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Astounding Disclosures! Three Years In A Mad House

Creator: Isaac H. Hunt (author)
Date: 1851
Publisher: Isaac H. Hunt
Source: Patricia Deegan Collection
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2  Figure 3

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On the first of October, 1846, after being imprisoned more than two years, I went to work at my occupation of boot and shoe making, in the attic of the Institution. I continued my labor up to about the first of December, as steadily as my health and the weather, not being allowed fire, permitted. About this time two friends visited me on one Saturday afternoon. We had a conversation upon the general matters of the day, my health, &c. One of them made the remark to me -- Mr. Hunt, I don't see but you are as rational as you ever was, and I shall tell our Selectmen that you have been kept here long enough, and they had better take you away." -- To this I replied, you may tell every person you speak with about me, that I am in the full possession of all my natural mental faculties. Next day (Sunday) I gave offence to Dr. Bates, and on Monday following a friend, who came expressly to see me, was told by Dr. Bates that, owing to his having allowed two friends to visit me on Saturday previous, I had become so crazy that he did not know what to do with me; and he then said that he would not permit him, or any person whatever who was acquainted with me, to see me again on any pretence. Now the motive at the bottom of this was a desire on the part of Dr. Bates to conceal the fact that I was then a sane man, and he was afraid that if I was permitted to see this friend I should reveal to him the full story of my wrongs, thus giving the lie to his assertions in regard to the true state of my mind. Can you, reader, for a single moment realize the fiery torrents I had endured -- was enduring -- under these more than doubly damnable ordeals? If you think of them as my plain, sound, unvarnished tale upholds them to you, then must you reason as I do, and arrive at the same decision, viz: these things are pernicious and infamous, and ought not to be permitted in a Christian land.

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About the last Wednesday of December, at the annual meeting of the Trustees, while I was engaged at my occupation in the attic, I was summoned into the gallery. I would here state that it is the custom, enforced by the regulations of the Institution, for the Trustees to visit it once a month -- each patient being separately reviewed. The Trustees have in their hands a memorandum of the patients names. They see the patients, and make a check mark against each name. They came to my room, and I said to the Chairman, Mr. Jarvis, of Surry, Sir what motive have you in coming here and putting marks against each man's name? The reply was -- We wish to know if you have any complaints to make -- if you are well treated by the officers?" To this I replied -- "Sir, if I had any complaints to make you will not hear them!" -- He then answered -- Yes, we will; that is our duty; that is what we come here for." -- "Then, sir," I replied, I have complaints to make. I have been most shamefully and barbarously abused by Dr. Isaac Ray, and I am kept here for no earthly purpose but because Dr. Bates is afraid if he discharges me, that I shall reveal the terrible secrets of this institution to the world!" To this the Trustees responded that they had nothing to do with Dr. Ray, he having left the Institution; they wished to know if I was well used by the present officers?" "Then, gentlemen," I replied, "knowing that Dr. Ray has abused me in this barbarous, inhuman and cruel manner, you will permit him to go to Rhode Island, to take charge of another Institution of this kind, where he may continue his demoniacal practices upon the poor, ill-starred creatures who will, like me, be thrown upon his mercy? when a word from you, gentlemen, would deprive him of his power so to do. The Trustees again repeated that they had nothing to do with Dr. Ray; their business was with the present officers. I then replied -- "Gentlemen, I now have serious charges to prefer against Dr. Bates. He has shut me from the world, and refuses to let me see any person or friend with whom I have ever been acquainted, for no earthly purpose but because be is afraid that I will reveal the horrid secrets of this Insiitution! -sic- And now I appeal to you to give me my liberty, for I am in the full possession of all the mental faculties that God ever gave me, and I am as capable of attending to my business as I ever was at any former period of my life. -- They then asked me if I had any other complaints to prefer; are you well provided for do you get enough to eat, &c. To this I responded -- "Oh, yes; we have enough to eat, such as it is!" They thereupon left me and went below, and I returned to my employment in the attic.

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The next that I heard from them, after this, in regard to my appeal to them to give me my liberty was, Dr. Harlow, the assistant physician, and James P. Weeks, the supervisor, said to me -- "Well, Mr. Hunt, what decision do you think the Trustees have arrived at, in regard to your case?" I merely replied I could not tell. They then said to me -- "They have advised Dr. Bates never to allow you to see any person whatever with whom you have ever been acquainted." I wish to present these six men to the world in their real character. -- That no mistake shall be made I shall quote nothing but facts in my own case, and therefore I give to the public the names as well as actions of these individuals. Edward S. Jarvis, John Hubbard (now Governor of the State of Maine,) Charles Millett, Cornelius Holland, Edward Swan, Isaac Reed -- who, together with Reuel Williams, a former Trustee, I charge with conspiracy against my liberty, if not my life and property. If this was not bold and high handed conspiracy, then I do not know what it would take to constitute conspiracy against a human being. Now here I was at the entire mercy of these men; at their control and disposition. Men shall I call them -- no, monsters! They, knowing that I was a sane man, a man burdened with grief, and physical embarrassment heaped upon me by the cruel indignities, drudgeries and malpractices, arts of deception, tortured by medicine and mendacity, that were enough to drive any man mad, furious, distracted; yes, they shut their ears, closed their eyes and barricaded their hearts, sympathy and human feeling against my plaintive story -- a truthful recital of my wrongs, sufferings, deprivations. Stories of wrongs told to savages, would not have elicited such a cruel, cutting and stoical disregard.

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