The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-03
TIE PATERSON ALMsHOusE yIEsTIcAyIoy,

"a
| testimony was taken:-- -
H'rees faferson one time inmate OF the pst
erson Amshouse; went there the latter part Of Febru
ay iooS, and remained there until sometime in July
iSssi ksaac Sigler keeper Of the Almshouse dur
ing snat ae 30 far the financial management ths
'ns'"uuon were concerned II was managed WE'LL ii
east os the interest OF the people at the table, the
inmates had coffee and rye bread and butter
a. was termed, for breakfast; at dinner,
pork and potatoes and bread without butter,
ana water for four days the week on Tuesdays and
fridays they had ash there a sunlcen. supply Of
these things; am speaking Of the fish table for
the men and the women the second table for tho
children; they had the the rst with the
cepHon or meat; at the second table believe the
quantity was ample; Sunday they had fresh meat
Doth the tables; the breakfast was the same; as to
warmth IN winter In the house where the adults were
tnat h. the principal building the mems room and the
women's room had each stove; the paupersttending
to The stoves mad right to get coal as they chose
Keep warm; IN the small house during the win
ter, when school was kept up stairs there was
attended TO that Gre myself no RESTRICTIONS were laid
upon me as TO the Of fuel to be used the cloth
rug 20 .ne inmates was poor and scany the lower
pat OF the small house was used hospital; there
was also room in the small house called the 2inc room
inc Windows OF that room were covered with wire
furnished to the inmates might be sufficient il they kept
indoors oil the tme but If they had to 20 out it was
the children bad shoes stockings until very late
IN the season; there were only two three adults who
one Of Thorn, Enoch Weller was about the poorest
provided with shoes that ! saw there Kcr-
shay 81, another, was abou. as we'll furnished
as the rest don't know others who had 60 out 10
work; saw Mrs. Brophy once kept IN a room in the
lower part Of the small house, she fever and GOT
out INTO the back yard that was In the summer time;
MT Siger came over and ordered her In again; In her
ie0ersh condition, she paid attention. and did not 20
In; he then went in the yard and whipped her:
can't say what he whipped her WITH think il was a
sck but II may have been strap; she went in and in
about four days after died. don't know that be whipped
her again before she died; Abraham KeYshaw
caned saw him caned more than once; the cane used
was walking cane, on the refer to par.
MIR. Siger had told him to do; Mr. sia!er caned him:
can remember what he whipped for at other times
have seen Enoch Weller kicked by Mr. sIgler Enoch
Weer not actually deranged but s quito right in
n,s mead and his peeuarity is that he always keeps
noe waking as 1t made too much noise and as he did
keeping kicked him; don't think Enoch could help
when he collections Mr. Sgler threatened to kick him
on chair for Gveto stop; sometimes Enoch would sit
again. and don't Inmates, but he would then start of
him kicked on another ocecould help IL; have seen
cutting enough wood; have SHY Mr. Sigler for not
whipped by Mr. Sgler with a strap; Bridget Kenealy
iSr talking incoberently and wildly was whipped
in the day hms remember her being locked up onped
or three coca ions for the oence she was locea
cd
until the next morning; that was for talking IN the
night; had the key to the which she was con-
Mr. & Sad another conveyed 70 her all that time
around bat cannot say whether he was there or not
That day she was locked up one Of the rooms on the
up IN the zinc room than once; this particniar
occasion refer o. was in the fall Of the year. reco
lect right; the room can never be heated think tho
room was warm enough then for her 4 remain com.
Portable; have others whipped but lforret tber
was there With strap and sick for tk;ns wne
both in the day and night; her whipped in The day
room for day and night; she was locked m \; zno
instance Immediately after breakfast kept ti pers
morning. she was let out at my solicitation before
Mr. sgler; don't know whsther there was any 900
given to her during that timc opinion is that tISe
years DID, TO be stripped entirely naked by Mr. siger
and confined in the lower room Of the small
four or five O'Clock In the afternoon think II was after
breakfast when she was put iu this very cold
10 her. tho for was-a least Mrs siger said so
that sho tore her clothes breakfast was at seven
O'clock in tn. morning in the summer Tune; she in
hay possession and tho other in that OF Mr. Sgler; don't
,hn any food was sent to her while she in
directons AZ to giving her food that hoard or:
looked ~ and saw her crouched up in corner and
tnere Ia about an hour after that let her out; knew
Ms Lenr rde was insane, and sometimes violently So
was not vioen and when she was told TO change her
clothes or put item ON she would obey never saw her
whipped while Ms. Harrington was there: when M nr
Harrington left shSwas put In charge of Mrs Wbittaer
and from the teatnent abe then received She
became S siol nnt Wen she became violent, Mrs
" lt.aker woua 30 own and make a complaint: Mr.
sisler would then con, up and whip her though
thought MIS- wn'',axer osen as violent The other
her; he whipped her almost always with cane pnsw
Mary Healey at the amshous she was the cook never
locked up either By Mr. ssSr Or al s these people were
always released esner py nm or by his ORDERS have
severely severed whipped by Mr. r sn,er to ,n be very
whipped sometimes with strap, and me,lross were were
use that there imaginary line runnn mn ,s anu
the path leading &c the water closet, " i tnn
Ss Children az os ~
they not allowed &c get of the path from the mail
building to the school, nouse have seen them whipped
house was bad; hey had not sufic,ent atten-
lion in any pssiculsr the doctor used to
there va, Ssn sm ss tnoMs
sgler TO bring - medicines which he said the doc
same s.od as sis people who were in health Would
sef get things for them in addition to that have
purchased them myself FOR them out Of pocket
sgler and have got wheat bread instead Of rye: as TO
nursing no persons were appointed that know of by
with persons who were very sck Dr. Merrill was attend.
Ing physician most Of the time was there and the
other part OF the time Or vandenbyandt was there
Re-examined-Durng the winter SEASON the inmates |
did not take much exercise; their clothes were not
wafn4 onoush W allow tnem 10 60 out; 10
My Christmas when they got tehir shoes the frt year
was there they got them In November but the second
year II was near Christina; that applies equally to
.da i and children Dnoch Weller is man well known
n the community; he was formerly . carpenter here:
nc Is nov about sixtyfve years OF age he is silly and
oosh, but very ironensiye, and viii not speak somc-
INES Tor days; have seen Mr.. Siger kick Euoch nj
y least four or i've times; Mr. sigier had |
boots ON when no kicked him. Kershaw is not violent
nan whom he came there thought from his appear
nce ne was DANGEROUS man. but saw afterwards
nything TO sustain that; he had been in the Trenton
insane Asylum and had been discharged as jncursbe:
dr sigler whipped him with q common walking cane
bout an inch In diameter; there was no bed in ihe
com where Bridget kenesly was locked up for day
mo night there was no way for her to get out unless
ar sigier et her out; there chamber furniture
here Tor the convenience OF night be confined
here; Kitty Potter had lost HE OF her |
imbs she was child Of very good disposition; |
he was locked up In tho room; did not see Mr. |
iger strip her, but saw him 20 in the and come
ut With her clothes; remember Isaac billings in the
lnNhousc one day, having Just returned from pater
on, heard that he in the zinc ROOM and TAD teen
laced there by Mr. sglers orders; went there and
oHnd him IN ~ and very sick then told Mr. Sgler
nat he was very bad, and that thought he would not
urvive until morning; Mr. Siger paid no attention:
Ot next morning the room and found him |