Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1887 — The Insane Hospital Infamies. [ARTICLE]

The Insane Hospital Infamies.

The following synopsis of some of the more important testimony developed at the investigation of j the management of the Insane Asylum, with comments thereon, * is from the columns of the Indian k : l'\irnt(•)',"<£ Indianapolis, a jour-; ual noted not only for its enMi’Cnt i fulness and fairness in all things but also for its strict ueu- ■ trality in political matters. " , . Insape Hospital liiießtlnailon. | Testimony before the House Committee of investigation upon the management at tlio Insane Asylum show a | bail state of things existing at that j institution. In regard to the quality j of sup. lies the the following testimony | was given b> Dr. W. 11. l'T.oLeber, the I superintendent: | 1 . . * .. . . ——■■■———- : - Q —\\ hat can you say of the supplies delivered?. A— They were usually an undergrade iof dry goods, produce, groceries ami j j hoots and shoes. 1 Q— Has that extended over 1 tlio four years \o:i h.nv BUM there? A—Nearly all the time. The butter, with rare exception, has been all the time of an inferior gra :e. It would not be thrown out of market by a board of health officer, but it would he ranked as second or third-class butter. Q—-What about the price paid for it? A—ln dn'y or August, 1883. it was bought very low- 8, 9 or ten conts a pound -but after that lime the price has ranged between 18 and 2G cents. Q—Has this high-priced butter been any better than the low priced* A—No, sir. Three times we have had butter that would have been rejected by a health officer, I once saw maggots in the butter. I was told of another time, but did not see them. The flour in the last year has been better. Previous to the last year we had a great deal of very low grade flour. The baker called my attention to it. It was sour and musty. In the sewing rooms attention was called to the dress goods as old, faded or shop-worn, or not up to sample. Tbs witness.said that he had frequently said to the storekeeper that things should be sent baqk. but they were not sent back. The matron of the sewing room had condemned goods as unfit for the wearing apparal of the patients. The witness was asked why he did not remove Mr. Hall. He said he would have done so it he could. Mr. Hall was drunk a few times. Bad he removed nim it would have, created- an an unpleasant, feeling with the trustees, and Hall, and she rest of them. Besides, Hall had plenty of assistants to do his work in the most efficient manner, To keep him in the place nominally made little difterance, as there were plenty of persons to do his work. Several c.i>-e8 of brutality towards the patients by attendauds were testified to by gx-patiouts. in one ease a patient was strnck on the breast and face by one Boyd; tue offense was lying on a lounge., .Another wins of an attendants beating.and pushing a patient for sitting down W’hile the others were walking. Tho next clay he was made to march, though crippled, and in a. few days mere was sent home dead, Alias Sarah S-oekton, t-e physician of wards 1,2, 3, 4. 5, 6 and 13 in the female department testified regarding the maggoty linter, and the general condition of the food furnished her paL tienls, to which she strenuously objected. She told the story of the escape of Mrs. Eliza Dallas, in September 1884, who has not since boon heard from. Her escape was the result of negligence on. the part of the attendants. l>r. 11 etcher's testimony Bbows that tue purchase of unwholesome food and the employing of incompetent and brutal attendants was dde to party cqpsiderations. The trade in provisions and the positions were too often given to favorites and those who interested themselves most actively in the success of the party in control