The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 120

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 120

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The Board of Superintendents of the Poor and that of the Commissioners of Charities of the county were now things of the past, and a new body, possessing far greater powers than either of their predecessors (and, so far as the Poor establishment of the county is eon- cerned, equal to that onee possessed by the Board of Supervisors), was thus created in their place.

This new Board entered at once on the duties of their office, and, July 31, 1880, their first annual re- port for the preceding year was published.

This report shows the number of persons supported

during the year ending July 31, 1880, to have been 1,595. It was signed by Moses Kessel, James Ryan, H. V. Storm, who (eleeted in the order of their terms), being in office when the new Board was constituted, beeame Commissioners of Charitics and Corrections until the expiration of their office.

Remaining in the Almshouse, at date of the last report, 755; Hospital, 275; Asylum, 721; Hospital for Incurables, 324; total, 2,075: admitted during the year, Almshouse, 1,863; Hospital, 2,396; Asylum, 437; Hospital for Incurables, 65; total, 4,761; whole total in Almshouse, 2,618; Hospital, 2,671; Asylum, 1,158; Hospital for Incurables, 389; total, 6,836. Died and discharged during year, Almshouse, 1,931; Hospital, 2,386; Asylum, 354; Hospital for Incurables, 88; total, 4, 759; remain- ing July 31, 1880, Almshouse, 687; Hospital, 285; Asylum, 804; Hospital for Incurables, 301; total, 2,077; cared for by the in- stitutions, 6,836; average number in the institutions during the year, 1,873; average cost of each person during the year 1880, $118.76; average cost of each person per week, 1880, $2.28; total amount of bills paid and due, $239,316.53; total cash receipts, $17,464.30.

The Superintendent of the Almshouse, Martin V. Burroughs, reported no further improvements needed to the buildings; the renewal of an old rule (now several years in abeyance), that all men applicants for lodgings should break two bushels of stone before receiving their supper, or a place to sleep, had greatly lessened the number of tramps applying for lodging; an effectual separation of the sexes had been effected except in the chapel; that the female department was in urgent need of a change of management, and especially in improving its means of heating; that the farm had been enlarged by the addition of sixteen acres of leased ground. The officers under Mr. Burroughs were William Carrigan, clerk and steward; Miss Maria J. Trumble, matron; Mrs. B. L. Bowen, matron of Nursery.

Dr. P. L. Schenck, of the County Hospital, reported as re- maining in the Hospital July 31, 1879, 163 males, 143 females; total, 306; admitted during the year, 1,544 males, 995 females; total, 2,539; total in Hospital, 1,707 males, 1,138 females; total, 2,845; discharged recovered, 1,097 males, 630 females, total, 1,727; improved, 246 males, 181 females; total, 427; unim- proved, 39 males, 32 females; total, 71; died, 158 males, 142 females; total, 300; total number discharged and died, 1,540, males, 985 females; total, 2,525; remaining July 31, 1880, 167 males, 153 females; total, 320; total, 1,707 males, 1,138 females; total, 2,845; admitted during the year ending July 31, 1879, 2,690; during the year ending July 31, 1880, 2,539, showing a decrease of 151. The results of treatment were as follows: 1, 727, or 68.40 per cent., recovered; 427, or 16.91 per cent., improved; 71, or 2.81 per cent., unimproved; 300, or 11.88 per cent., died. The number of births in this institution during the year was 130. The Doctor acknowledges his obligations to the ladies of the Flower and Fruit Charity for their supply of the Hospital patients with fruits and flowers, and to the clergy of Brooklyn for their devotion to the spiritual wants of the patients.

Dr. Guy Daly, of the Hospital for Incurables, reports as re- maining in that institution July 31, 1879, 136 males, 161 females; admitted during the year, 42 males, 21 females; whole number treated, 178 males, 182 females; discharged during the year, 14 males, 10 females; died, 20 males, 12 females; remaining July 31, 1880, 144 males, 160 females.

