The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-07
THE DE VERNON CASE.
Beginning Of the Inquest
Yesterday.
KEEPER POWERS AS A MODEL ATTENDANT.
He Strikes the Man With a Bed
Stat.


Ter began an inquest In the case OF the Frenchmau
Gustave de Vernon. who died at the Insane Asy-
lum on Wards Island on the Goth ulr. The inquest
was continued until about two O'Clock, when IL
was adjourned till one O'Clock to-day. The first
witness called was Otficer Michael Collins, OF the
First precinct who testified III remember arrest.
ing q man on the afternoon or the Esd or March:
went on post at six O'Clock; while going
to state street, opposite No. 0, | met a man who
was walking toward me;
HE ACTED VERY STRANGELY;
saluted me- shook hands, and addressed me in a
language did not understand; my roundsman
and thought he was insane; cannot tell whether
he was drunk insane; he said, "French Consul
No. Az TOOK him 10 the Consuts ONCE. but it was
closed; then TOOK him TO the station house and
got waiter from Delmonico's to act as inter.
prefer; the deceased said ne was doctor or at
officer in the French Navy, and said he resided at
No. 1874 Wooster street; l arrested rhe man be-
cause he acted so Strangely was afraid he was
Insane; the deceaseds wife made an afidavit and
the Judge committed him. physician was
called to the station house half an hour after the
deceased man was arrested and pronounced him
unuer tine influence OF liquor.
Judge James I. Kllbreth being sworn said Ire.
member the circumstance OF Frenchman being
brought before me- on the 24tn or March on
charge or insanity; now exhibit a commitments
one representing herself 10 be the wife OF the de-
ceased.
THE COMMITMENT.
s n NJ yak oy cnf 9 G % So r51
Conlle Dore De Vernon OIL 80 Wooster street being
Vernon nov present fep0nen ha shan that for
very unusually excited manner, talking incoherently;
deponenT prays that said Gustaye committed %
Correction for exominahon as e his sanity.
sworn to this Gath day March 1875 before me G. 7.
KLBRErH. Police Justice.
Judge Kilbretn pointing TO Mrs. De Vermont
THINK THAT is THE LADY
who claimed to be tEe wife OF the deceased; the
action OF De Vernon while IN court was so violent
mat had his called out OF order; was salts
lied the man was not in a condition to be allowed
TO 30 at large; 1t took two officers to remove him
from the court room, and before he was taken
away
HIS WIFE STOPPED DOWN AND KISSED HIM;
requested that his wife and the boarding house
keeper be taken before the Commissioners; only
committed the man 10 the care OF the Commits.
sloners 81 Charities and Correction for their ex.
animation.
clnct, was called and testified as tollows:-I was
at the desk wnen the man De Vernon brought
20 the station house there was Charge OF lntox-
cation made against him; the ofllcer VINO brought
him IN said ne did not know whether the man was
Intoxicated or was lnsane bottle or liquor was
FOUND one OF his pockets; he could talk little
English, tut | could not understand him, 50
men 20 act as interpreters; he TO Il tnem ne was
an emlgrant, and that ne had arrived here two
days before on The Canaua; sent for MS wlle; at
times he would act rational and then conduct
himself IN very strange manner again; we had
after We got MIN there and mad lett him he was
very noisy; suddenly the nolsc ceased and went
10 the cell to ascertain the cause OF IL, when
found
with handkerchief AND was already insensiblei
we cut him down and sent Tor an ambulance fol
the purpose OF having him removed to the hos.
pital; when the ambulance arrived ! stated
ana then SAID ne had been drinking
Hospital; ates the doctor left DE Vernon became
more NOISY than ever so / placed an officer IN
charge OF nIni ne caught the ofiicer by tue throat
and cnoked hin, tnat he called for help: az one
lime tie wrencned knob on an iron door and
Or. David Brekes, OF No. $50 East Tenth street.
TESTIFIED tuaJ ne was the 1ombs PIN slcan, and
that on the 24th o. March he found De Vernon
strapped down in one OF the cells at the Tombs,
he having been exceedingly violent; examined
i ~, ~ ,,'sth se ss,. .uIe ms 10,
thought the best place TOT him was
on TIE ISLAND;
tilne out believed II 70 be acute mania; we nave
about twenty such cases each month, and they
James Finn a keeper OF the Tombs followed Dr.
BicEes 10 the witness stand ana testified TO the
Tombs; that ne was very violent; that IL was
found necessary 10 tie him down in his cell TO
: T.
sent iof, ana that tue man was nnally removed TO
the Island ~ a wagon.
Warden Iacngrd NJ Lush. or the City Asylum for
the Insane, was called and testified ut was on the
afternoon Ot tue 2i;n ol March tnat De Vernon was
5l9ugas 70 tae asy lan; wnen ne goi IN the large
nan ne was so violent that all the people rusaed
IT, see what was up; | never saw such a violent
man a ne was; ne was taken 70 tue examination
room and placed under examination by Or. kier-
nan; unlocked one oil the nanacuns IN the recep-
ton room, aud noticed an alb aston MS arm,
Just auoYe the "cuni" after his examination took
place searched INN; WINE we were getting the
'cuan on ne tired to get hold OF a hammer, which
was lying near. with tne evident intention OF
STRIKING Somebody;
at night heard the man making a great nose
ana tod the wacnman 10 look out Tor MN; he
paced IN ward "A the next morning some
one tod me there had been a row In ward Il dur.
ing tie night; did not need IL, having to attend
20 other matters lust then; 4 aIterward ascer.
tanned that tue man mad struck the waterman on
the head with a bed STAT cutting the scalp badly:
the mau was removed from ward TO ward u;
q ter MS renOVa my attention was again called
10 hm by the Doctor wno pointed ont bruises
on ms de Nernon'si SIDE. leg and shoulder: tne
bruises on the shoulder ana leg we're very ap-
parent, being black and Glue; called the at
tendant, Won HannOcK, who near by. and
asked MN what the bruises meant: SAID 70 him:
"ths lays between You and the otner attendants
TO probe tue matter 10 the bottom - Won Hannock
Denied having hat the man; Or. Herman then said
nad MT the man with a board; / sent ioI
Powers, who came aud at hrst denied
having hit the man, but nnally acknowledged
that be had nit him two or three times with
a Hath; suspP nded Powers at once and then went
lW . tue cen WWefc ne vernon ndu Deen confined
and where the scuiile between himself and the at
tendants had occurred; never saw sucn destTnc.
ton iua cell IN all my fourteen months experience
at tne asylum. Tue mau nad broken the grating.
pulled down two iron bars and bent the rest OF the
grating at tue top and bottom; TINS ali done
whiie ne Was alone IN the cell; there was double
bOtt0med door on the cell and he had ripped 90
one % The ooards-tning tnat seemed impossible
yes he dld H. ne tore
TUE srRAlGHT JACKET
all 70 pieces ne died on the 29tn ut az two O'Clock.
Dr. James g. klcrnan, assistant physician az the
New YORK CIty Asylum TOT the Insane, testlded to
the condition oil tie deceased at the time NJ was
brought 10 the INSTITUTION. lie said he examined
MS lungs aud Thought he detected the presence OF
OrunchitiH aud pneumonia; | nad tue history OF
tue case as Que 81 attempted suicide and therefore
had hlu placed ~ straight jacket; | wcat into
ward II ca tue mofning 81 Tue @5tn and found
TIE man with severe cut over the right eve /: I
Iclrd ne uad oeen struck with STICK on question:
AErHnA y mar mn ia n-.al. al