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Some Spartanburg Lunacy Records

Contributed by Joey Gainey

Lunacy records 2 items. These are the only lunacy cases for Spartanburg preserved at the S. C. Department of Archives and History, Columbia, SC.

Item 1
Sheet 1

Joseph Glenn now in the Custody of the Sheriff of Spartanburgh having been tried at the present Term of the Court of Sessions for the offence of Murder and acquitted by the Verdict of the Jury the only matter of defence set up involving the Soundness of his mind and the Testimony adduced having satisfied me that the safety of the Community and humanity to the said Glenn require some further proceedings

It is ordered that the said Joseph Glenn do continue in the Custody of the Sheriff of this District until such examination may be made as is herein ordered directed and the further order had Competant authority
It is further ordered that John H. Walker Esquire or some other magistrate of the District do inquire as to the lunacy of the Said Joseph Glenn and for that purpose he call to his assistance two licensed practicing physicians and examine the said Joseph Glenn and the evidence of his lunacy and after such examination they shall fins the Said Joseph Glenn a lunatic they Shall Certify to myself or some other Judge or Chancellor of said State whether in their opinion the Said Jospeh Glenn is curable or incurable and whether his enlargement would be harmless or dangerous or annoying to the Community
D. L. Wardlaw

Sheet 2

Joseph Glenn now in the custody of the Sheriff of Spartanburg having been tried at the present Term of the Court of Sessions for the offence of Murder & acquited by the Verdict of the Jury the only matter of defence set up involving the soundness of his mind & the testimonmy adduced having satisfied me that the safety of the Community and humanity to the said Joseph Glenn require some further proceedings

It is ordered that the said Joseph Glenn do continue in the custody of the Sheriff of this District until Such examination may be made as is herein directed and the further order had from competent authority It is further ordered that John H Walker Esquire or some other magistrate of the district do inquire as to the lunacy of the Said Joseph Glenn and for that purpose he call to his assistance two licensed practicing Physiciansand examine the said Joseph Glenn and the evidence of his lunacy and after such examination they shall find the Said Joseph Glenn a lunatic they shall certify to myself or Some other Judge or Chancellor of Said State whither in their opinion the Said Joseph Glenn is cureable or incurable and whither his enlargement would be harmless, or dangerous or annoying to the Community
D L Wardlaw
I certify that the above is a true copy of the original Order made in this case
9 March 1849 J B Tolleson  
  Clk

Item 2
Sheet 1
Spartanburgh    
Report of Magistrate and Physicians in the case of Simpson Wingo a Lunatic
G W H Legg Magt
State of South Carolina )  
Spartanburgh District )  

To His Honor J. N. Whitner

In obedience to an order issued to me from the Court of [General] Sessions Spring term 1859 to enquire into the Idiocy Lunacy Epilepsy of Simpson Wingo a person now confined in Jail upon a charge of an assault with a pistol I have this day called to my assistance Dr A. W. Bivings & Dr Wm T Russell two Regular Licensed practising physicians who have duly made the examination, Required in said order their Report of the same is herewith submitted

Given under my hand & seal
Geo W H Legg (Seal)
Magistrate

We the undersigned beg leave to state to the Honerable Court that we have this day examined Simpson Wingo a prisoner now confined in Jail upon a charge of an assault with a pistol,

From the examination that we have made of the said Simpson Wingo we are fully satisfied that he is a Lunatic that we believe that it is wholy unsafe for the community for him to be at liberty That he is unquestionably a fit and proper subject for the Lunatic Asylum
with regard to his curability we are unable to determine all of which is most Respectfully submitted to
His Honurable Court

  Given under our hands
This 6th day of April AD 1859-- William T. Russell. M. D.
  A. W. Bivings M D
I fully concur in the opinion & Report of Dr Bivings & Russell in the case of Simpson Wingo as above stated
  Given under my hand & seal
April 6th 1856 Geo W H Legg (Seal)
  Mgt

Sheet 2
side 1
In the matter )   Order
of )   of
Simpson Wingo )   Court

side 2
In the matter of )   In the Court of Sessions
Simpson Wingo )   Spartanburg District
a Lunatic )   Spring Term 1859.

Simpson Wingo who is now confined within the Walls of the Jail for Spartanburg District, upon a charge of Assault with a Pistol, having been found by the Inquisition of a magistrate and two Physicians, held under the Order of this Court, a Lunatic, and that it would be unsafe to the community to set him at liberty:

It is Ordered, that Alexander Wingo, Sheriff of Spartanburg District, do transport the Said Simpson Wingo to the Lunatic Asylum in Columbia, and deliver him to the Regants or Superintendant of the Same, and the said Regants, or Superintendant, as the case may be, are hereby authorised and required to receive the Said Simpson Wingo into the Asylum, and to Keep as a pauper Lunatic from Spartanburg District, until other liability or means for his Support Shall be ascertained extra [illegible word; marked through], or until he Shall be discharged according to the laws and regulations of the Institution.
April 9th 1859

J. N. Whitner