The report of John C. Shaw, M.D., Medical Superintendent of Lunatic Asylum, for the year ending July 31, 1880, shows that the number of patients in the asylum July 31, 1879, was 270 males, 447 females; total, 717; admitted during year, 205 males, 213 females; total, 418; discharged or removed, 141 males, 134 females; total, 275; recovered, 47 males, 41 females; total, 88;

506a

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

improved, 49 males, 57 females, total, 106; unimproved, 44 males, 34 females; total, 78; not insane, 1 male, 2 females; total, *3; died, 33 males, 31 females; total, 64; remaining in Asylum August 1, 1880, 301 males, 495 females; total, 796. Of 418 admitted into the Asylum, all but 154 were foreigners.

The medical staff of the County Institutions, when the Board of Commissioners and Corrections went into operation, consisted of: P. L. Schenck, M. D., Superintendent of the County Hospital, with R. P. Collins, M.D., H. D. Nevin, M.D., H. L. Cochran, M.D., G. M. Ferris, M. D., as assistant physicians; J. L. Zabriskie, M.D., Tennis Schenck, M.D., consulting physicians ; Homer L. Bartlett, M. D., Joseph C. Hutch- inson, M. D., consulting surgeons. The County Luna- tic Asylum, John C. Shaw, medical superintendent; John A. Arnold, M. D., John S. Woodside, M. D., John Frank, M. D., assistant physicians ; George H. Codding, clinical assistant. The County Morgue and County Penitentiary had also been placed under the control and management of the new Board.

The first difficulty which the new Board encountered was, whether they were required by law to submit the bills for supplies purchased by them for the Poor es- tablishment of the county to the Board of Supervisors for their approval, in order to enable the County Treasurer to pay the same. While some took the view that the act constituting the new Board vested in them all the powers of purchase and supply, and authority, &c., &c., previously possessed by the Commissioners of Charities and the Board of Supervisors of the County, others contended that the power to purchase supplies only was conferred on the new Board by the act ; that the power of approval possessed by the Supervisors over the purchases and bills of the Commissioners of Charities had never been taken from them and still existed ; that though the absolute power conferred upon the new Board to purchase, includes the power to agree upon the price, and any price agreed upon by the Board of Commissioners of Charities and Corrections was bind- ing upon the Board of Supervisors, yet there were other matters, or might be, touching the said bill to be deter- mined by the Supervisors, which would serve as salu- tary checks for the public interest. In January, 1881, this question was fully submitted to Mr. Winchester Britton, one of the oldest members of the Kings County Bar, for his opinion and decision, which was rendered February 19, 1881, and which coincided substantially with the latter view of the question.

February 24, 1881, Mr. W. M. Shipman, President of the Board of Charities and Corrections, presented a petition to the Supervisors, representing that the Luna- tic Asylum and Hospital for Incurables were entirely inadequate for the rapidly increasing need of the in- mates and the community ; that that portion of the Lunatic Asylum called the " Lodge " was actually un- safe ; the Asylum building was so overcrowded that, in a measure, the efforts and skill of the physicians were baffled ; that the Hospital for Incurables was over-

crowded to a large extent; the female ward of the Almshouse was also in great need of alterations and enlargement ; that these alterations would demand the erection of a dwelling and office for the warden, and also a store-room ; that a comfortable brick structure should take the place of the old frame building occupied as a ward for the colored patients. To meet these re- quirements an appropriation of $90,000 would be re- quired. The alterations and improvements on the Hospital for Incurables would require $60,000, and those on the Almshouse $30,000.

At the annual meeting of the Supervisors in August, 1881, the Commissioners of Charities and Corrections called the attention of the former Board to the stern necessity of erecting a hospital at Flatbush for a Small- pox Hospital, denouncing a resolution of a former Board adverse to building such a building.

