Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1887 — COMPLETE REFUTAL. [ARTICLE]

COMPLETE REFUTAL.

REPORT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE INBAHE HOSPITAL. 'The Senate Committee made the following report of its investigation of the Insane Hospital management to theJSenatbefore the adjournment of the Legislature. It was adopted unanimously, being accented as a thorough refutation of the slanders circulated by the Republicansfor partisan purposes: Mr. Presidnt: You Special Committee, consisting of Senators French (chairman), Bailey, Griffith, Branaman, Drake, Huston and Sears, appointed by resolution of the Senate for the purpose of investigating the condition and conduct of the benevolent institutions of the State, respectfully submit to the Senate the following report, to-wit: That, by aut ority of said resolution, said committee employed William Garber as clerk and stenograph. ;r to take down for preser-

vation tne evidence taken before said committee. That we employed, William O. Folpy as an expert book-keeper, with directions to make an examination of the books and papers pertaining to the Indiana Hospital for the Insana. That before hearing testimony your committee, in a body, every member of the committee being piesent, proceeded to the Hospital for the Insane and made a thorough inspection of both the male and female departments of said hospital, by gorng through all the wards of both of said departments of said hospital, and examining the beds, bedding and clothing of the patients, and by talking with the patients themselves That we •visited the wash and laundry-room, the boiler-room, the store-room and the dining room of the patients, and from our personal inspection we found extreme cleanliness in every department of the institution. We made a personal inspection of the meats, butter, fruits, vegetables, etc., on hand, and of the cooking, and of the bread and pastry in the bakery, and the com-

mittee was unanimous in its approval of all that came under its personal observation. We found the wards, halls, closets and bed-rooms in a perfect state of cleanliness. There was not a bad odor to be detected anywhere. In every ward was found a large bath-room and tub, well supplied with every facility for bath'ng the patients, all of whom presented a neat and tidy appearance. The laundry is supplied with a vast amount of modern machinery, and Jyour committee viewed a large number of people, many of them patients, busily engaged in he ironing, drying, and in other parts of this department, in washing the clothing, bedding, etc., of the Institu ion. The liosp;tal wards are especially bright and cheerful, being surrounded by every comfort. We vtsited the pump-house and investigated the water supply and fire protection, which we found to be in every*particular adequate. We then Degan the taking of testimony. The prosecution, if such it may be called, >as represented by W. D. Foulke, Oliver T. Mortoii and Lewis Howland, and they acted as attorneys in said investigation. The committee employed Henry N. Spann to conduct the examination and to act as counsel for said Hospital. The investigation has been very thorough, there being neither limit placed placed upon the time, nor upon the number of witnesses that were examined. We examined 125 witnesses including officers and attendants of the institution the members of the Board of Trustees, the neighbors that lived about the asylum, amj contractors and grocers and b fitness men generally who furnish supplies for the institution; also, the members constituting the committee, appointed by the Indiana Civil Service Reform Association, and numerous others

w e also subpoenead W. D. Foul e to testify before the committee, but he left the city and excused himself -y saying that all that he might testify to would be covered by Dr. Fletcher’s testimony, and, in fact, he would be willing to rest the case Dn Dr. Fletcher’s testimony. We ask a careful reading of the Doctor’s evideuce as it appears in the stenographic report of t' .e investigation. Full and free scope was given during the investigation, a much more liberal rule in asking questions having been allowed by u < than is usually allowed in a court of justice. First, we will state in a general way that none of the charges made against said institution by the Indiana Civil Service Reform Association, e cept that the management is Democratic have been sustained by the evidence. Full and free investigation was had upon every point, and the evidence was overwhelming that this institution is one of the best managed in this or an / other country; that the patients are better cared for; that their health is better; that the sanitary condition of the hospital is better; that the food supply is better; th it the medical, attendants are efficient, and the general comfort of the patients is as well secured as in any institution of this country or in Europe, so far as disclosed by the witnesses who had personal knowledge of such other institutions; and on this point we call special attention to the testimony of Superintendent Fletcher. The first charge made against the institution by th * Indiana Civil Service Reform Association is that it is run upon a partisan basis ; that all the em ploy es, including the medical staff, the Board or Trustees and other officers, are Democrats. This is true.

The second charge is that those who furnish supplies to said institution are Democrats and politicians, and that they get their contracts for supplies by reason of that fact. This charge was disproved by the witnesses furnished by the prosecution. It was overwhelmingly shown by the vitness- >- s for the defense tha r any man or

firm who got the contract to furp-e ish supplies to said institution procured the same simply and solely by being the lowest and best bidders. Instead of the furnishers °f supplies being Democrats and politicians, as charged, they wei e composed of *he best business me* of the city of Indianapolis and surrounding country, both Republicans and Democrats alike, and that three-fourths of whom were Republicans. Such firms ns D. P. Erwin Sc Co., Murphy Hibl •on Co., Kiefer <fc Co., Holweg & Reese, The Brooks Oil Company, Arthur Jordan, John E. Sullivan, Daniel Stewart, Franklin Landers, William 11. English, and men of this class, wholesale and retail merchants, some of them doing business of $1,000,000 or $1,51 >O,OOO per vear, all men of high character and high standing, owner/ of large real estate and large interests m and about the city; men of business integrity and personal honesty were the men who furnished the supplies to this institution. In order to believe the charges that have been made we would have to believe that these men are the men who furnished the bad supplies which it is charged were furnished to that institution.

