates fyave, as a rule, been treat- ! ed in a very humane manner, that ; they have been well clothed and have not suffered from cold or i *' . * .

; hunger'at any time. The evidence show . , : • r.v.-ver, that on March 18th, 1890, when the grand jurors visited tile asylum, that they had reason to find fauit w ith ilm then temporary state of affairs, at the asylum. ... *■ 1. The weather had been warm \ and had turned chilly, that, the.' j inmat es were hot in the* main [building and the fire in the farnjace had gone out. The county I furnished the coal and the inmates had not suffered with cold even on that day. Another fire being accessible to all of them, ! 2. That it was a wet time aT.d ! two abasement rooms, which have j never been finished, used or need* | ed, were in fact, damp. The asylum was how ever, well-drained in all portions ever used for any purpose, and said unfinished rooms was dry, most of the year. 3. The Boaul having faith in Shelby Grant’s honesty and financial responsibility had not then in strictness demanded all the additional security nor the penal bond authorized by the statute. 4. The Superintendent’s family were just recovering from sickness, ami they had, from necessity, entrusted the food supply to some others, and somo temporary complaints which seem to have “ had some foundation were made by the inmates. So that a majority of the grand jury, in good faith, determined that the observations appended to their report touching the county prison were, together well founded. The board are informed by physicians that the supply of food must be regulated and that food . must not be supplied in unlimited quantities to be eaten at will by | the inmates, if their health and j comfort are to be observed. The system of management was invesI tigated also by the board. The j present system was found to be ; the most economical. I The law, civil, and criminal, is so very strict that a Superintendent,tyvho is a humane and respon- i sible person, will necessarily care j : well, for the inmates, whatever I I may lie the nature of hi* contract;"j ; The b.air'd did nut dee m a < badge ! of sy.btein expedient, at least, until 1 a further t rial is made of the pm-.-1 ent system under inspection of & j board of visitors. The stenograph-1 er was diiv efiai to pre.-erve all the j evidence and furnish a copy to: any one de--firing tiic same for any : purpose. Thus* began and ends a ( trust a wide spread, plausible yet ill founded rumor, touching the conduct of a worthy public officer. The Board of Commissioners wholly exhone rat Shelby Grant from any intentional neglect of his duty. The investigation has con voiced every fair minded man who hoard it that Shelby Grant has performed his duty faithfully and well. Those under his care are not very easily.. i>mu rntte. i noceasily pleased, and the wonder is that the Superintendent can get along with therm as pleasantly and smoothly as he does. Nq complaints have arisen as to the moral care ami crmdnof. nfllip iam.r.nvguinier Grant’s anp o rintendone-y He has at--a.ll times invited the closest scrutiny of his manager ment by officers and citizens. Every member of the board of Commissioners has always been and is now willing to'do ail that can be done lawfully with due regard to what is ~i>u>si (ulvanfageons id ike interests of the county” to support and employ ever poor and intelligent citizen in the best ' practical wuty for his-Jmaithtandi comfort. The Superintendent is trying tp perform a, duty which you nor I would not like to undertake. Simon P. Thompson, / Co. Atty. pro tern.