On October 1st, 1881, Brewster Kissam and A. H. W. Van Sicklen were, by the Act of May 13, 1880, ap- pointed Commissioners of Charities and Corrections in place of Charles J. Henry and Wm. Shipman, whose term of office had expired. By the expiration of official terms only one member of the old Board, James Ryan, continued in office on January 1, 1882.

The annual report of the Board for the year ending July 31st, 1881, shows as remaining in the Poor establishment of the county, July 31, 1880, 68 in the almshouse, 320 in the hospital, 304 in Hospital for Incurables, 796 in asylum, 600 in the Peniten- tiary, total, 2,708 ; admitted during the year, 2,567 to the alms- house, 3,300 to the hospital, 44 to the Hospital for Incurables, 428 in the Lunatic Asylum, 753 to the penitentiary; total, 7,092; totals, in almshouse, 3,255; hospital, 3,620; Hospital for Incurables, 340; asylum, 1224; Penitentiary, 1,353; total, 9,800; died and dis- charged during the year, almshouse, 2,582; hospital, 3,239; Hos- pital for Incurables, 40; asylum, 356 ; Penitentiary, 700; total, 6,897 remaining July 31, 1881, almshouse, 673; hospital, 381; Hospital for Incurables, 308; asylum, 368; Penitentiary, 653; total, 2,883; cared for in the institutions, 800; average number in insti- tutions during the year, 2,939; average cost of each inmate per year, $97.77; average cost of each inmate per week, $1.88; total amount of bills paid and due, $294,470.23; total amount of cash receipts, $67,545.02.

The report of Mr. Wm. Murray shows the increased necessity for the enlargement of that department, although the building occupied by the male inmates is in a good sanitary condition, with some few exceptions. It also shows that a baby ward was nearly completed, and well adapted for the purpose for which it was constructed; that 1,442 persons received into the almshouse during the year ending July 31, 1880, were committed by order of the Commissioners, 495 were committed as State paupers, 630 were from other institutions. This added to 688-the whole number of inmates July 31, 1880-presents the total of 3,255 re- ceived into the institution during the year, and from whence they came. Of these there were discharged during the year 1,957; transferred to other institutions, 460; absconded, 26; died, 139; number remaining July 31, 1881, 673; males, 247; females, 426; natives, 270; foreigners, 403; children, 53; adults, 620.

Dr. P. L. Schenck, Medical Superintendent of the Kings County Hospital, for the year ending July 31, 1881, reports as in the Hospital July 31, 1880, 320-167 males, 153 females ; admit- ted during the year, 3,300-2,005 males, 1,295 females ; total in Hospital, 3,620-2,172 males, 1,448 females. There were dis- charged recovered, 2,293-1,413 males, 880 females ; improved, 400-254 males, 146 females ; unimproved, 97-58 males, 39 fe-

507a

THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES.

males ; died, 449-250 males, 199 females ; total number died and discharged, 3,239-1,975 males, 1,264 females ; remaining July 31, 1881, 381-197 males, 184 females ; increase of patients over last year, 775. Of the 3,300 inmates, 2,117 were foreigners.

Dr. Schenck's resignation was tendered on the 11th of July, and accepted by the Board with many regrets.

Dr. John Shaw, Medical Superintendent of the Kings County Insane Asylum, speaks in high terms of the measures taken for the erection of two wooden cottages, near the Asylum, to hold from 80 to 100 patients. The erection of six more had been strongly recommended, but the Doctor insisted, to use his own language, " that it will not do to put up six wooden cottages now, and think that all is done which is required. Temporis- ing is foolish ; arrangements should be made for obtaining a large tract of land to have room for the great increase of patients, for this large number will have to be cared for, and we should be preparing for it."

There were remaining in the Asylum August 1, 1880, 790 pa- tients-301 males, 495 females ; admitted during the year, 420- 218 males, 210 females ; total during year, 1,224-519 males, 705 females ; discharged, 269-148 males, 121 females ; died, 87-42 males, 45 females ; whole total, 356-190 males, 166 females ; re- maining in Asylum August 1, 1881, 868-329 males, 539 females ; recovered, 72-34 males, 38 females ; improved, 121-62 males, 59 females ; unimproved, 75-52 males, 23 females ; not insane, 1 female ; total, 269-148 males, 121 females.