, The third charge is favoritism in letting and awarding contracts. It was shown by overwhelming evidence that no contract was let a| any time except upon public aud open competition and the testimony of the men and firms mentioned above as furnishers of supplies, was that they could only get contracts when they were the lowest and best bidders, and that sometimes they re compelled to bid close in order to secure contracts, that they furnished the same at merely nominal profits; and it was. the almost universrl opinion of those who furnished goods, that the trustees, who had in charge the matter of procuring supplies, very carefully and closely looked after the interests of said institution in making such purchases. On this point we call attention to the names of the firms and of the men furnishing these supplies, as disclosed in the printed evidence taken before this committee. *

The fourth charge is in reference to the incompetencv of J. S. Hall, steward and book-keeper of the said institution. Only two witnesses testified to his incompetency, and both of them admitted on cross- xamination that they were not in a position to judge of this incompetency, but that it was just simplv a general impression with them, and that the Trusteeswere more competent to judge than they were- It was shown by the Trustees themselves that they had complete confidence in Mr. Hall. It was charged that on one occasion Mr. Hall had been guilty of mutilating one of the ledgers of the asylum by tearing a page therefrom. Regarding this charge, the facts are that Mr. Hall ordered his subordinate, Mr. Roth, to tear from the book of the store-house le ,ger a leaf, which was furnished to the Sentinel Company as a sample from which to print a book similar to the one from which the Ieu r was taken. This fact was ulso estabtabhshed by the employes of the Sentinel Company. The next charge is the extravafance of the Board of Trustees.— Ipon this point there was some evidence that apples had been bo’t at a higher price than necessary—one car-load. This was the only evidence; and, as already stated,it was proved by the men who furnished the supplies that they were compelled sometimes to furnish goods at the cost price and even at a loss in order to procure contracts from the Institution. It was shown by the evidence that during the lust year said Institution has been run $50,000 cheaper than any othyear within its history; and that, too, in the face v f the fact that numerous improvements involving the expenditure of large sums of J money have been carried on and I executed at said Institution.

two instances, that of a woman by the name of Dallas and a man by the name of Knorr. It is proper to state fn this connection that the State ought to build about the institution a high, strong fence. This has not been done because of a want of money. Neither ar*-, there sufficient attendants, because of the lack of means, to properly guard the patients and pr went escapes. The Dallas woman disappeared in a very mysterious way. Every effort was made in her case, and also in the case of Captain Knorr, to recapture and to learn their whereabouts; but notwithstanding the most strenuous efforts and the expenditure of large sums of money, the hospital authorities were unsuccessful. In view of the large number of patients who are daily taken out for exercise on the grounds of said Institution, it seems practically lmpossible,to avoid an occasional escape, and especially inasmuch as the Institution is not protected by a prop er fence. It is far more important, however, rhat the slight chance of an occasional escape should be incurred than that the 1 ;rge number of patients should be denied proper outdoor exercise. It is the ooinion of numerous witnesses vho have known that institution intimately for years, running back as far as eighteen years, that the patients are better treated by the attendants, and that the attendants as a class are better than they have ever been before in the Institution, and that Dr Fletcher especially has insisted upon the kindest treatment possible toward the patients. I Concluded next week.]

The following comparative statement made from the records for fourteen years, as to the expenses of the two parties in control, will allow an impartial public to say whether the management is extravagant or no^ The following shows the per capita expense, including subsistance, salaries, wages and house furnishings- It is taken from the records and is correct: REPUBLICAN. 1872.. Per capita per a nnm $253 76 1873. -Per capita per anunm 257 M 1874. .Per capita per annum 303 16 1675.. Per capita per annum .... 255 32 187*. Per capita per annum 233 4* 1877. .Per capita per anr.um 20* 41 1171.. Per capita pur annum 173 68 Total for seven years *1,683 76 Expense under Democratic management: 1879.. Per capita per annum... $19134 1880 .Per cupila per annum... 184 64 1881.. capita per annum 181 9? 1882. Per capita per a'num 194 00 1883.. Per capita per annnm...» 194 00 1884.. Per capita per annum 177 02 1 85. . Per capita per annum 173 43 Total for aeven years $1,299 37 Showing a aiffe ranee of *384 39 For 1886, expenses r>sr capita per annum, $160.02 —the lowest ever known in the history of the institution. Under the Republican management for seven years the average cost of maintaining a patient was 40.53, while under Democratic management it cost but $185.62. The average number of patients during these fourteen years was about 800. Taking that number as a basis, the Republican party would expend in tlae fourteen years about $2,680,000, while the Democratic party in the same time wo’d expend but $2,052,000, making a saving for the same length of time of over $628,000. The next charge is that bad food was furnished to the patients. The only evidence upon this point was that in the opinion of some of the witnesses bad rice, canned fr-iit, prunes, etc,, had been furnished occasionally, and that strong butter had been furnished at times; and also that upon one occasion t utter with skippers in it got into Wards 1, 2 and 3 of the female d partment in 1886, but was discovered before the patient had eaten any of it, and was not used. There were several persons who testified that strong butter had been furnished the institution, but more especially during the summer months It was, however, generally given as the opinion of such persons w r hen asked upon the subject, that such occurrence, considering the ain’t of batter used by the institution and the changeablw character of such a commodity, was no more f cequent than would occur in any well-regu ated hotel or family of tne '.-ountry. It -was shown by overwhelming evidence, including that of Dr. Fletcher himself, that the character of +he food furnished to the patients is as goo , if not better, than it is in any other institution of the kinl in this country or Europe. Dr. Fletcher said upon the witness-stand that in the European institutions he visited with a view to lear ing their management, and from the reports that he read of • other institutions of like kind, meat ig furnished twice a week on-

