as he had in her mother’s case, that the doctors’ opinions of Carrie Buck were correct. His judgment was that Carrie Buck was a suitable subject for an institution for the care and treatment of the feeble-minded. He ordered her delivered to the Superintendent of the Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded at Lynchburg, Virginia without further delay. But a delay was unavoidable.
Seventeen…and unmarried…Carrie Buck was pregnant.
In March of 1924, a month before Carrie’s baby was due, Miss Caroline Wilhelm, the social worker to whom Dr. Bell had written abut Emma Buck, wrote to Dr. A. S. Priddy, the superintendent of the State Colony, concerning Carrie’s commitment papers. Miss Wilhelm was writing on behalf of the Red Cross in Charlottesville. In the letter, she mentions that the papers had been returned and were in the hands of attorney Homer Richey, who served on the Board of Public Welfare in Charlottesville and often attended to legal matters for the board:
My dear Dr. Priddy:
We are very sorry that the papers in this case have been so delayed. We did not know until a few days ago that they had been returned…for corrections and were still in the office of Mr. Richey who had agreed to make the necessary changes.
We are writing now to urge that the case be acted upon as soon as possible. Mrs. Dobbs, in whose care the girl has been, is expecting to be called away almost any day to care for her daughter during her confinement (late pregnancy and delivery) and she does not wish to leave the girl alone.
As Carrie Buck is expecting her baby about the middle of April, it is very important that she be admitted to the Colony before that time if it can be arranged.
Very truly yours,
(Miss) Caroline E. Wilhelm
Secretary
In response to her letter, as well as one from attorney Richey, urging that the commitment be expedited and arguing that all the papers were in order, on March 13th, Dr. Priddy insisted that the letter of the law be followed:
…am satisfied that due process of law has not been observed in this case.
I refer you to Sect. 1978 of the Code 1920, page 376 ‘Petition to have person declared feeble-minded.’ This section recites that no feeble-minded person shall be sent to any institution except as hereintofore…provided. It provides that a petition shall be regularly filed, which was done in her case, and in the following Section 1079 it says thereupon it shall be the duty of the Judge or Justice with whom such petition is filed, to execute a warrant ordering such alleged feeble-minded person to be brought before him and to summon her custodian, etc. The Court of Appeals of Virginia has in more than one case declared any commitment illegal in which there was no warrant issued and it furthermore requires the warrant to be read to the person suspected of being feeble-minded or insane and that he is acquainted with the charge. One of the cases to which I refer was that of Mallory vs. Va. State Colony for Feeble-minded …, so I must have a warrant properly executed or I cannot accept the ward as legal.
Very truly,
A. S. Priddy
Superintendent
The next day, Priddy wrote to Caroline Wilhelm and advised her that, even with her papers in order, Carrie Buck could not be committed until after she had delivered her baby.
My dear Miss Wilhelm,
I have your letter of 11th inst. relative to the admission of Carrie E. Buck and note that you say she is expecting her baby about the middle of April and it is very important that she be admitted to the Colony before that time. I am sorry but we make it a rule to positively refuse admission of any expectant mothers to the Colony. You will have to make some provision to keep her until the child is born and disposed of and then on notification we will take her when the law has been complied with in committing her. I have advised Mr. Richey that he will have to send me a copy of the warrant on which she was committed. Very truly,
A. S. Priddy
Superintendent
Dr. Priddy was quite aware of the importance of complying with the full letter of the law. He had already been involved in Mallory v. Priddy, a case in which he was found not guilty (March 1, 1918) of intentionally sterilizing an illegitimate young girl during a normal abdominal operation. In a later appeal, Mallory v. Virginia Colony for the Feebleminded (June 13, 1918), he was again acquitted of the charges, but the court concluded that certain practices were not quite within the confines of the 1916 law concerning feeblemindedness.
Although conscious of legal parameters, Dr. Priddy, nevertheless, considered his power as a physician absolute. At Carrie’s subsequent trial, he would aver, “I have a right to do whatever is best for the physical and mental advantage of the patient.”
On May 5th, a letter came to Dr. Priddy from Miss Wilhelm, explaining that Carrie’s baby had been born and she was now ready to enter the Colony. She also described the arrangements which had been made for the baby.
My dear Dr. Priddy,
It has been very difficult for us to decide what disposition to make in the case of Carrie Buck as we feel that a baby whose mother and grandmother are both feeble-minded ought not be placed out in a home for adoption. However, the people who have had Carrie in their home ever since she was a little girl, are willing to keep the baby with the understanding that it will be committed later on if it is found to be feeble-minded also. We are therefore anxious to send Carrie to you as soon as possible and should be glad to know when you can receive her.
Can you send someone for Carrie, or send us transportation for an attendant for her.
Very truly yours,
(Miss) Caroline Wilhelm
Secretary
Dr. Priddy responded to Miss Wilhelm on May 7th with a letter which opened the way for Carrie’s commitment to the Colony. This letter would alter the course of Carrie’s life, and her experience would effect the lives of thousands of other people.
Dear Miss Wilhelm:
Replying to your letter of the 5th about Carrie Buck will say that I cannot advise you what disposition to make of the baby other than to place it in the City Almshouse. Of course, should this child be ascertained to be feeble-minded we will receive it here. However, the law puts a limit of 8 years in feebleminded cases and we could not take it until it is eight years of age. I am enclosing transportation for attendant and her (Carrie) to Lynchburg. If you will kindly fill in name of attendant and advise me on what train she will arrive we will meet her at the station. The early morning local train comes into the Union Station at 9 A.M. and is the most convenient one for us to meet and whoever comes with her could return on the 12 o’clock train.
Very truly,
A. S. Priddy
Superintendent
Boarding the early train, Carrie and Carolyn Wilhelm made their way to the hospital in Madison Heights, overlooking the James River, Lynchburg and the mountains.
The 1905 will of S. R. Murkland of Amherst County had left a parcel of land to Western State Hospital. It consisted of about two hundred acres on the James River looking down from the heights north of Lynchburg. The purpose of this gift was to provide “extra comforts” for the patients of that hospital. Mr. Murkland’s epileptic son was being cared for in that institution,
