New-York tribune., 1872-09-16

OEE PATIENT MURDERED AND ANOTHER ChUbLLf
BEATEN BY AN ATTENDANT on WARDS
IsLAND-A SEQUEL TO THE BLOoMISGDALE
DISCLOSURES.
An inquest will be held to-day at tho
Morgue on the body Of John Il. orne native OF sWe-
dcn who died last Thursday In the NeW-fork Insane
Asylum Wards BLAND, from abusive treatment sls
alleged at the hands Of Thomas Farrell an attendant ID
tao AsVlum. The following facts wero obtained by
TRIBUNE reporter who visited Wsrd Island yesterday
ornel had been an inmate OF the Asylum about Ave
weeks. He paralyc, aud bis disease had IN some
degree weakened his intellect well as his body but
lie perfectly RATIONAL and during bis residence In
The Asylum eyinced no symptoms OF madness Dr. Eche-
ycrria the physician In charge OF tue Institution,
took more than usual interest IN his case,
and watched his symptoms with great care So late as
Sunday night last Orneu gave evidence Of steady im
proyement In health. On Monday morning the doctor
visited him. found him In bed suffering from Intense
pain. His system seemed shattered, as IL he had re-
ceived terrible shock. A examination revealed
the fact that OF the attendants had beaten and
kicked him with great violence In eorobogat!On OF
this statement number Of contusons were found on his
abdomen aud other parts Of his body The attendants
attached 70 tho sick 1au's ward examined by Dr.
Echeyorria, and Ome at pointed out Farrell as
the who mad assaulted him The most careful cross
questioning failed make Oraeil swerye from bs first
statement.
DE- Echeverria the next day laid The before tho
Commissioners Of Charities and Correction, who were
visiting the Island, aud requested By them to take
such action in the matter the circumstances war
ranted. On Wednesday Omell seemed in less danger
aud it was thought that lie might from his inju
res Tie Commissioners ordered the immediate dis
charge OF Farrell from the Asylum, and ON Thursday
morning lie was away. AZ y. m. Ornou died
Charles Gordon Englishman informed the physician
that he had Farrell abuse Orno and had himself
suffered from the keepers violence. Dr. Echeyerria ex
pected a visit from tie Commissioners during the day.
lrtfa he tO
on Friday where they in session. He told them OK
the death OF Ornel and Of the additional testimony
against Farrell at the same time inqIiring whether
they would take the prosecution into their own hands
inTust him with 1t. TAey decided upon The latter
course.
DR.. Echeverria returned 20 Wards Island where he
found that Farrell had returned for his clothes Tho
doctor gave directions that he should be detained aud,
crossing the city, obtained the services OF po-
ceman, who took Farrell into custody. On Saturday
morning DR.. Eeheyeria made cnarge against the at
tendant before Judge McQuade at the Harlem Police
Court, and Farrell committed to await the results
OF the Coroner's inquest.
On the Of Dr. Echeverria to the Island he was
informed that Horatlo Seymour, harmless, simple
minded colored man, lying at the point Of DEATH
The physician found him suffering from acute peritoni-
is In reply to questions Seymour declared that few
days before lie lad been knocked down
and kicked in most brutal manner
by Farrell This statement also cOrroborated by
Gordon who took the doctor 20 the place where the
assault had been committed and where the appearance
Of the walls and aoor bore further testimony to the
truth Of the charge. Seymour suffering from
painful abcess on the neck and this had been broken
open by the blows which he had received, and the walls
and loor were stained with blood. 1t thought up to
Saturday night that Seymour could not recover as MS
injuries were very severe, but yesterday lie was more
comfortable, and his case was not thought quito
hopeless.
samuel Gordon whose testimony will be OF great im-
porance at the CoroBers inquest and OF The trial or
Farrell has been inmate Of the Asylum since July,
when he was suffering from intemperanoe He speedily
recovered the doctor places entire reliance upon MS
assertions lie was to have been discharged carly last
week. and remains a voluntary rosiden. OF the
island DE-. Eeheverria who gave these facts TO The
TRIBUNE reporter expressed his regret that an enoro
had been made in some quarters TO reflect upon the
conduct OF the Commissioners as they had never
failed 10 cooperate with him in perfectug the system Of
management. Attendants immediately removed by
the Board on his suggestion. There red tape
in the case Of Farrell aud there was any fault II was
his own While there reason to fear that criminal
charge could be maintained it could not have has
tened the course of justice to bring forward such ID
charge 1t seemed Thursday morning that the dis
charge OF Farrell the best measure TO be adopted
IJuon Ornells death and the discovery OF Cordon's
knowledge of the matter, Farrell was promptly ar
rested 1t was not the fault of the Commissioners that
the arrest was not made on Monday.
On Thursday, during the absence OF DE- EeheVerria,
Coroner keenan, visited the Asylum TO hold an inquest
in the case Of patient who threw himself from win
dow short time ago, and Warden Burke did not inform
him of the case Of Ornel. DR.. Echevcrra thinks that
no blame can be Justly attached to the Warden on ac
count of his recence, be holds position subordinate
10 the Commissioners The physician in charge Informed
tbe reporter that there careful oversight OF tho
keepers and nurses and that the mere suspicion OK
harsh treatment patients sufficient TO cause the
discharge Of the suspected person. Since the beginning
of tho year attendants had been removed though not
all for this cause An experience OF many years in the
osvluns OF Europe and America has led him TO the
cluson that the care of insane patients induces in the
minds of keepers and attendants brutality which re-
suits in great cruelty in the treatment of those under
their charge and that there safety only in the most
careful and constant supervision the part Of the man
ayers Of such institutions.