John Arnold, M.D., Superintendent of the Hospital for In. curables, for the year, reports the number of patients remaining August 1, 1880, 143 males, 161 females ; admitted during the year, 29 males, 15 females ; whole number treated, 172 males, 176 females ; discharged during the year, 13 males, 6 females ; died during the year, 15 males, 6 females ; remaining July 31, 1881, 144 males, 164 females.

The first annual report of the Kings County Penitentiary, by Mr. John Green, Warden for the fiscal year of 1881, shows that his appointment dated from the 1st of January, 1881, and the re- port of the condition of the institution can be given only from the accounts kept by his predecessor. The state of affairs which existed at the time Mr. Green took charge of the Penitentiary was, to say the least, discreditable. There were no records of the reception or discharge of prisoners ; no regular books to be found that would indicate the manner of conducting, or the amount of business yearly transacted. One thing was plainly manifested, however : the expenses for the five months preceding the 1st of January exceeded the receipts by $5,736.93, when with proper management the balance would have been the other way, because the receipts for seven months since the 1st of January, 1881, have exceeded the expenditures by $7,677.20, which is suffi- cient to pay the said deficiency, and leave $1,940.27 to the credit of the institution for the fiscal year, the first since its completion that it has been either self-sustaining or yielding a revenue to the county ; notwithstanding the receipts for the years 1875 6- 7-8-9, from convict labor, board of United States prisoners, appropriations and other sources, amounted to $92,521 annually, while less than $70,000 per year would easily have paid the running expenses of the Penitentiary. The actual number of convicts on hand was fraudulently increased, with a view to re- ducing the high rate per capita resulting from charging the county for enormous quantities of supplies that were never received at the Penitentiary. Prisoners were often discharged several days in advance of the expiration of their term of sentence ; the dis- cipline, such as existed, was maintained by a frequent and mer- ciless use of the lash, and prisoners were worked in the shoe- shops on Sunday, while there were numbers of favored prisoners in the institution who were mildly dealt with under all circum- stances.

The average number of prisoners in the Penitentiary for the seven months preceding July 31, 1881, was 618 ; their earnings

were $42,369.27; their expenses were $34,692.07 ; the profit was $7,677.20. Male prisoners sentenced for one year or more, 312 ; females, 30 ; total, 342 ; male prisoners less than one year, 232 ; females, 26; total, 258 ; grand total, 600.

Of the prisoners in the Penitentiary on the 1st of January, 1881, 8 were sentenced for life; the whole number of "long term" prisoners was 342; of those sentenced from 6 to 10 months, 98; for less than 6 months, 160.

The average earnings per capita of the convicts per diem for the seven months preceding the 1st of Janu- ary, 1881, was 32-33, cents; the expenses per capita per diem was 26148% cents. Salaries of the principal officers of the Penitentiary were: Warden, $2,700; en- gineer, $1,200; roundsman, $1,000; hall-kecper, $1,000; assistant hall-keeper, $1,000; clerk, $900; door-keeper, $900; shop-keeper, $900,and thirteen other shop-keepers receiving each $900 per year; two matrons received each $480 per annum ; two assistant matrons, $360 cach per annum.