ly, batter is a luxury, and the class of food furnished is by no means as good nor aoundant as that furnished in this Institution. It was shown by employes who have been connected with, this Institution from five to fifteen, and in some instances twenty years, that the food supply now is better, more abundant and various than it has ever been before in the history of the Institution. That the meat is good in quality and abundant in quantity; that the bre+d is, as a rule, good; but, a in all hotels and families, there is an occasional sour batch, and once in a while a bad barrel of flour. _ Vegetables of - 11 kinds are abundantly furnished in their season, and also luxuries in the shape of watei melons, bananas or nges, lemons, apples, oystrs, strawberries and all kinds of small fruits. For the sick a special diet is procured, and they have all the delicacies of, the season furnished them. This special diet includes every vaiiety of food, cooked in every way as ordered by the physicians—meats of all kinds, poultry, oysters, etc., are also included. In fact, iflras stated by Dr. Fletcher upon his cross-examination, that the food supply for the patients is better than that of most American families, and he so repeatedly stated in his reports to the Governor _ lie following is a quotation from Dr. Fletcher’s report of October 31, 188 G:

‘“From a constant personal observation and daily inspection of six physicians, five supervisors, four dining room stewards, 125 attendants and five cooks, but one conclusion can be reached—that is, that all the* essential foods and many luxuries have been constantly furnish 'd, in sufficient abundance to maintain the population in good health, as is shown by the general increase in health of a large majority of the patients; and that in quality, the food was as good and well prepared as that found on most of the tables in America. Over 58,000 gallons of sweet milk, 661 gollons of oysters, 1,399 pounds of poultry, four carloads of watermelons, fifteen c irloads of apples, several thousands of oranges and bananas, and other fruits, *>ere consumed during th year. Dr. Fletcher also testified before your committee that no meat ever went,upo j the tables without a personal inspection by himself; that before any hogs were slaughtered he always designated the particular hogs that were to be slaughtered; that he personally examined their appearance after being killed, and their organs, and by this examination he is enabled to say with confidence that no diseased hogs were ever killed for use at said institution; that in case meats were purchased from dealers, he also made a personal inspection of the same; that never, within his knowledge, has bad meat been used at that institution; that meats from the hogs slaughtered at said ins'itution and that purchased from dealers for use at said hospital was used on his owd private table for his family and guests without culling or selecting, and that the meats used by himself and family and other officer i of said institution were the same kind and quality as tha furnished the patients. The next charge is that diseased hogs were killed and used for food there. The most that was shown upon this point, even if the evidence of the witnesses for the prosecution alone is looked to, was that some hogs di6d out of a drove of 100, and tha# they died from cholera. But none of the witnesses for the prosecution t stifled that any hogs had ever been killed out there and used for iood that they knew had cholera, or were in any wise affected by it The testimony for the defense shows conclusively that no hogs ever died out there with the cholera. Dr. Fletcher’s testimony is that he cut open and thoroughly examined the carcasses of the hogs that died of disease, and that, in his opinion, they died of pleuro-pneumonia. The i utclier w r ho killed all the hogs at that institution, and who has t een there for nineteen years, and who is a thoroughly competent and practical butcher, said that the hogs did not die of cholera, and that no hogs were ever killed there that were diseased in any way. Mr. Jamison, who shot*the hogs, and has been at that institution for seven or eight years, says that none of the hogs had the cholera, and that he was present at Dr. Fletcher’s investigation, and that Dr. Fletcher pronounced it pleuropneumonia.

The Lext charge is cruelty to the patients. One or two instances were shown ty the prosecution of cruelty to patients. It was shown, however, that the guilty attendants were immediately discharged by Dr. Fletcher, and it was the testimony of Dr. Fletcher and other officers of the institution that if attendants were merely suspected of beqpg guilty of cruel treatment to patients they were discharged without further proof. Dr. Fletcher testified that th» entire responsibility rested upon his shoulders; that if the patients were badly treated it was his fault, aud he held himself respohsible for it, and it was for this reason thst he always took the liberty of discharging an atter dant whom he merely suspected of cruelty. It was also charged that several patients had escaped from this in-stitu-i n. This is true only in