1 Ask the Inspectors of Lunatics
what they know of this man Ballycahane, Pallaskenry, Co.Limerick, District 15 Honourable Sir, As the Chief Secretary for Ireland, I beg to direct your
attention to the following circumstances: I was detained in the
Limerick Dt. Asylumn for over 6 years under the lying pretext
that I was insane. I am a superannuated Officer of Excise. When
I was in the Excise Service, the RC Priests slandered me at all the
places in Ireland and England at which I resided, as numerous
persons can testify, and amongst others W. Waller Esq. J.P.,D.L., Castle-
town, Pallaskenry, Co.Limerick; Dr.Ling, Medical Missionary, Thomas St.,
Limerick; Rev Wm Langley, Rector of Narborough, Near Leicester; Rev
Wm Croome, Vicar of Syston, near Leicester; the Collector of Excise, Lei-
cester; Mr John Tierney, Officer of Excise. I had no knowledge when
I was in the Excise Service that the R.C. Priests had slandered me
behind my back. The R.C. Priests said I had committed Secret
Sin before entering the Excise Service; but it was only after I
was superannuated in 1892, and after I had come home here, 2 where the slanders were repeated, that I learned what the Priests
had been doing. I wrote letters to several people at the different
places at which I resided, complaining of the misconduct of
the R.C. Priests slandering me while while I was in the Excise Service.
At last the R.C. Priests of Pallaskenry pretended to believe that I
meant to inflict corporal chastisement on them and they express-
ed their apprehensions to the police. A conspiracy was got up against
me, headed by the R.C. Priests, and the local Doctor said I was suf-
fering from Delusions, meaning of course insane Delusions. For
I assure you I was never insane in my life, nor had I ever at any
time insane Delusions. Dr Hoey, an asst. Doctor in the Limerick
District Asylum, said to me in the presence of Several persons,' I
always told Dr O'Neill, Resident Medical Supt., that I thought there
was nothing the matter with your mind'. Nevertheless O'Neill
filled up certificates every 3 months, and sent them to Somerset
House, stating I was insane, in consequence of which the Excise
Authorities gave £28 per annum out of my Pension, who did 3 not claim me out because he was getting this money. I charge
O'Neill with filling up false and lying certificates about me
every 3 months for 6 years and sending them to the Excise Auth-
orities in London. There seems to be no check on the arbitrary
and dishonest conduct of O'Neill, who kept me for 6 years in
the place, although not one in the place believed there was
anything the matter with my mind. In England, as you know
there are visiting Magistrates who visit the Asylumns every 6
months , in order to see that sane persons are not kept in them
against their will, but there is no similar magisterial Inspection
in Ireland, not do the Asylumn Committee trouble themselves
to see whether sane persons are unjustly detained in the As-
ylumn or not. The Government if the Limerick Dist.. Asylumn
appears to me most scandalous in that no check is imposed
on the arbitrary conduct of O'Neill. I am profoundly convinced
that Asylumn Doctors will keep all the people they can in As-
ylumns , in order to keep up the numbers, so that they may have 4 an excuse for asking for an increase of Salary, and that if
they are not properly supervised,either by magisterial visitation, or
by the Governing Board, gross abuses are certain to arise, and sane
persons will be unjustly detained in Asylumns. Some months
since I wrote to Dr Dawson, one of the Inspectors of Lunacy, in
which I informed him of the slanders of the R.C. Priests, and of
the illegal and dishonest conduct of O'Neill in filling up lying
certificates, and keeping a sane person in the Asylumn for
over 6 years, but I received no reply from him. As President of
the Irish Local Govt. Board, I request you will order an inquiry
into my case, as it is one of gross injustice and illegality, and
a public Scandal. It is most scandalous that a public official
should be allowed to break the Law, and to detain a sane person
in an Asylumn for several years, because his friends were benefii-
ing by having him there, and because the R.M. Superintendent
wanted to keep up the numbers. Unless Asylumns in Ireland
are to fall into general and deserved disrepute, it is desirable 5 that some persons should not be detained in them against their
will. I am profoundly convinced that unless Asylumn Doctors
are properly Supervised they will want to run those Institutions
for their own benefit, and not for the benefit of the public which
pays them. I mentioned my case to Inspectors Sir Ed O'Farrell and
Considine, who both failed to see that justice was done to me.
As this is a bona fide case of fraud, injustice and illegality and
a scandal to the Government under which such things take place I request
you will have an inquiry instituted into it. I am Honourable Sir,
Your Obedient Servant James Neazor Rt.Hon Augustine Birrell Esq. K.C M.P., Chief Secretary for Ireland P.S. I prefer to bring this matter before yourself in the first
instance to having a question asked about it in the House of
Commons.J.N.