The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-04-01
TnG DEAN INQUEST AT SING SING.


Coroner McEntee held an inquest yesterday at
Sing Sing in the OF the convict Montague Dean
who died few days since, 1t was supposed, from
the effects ~ q shower bath to which he was sub.
jecied as a punishment The proceedings were as
follows
Dr.. William II. Helm, sworn, testined-l was no,i-
fed TO hold post-moftem examination on tile body
of Montague Dean; held the examination with DR..
Isaac T. Thorn on Tuesday, at three O'Clock p. NJ. as
directed by Coroner McEntee; found the body had
already conimenced rapidly decomposing and
showed signs OF putrefacton; the region Of the alb
domen was green anu dlscolored ana green spots
were observed on different parts OF the body;
we examined the chest 1rst and found the
lungs in entirely healthy condition, with
out any symptoms Of disease or adheslons; there
was considerable conres Ion tie posterior surface
OF the lungs the heart was partially filed with dark
uncoagulated blood; the liver was normal In size
and healthy; there was l drosatc congestion about
it, the the lungs; the kidneys the same the
stomach was empty; the windplpe being examined
shower nothing but putrefacton; found nothing
unusual about the brain; found no apparenr cause
OF death from any diseases I have formed no
opinion as TO the cause Of death; know nothing
about the showering process al prlsons;-there
evidences OF secondary syphilis upon the bOdy
perc.a alterations about the back OF the neck and
Eead and at the angle OF the lower Jaw; these
external appearances and were open ulcers at the
Time of death; death rom drowning by slower bath
would not leave ma cks nness ths victim was
drowned in the shower bath.
DIR. Isaac q. Collins rccalled-I reside in Sing Sing
and an the regularly appointed physician to the
prison; corroboraie all OF Or. Helms testimony
re,atlye 10 the po5t-mortem examination OF the
body; the convict Montague Dean had been under
| my treatment ever since was connected with the
prison; lave treated him for secondary syphilis;
he had been admitted to the hospital during my ad
niistrlilon three separate times and discharged
aud ar each time OF admission he was suffering from
vomiting cramps Ia chest and spasmodic, laDolous
breathing. al each admission the pain and suffering
| were more severe than on previous admission, but
readily yielding TO remedies aud only lasting few
hours hsd dw shRPfa e vphc eris me-
which, however, the pos. -mortem showed not 10 be
| the case and am unable TO form an opinion cs to
the cause OF either OF the attacks az eacd admission
he was admitted 10 the hospital ON tue morning Of
the day before his death, suffering VITA tie same
| symptoms as ON previous admission which readily
Yielded 10 treatment as betofe ne ate three hearty
meals the day before his DEATH and expressed him.
self to me at night as LETT the prison feeling wei
and comfortable; was told by the nurses aud night
guards in the hospital that ne slept wei and unin-
tefruptedy during the night; nj I'VE O'CLOCK the next
apd appeared act ike u person sufIocaling
80 the nurses informed me; he became iu-
medisiey unconscious, and remained iill the
time OF his death, which occurred at eleven A. NJ:
he died the 25th Of March, aiter having been
admitted 10 the hospital, at early hour tae
messfooIn: his scAness was real: | am unable to
fern any opinion a. 10 the cause OF his DEATH am
acquainted win the process OF showering ccnvcts:
| only know by hearsay that Dean was showerei
previous 70 his death; he died la 1oTts Eight hours
|
on the day previous TO his admission TO tue hospl-
tai; the .b0werin9 was not me cause OF the ad
mission OF Dean 10 the hospital; there Is esab-
llshed rule 70 be observed Ia ehOSer1ng conyict5
other than Furnishing them tail they submit; case
might arise where the convict would not submit;
then the showefing might go beyond safe point;
never saw such case; the shOwering process
dos not tra1spre once day; ! have
S oressn, wSen Convict is showerss a
nO.led am told II II the duty or the keeper 10 n-
form me; do not consider It was dangerous to
n IN NOT
Immediate II would not produce death suddenly for
a time afterwards; there are diseases which cause
ten examinations; Dean came iroai the shop to the
hospital, aud not nom dark cell; know Bucging.
ham, tne keeper, VINO sh0wefed Dean was In the
prison on the day il occurred; no one notified me
that Dean Was TO be showercd: have no doubt ID
was some ones duty 70 do SO; an Old AMI expert
enced keeper could shower q convict with safety
without the presence of o physiclau On the whole,
however, the physician should always be present
wnen cOnyic. II showeTedi ] DO not think the
shot,Ssaeg al Dean had anything to DO with the
cause Of las death; the keeper, buckingham s said
patrick Hylani, sworn, testiaed-I was substitute
keeper IN the prison when Dean was sbowereJ;
vas near the South Foundry, on the dock, on the
- Jean the Colylct. near the knee,ing room Dean
seemed :, - Offering resistance 10 the Keeper: that
caused nae 1, co .gwards theiL; followed them TO
TIE principal Keepers lice; when We reachea .-,-,e
buckingham ordered Dean -. Hnnrs-- n,.f5ef; Dean
either SAID ne would not 90 u t 90 saN The doe
know which; buckingham then said ~ tell yon to
take Oh your clothes ami walked towards him;
Dean taen took or MS clothes and entered the
shower bath; the keeper, buckingham. then pulled
the string" and whlle the water was running On
the cosvlct step ed into the showefna room;
Buck nghafn then asked Dean what he meant by the
remarks hc made In the shop or wOrdsto that effect:
Dean did not reply, when buckingham asked him n
he could not behave himself % man ought TO;
Dean stu replied not when buckingham pulled the
string again and exclaimed, You'll NIX me, wlii
have, when lie was released; after they got
outside they were st,l taking abou. tue
way Dean behaved himself In the shop; Buck ngham
called Dean s'scoundrel.r rascal &C., AMI again
asked lin what be mean, ~ the threat male u The
said, "By Jesus Christ, you'll nx me-, VIII
your, the conduct Of bean on entering
Witch e aaeo,ea as saa w59I any
keeper; when Dean lett the bath and when he re-
fused 70 answer second question buckingham took
''caIv tan instrument Of punishment composed Of
three four STRANDS Of rope and struck Dean with
IL several times; when asked Buckingham what
tue matter was he replied that The convict wished
he buckingham refused him the privilege, when
Dean using profane epbet, SAID, I'!l nx you for
thls;' the convict was naked from the time aS
the . snowsr css ~, a s % YyeI nc
have ehowered convicts myself; considered the
last pulp ON Dean very light and the ilrst pulp
ordinary; told o guard that the way Dean acted In
have seen severer cases OF showering; at the time
thought Dean got OF lights never knew OF any order
being gwen out that no convict must be showered 10
the absence OF the physician or principal sseeper;
have been around the prison nearly Twelve years,
serving as keeper or substitute about three and
half Years. never had any verbal instructions aDous
the matter; have often seen convicts showerexs In
the absence OF the physician; the convict did not
seem TO he any more exhausted after tLc shower,nQ
than ordinary cases; think ] head buckingham
say Dean was locked up aner inc showerinR have
more than others.
I. y: Van Hoesen ,estined that he 10 keeper in