The County Morgue .- By the act creating the Board of Commissioners of Charities and Corrections, the control, management and custody of the County Morgue was given to that Board. Previous to July 16th, 1869, there existed for a time a place for the reception of those found dead, called the "County Dead House," a cheap, inconvenient affair, more of a nuisance than anything else. On July 2, 1869, a written complaint against this building from Drs. Jones and Whitehill, Coronors of the county, was presented to the Board of Supervisors, earnestly asking that some action might be taken in regard to the matter. On the 16th of the same month, plans were presented to the Board for the erection of a morgue for the county, which were favorably received, and soon thercafter the same was in process of erection near the County Jail in Brooklyn, and in due time was completed. It con- tained office, post-mortem room, exhibition room, retir- ing room, inquisition room, jury room, each of which were appropriately and handsomely furnished. On Jan- uary 11th, 1870, Mr. John Leary was appointed Keeper of the Morgue, and March 14th, 1870, rules and regula- tions for the government of the Morgue were adopted, providing, among other things, that it should be open at all hours of the day and night for the reception of dead bodies ; that the exhibition room should be kept open daily to the public from sunrise to sunset. Bodies werc to remain in the exhibition hall if not recognized, at the discretion of the coronor. When identified, bodies were to be immediately withdrawn to a private room. A book was to be kept in which citizens could record the names of missing friends, describing their persons, clothing and address of relatives. There should be an alphabetical list of all identificd persons ; the clothes of unrecognized bodies should be washed and preserved for six months. The attendants at the Morgue shall under no circumstances ask from relatives or friends of deceased persons, under any pretext, fees for services rendered.

508a

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

On July 15th, 1880, the Supervisors decided to re- move the Morgue to the northeast corner of the jail yard. December 24th, 1880, contract for the removal and repairs was duly entered into, and the new Morgue was again ready for occupancy about the middle of May, 1881.

On the 6th of October, 1881, the Morgue was, by a resolution of the Board of Supervisors, duly transferred to the charge of the Commissioners of Charities and Corrections, and Mr. Patrick Maguire was appointed keeper. His first annual report for the seven months preceding July 31st, 1881, is meagre, but shows that during that time twenty-three bodies had been brought to the Morgue; all of them except two were recog- nized.

Present Officers of the Charities Depart- ment .- As we have now presented the history of the creation and organization of the Board of Commis- sioners of Charities and Corrections, and a history of their first seven months of their administration, it is proper to give the names of the officers at the head of the departments under the Commissioners: D. C. Toal, chief clerk; T. H. Glass, assistant clerk ; Wm. Sullivan, counsel ; Joseph Short, jr., district office clerk; T. J. Donovan and Francis Doyle, dis- trict office assistant clerks ; J. S. Young, M. D., Joseph Cramer, M. D., C. E. Demund, M.D., Matthew Smith, M. D., district office physicians.

Hospital : P. L. Schenck, medical superintendent ; H. Plymton, M.D., J. L. Roseboom, M.D., C. F. New- man, M.D., F. Little, M.D., G. H. Codding, M.D., assistant physicians ; John L. Zabriskie, M.D., and Tennis Schenck, M.D., consulting physicians; Homer L. Bartlett, M.D., and Joseph Hutchinson, M.D., consulting surgeons.

Hospital for Incurables: John A. Arnold, M.D., medical superintendent.

Insane Asylum : John C. Shaw, M.D., medical superintendent : John L. Woodside, M.D., George Con- very, M. D., assistant physicians.

The officers in the department of the Penitentiary have been previously given.

About the 15th of January, 1882, the two cottages to be crected on the Poor House (Incurable Hospital) grounds at Flatbush were completed, and on the 18th of that month the Board of Supervisors were formally notified that the same had been accepted by the Board of Commissioners of Charities and Corrections.

On the morning of the 21st of February, 1882, a dis- astrous fire occurred at the Lunatic Asylum, partially destroying one wing of the building, and suddenly de- priving one hundred and seventy-five patients of their accommodations at a time when the weather was in- tensely cold .* On February 23, 1882, Hon. A. H. W.

Van Siclen, President of the Board of Commissioners of Charities and Corrections, in a very able and succinct communication addressed to the Board of Supervisors, set forth the situation of the Asylum after the fire and called their attention to the general condition of that institution. " The Lunatic Asylum," he said, " was entirely inadequate to accommodate, with any degree of comfort, the large number of inmates confined in it -a number which was being added to, almost daily. Such accommodations have been furnished for relieving this great overcrowding by the erection of two cottages on the ground of the Asylum for Incurables ; but this is mere temporary rclief. Even now the pressure for more room is nearly as great as it was before they were erected. The same state of affairs exists at the Hospi- tal for Incurables. It is impossible to care for the number of inmates which a population of over half a million makes necessary in buildings constructed to meet the wants of ten, fifteen and twenty-five years ago. It is evident that our county has not kept pace in its public institutions with the rapidly increasing yearly demand made upon them."

President Van Siclen continues: "The female de- partment of the Almshouse is in a worse condition than any other institution under this Board. At the present writing there are over 400 inmates in the build- ing, many of them old and feeble women, some of them so advanced in years that they are unable to leave the room in which they sleep, and were they able to do so. there would be no place for them to go, all available space being occupied for sleeping accommodations. In a sanitary point of view, this is certainly reprehensible, as during cold and stormy weather it is impossible to ventilate their apartments."

He then calls attention to the old, damaged, steep and narrow stairways connecting the different floors of the building, and points out the frightful consequences that would follow the breaking out of a fire in the building, and recommends some appliances for aiding the escape of the inmates from the institutions on the County Farm in case of fire. He concludes by asking the Supervisors for an appropriation of $30,000 for improvements and repairs on the Asylum, exclusive of the amount necessary to repair the Asylum in its damage by fire. The Board of Supervisors responded promptly and favorably to all of this communication.

September 14, 1882, A. H. W. Van Siclen, President of the Board of Charities and Corrections, presented to the Board of Supervisors a very exhaustive report on the subject of an adequate provision against fire at the Poor Establishment of the County at Flatbush, which was very favorably received by the Board. In

* The fire occurred on the male side, at six o'clock A. M, destroying two wards, with other serious damages to the building, and was the immediate cause of the death of three patients, two of whom were burned to death and one died of cardiac syncope, caused by fright. The fire was caused by one

of the patients, with some soiled clothing on his back, which took fire without his knowledge from a gas jet under which he passed. The clothing with the fire smouldering in it was thrown into a closet where there was a straw bed : five minutes afterwards smoke was seen issuing from the closet. Upon opening the doors flames burst out in such volumes as to baffle all at- tempts at suppression. It was to the gallant efforts of the Fire Department that the county is indebted for the safety of the ramainder of the building.

509a

THE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES.

September Joseph Reeve was appointed Commissioner of Charities and Corrections, in place of James Ryan, whose official term was to expire December 31, 1882.

The annual report of the Commissioners of Charities and Corrections for the year ending July 31, 1882, with the reports of the heads of the different departments of the Poor Establish- ment, shows that there were remaining in all the departments on July 31, 1881, 673 in Almshouse; 381 in Hospital; 308 in Hospital for Incurables; 868 in Asylum; 653 in Penitentiary; total, 2,883; admitted and born during the year, 2,558 in Alms- house; 3,970 in Hospital; 110 in Hospital for Incurables; 353 in Asylum; 1,000 in Penitentiary; 7,991 total; totals, in Almshouse, 3,231; Hospital, 4,551; Hospital for Incurables, 418; Asylum, 1,221; Penitentiary, 1,653; total, 10,874; died and discharged during the year, Almshouse, 2,442; Hospital, 4,013; Hospital for Incurables, 42; Asylum, 438; Penitentiary, 1,077; total, 8,012; remaining July 31, 1882, Almshouse, 789; Hospital, 338; Hos- pital for Incurables, 376; Asylum, 783; Penitentiary, |576; total, 2,862; cared for in the institutions, 10,874; average number in institutions during the year, 2,979; average cost of each person supported during the year, $89.95; per week, $1.73; total amount of bills paid and due, $366,612.63; total amount of cash receipts, $98,645.33. This report was signed by A. H. W. Van Siclen, President; Brewster Kissam and James Ryan, Commissioners.

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 120

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1114

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114