Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-01-16
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING, jan. 1e. 1914
THE ASYLUM INVESTIGATION.

issue the report Of the committee APP
pointed by the Governor and the Terri
torial Auditor, to investigate the charge
of "inhuman treatment of patients"
preferred against Mr.. Harmon, the con-
tractor for keeping the insane, by the
Medical Association of Washington
Territory" The result of the examin-
alton. and the conclusions TO which the
committee have arrived after session
Of several days duration, is precisely
what might have been expected by any
body possessing knowledge of facts
or of the ordinary usage of such institu-
tons. The public generally. who have
had no opportunity to obtain informa-
ton upon which to base judgment,
will be glad to learn that Mr.. Harmon
is not the inhuman monster he was rep
resented to be in the afidavits filed by
the said Medical Association and the
published letter Of DR.. Wilson, the at
tending physician. A member of the
commission authorizes us to state that
single day would probably have suf
feed to investigate the charge preferred,
had it not been for the delay caused by
the attending physician, who, on the
most frivolous pretexts, prolonged the
session from day to day, under the
promise Of producing additional evil
dence.
We understand that the fact was es-
tablished that DR.. HeInenway prepared
all the afidavits Of complaint submitted
to the Governor, but that gentleman
declined to "face the music" and al
though at the Asylum nearly whole
day while the commission was in ses-
sion. absolutely refused to testify or ap-
pear for examination. DR.. Wilson
likewise declined to prosecute, and it
appears to just have occurred to him
that he had been stool-pigeon for the
the Medical Association. When he
ascertained that DR.. Hemenway had
"gone back on him." last Saturday
night. he telegraphed to DR.. Steele, of
this place, the President of the Medi-
cal Association, to come to his assist
ance, but that functionary, doubtless
realizing that it was not his funeral, re-
fused to obey the summons.
1t will be seen from the report that
not one of the specifications against
Mr.. Harmon has been sustained. All
the evidence tending in any manner to
criminate him, was made by former
employees, who had been discharged
from the institution for gross neglect
Of duty, and who, while in the employ
of the contractor thought everything
levely," but soon as the grub and green
back supply was exhausted, at once
made the discovery that Mr.. Harmon
was an inhuman monster. Some of the
atlantis, under examination, admitted
that they had signed papers prepared
by DR.. Hemenway, tho contents OF
which they were ignorant.
Mrs. Kellogg, former Matron, made
affidavit that she had seen the China
cook strike a patient with an iron bar
but when examined before the commit
tee the iron bar dwindled down to q
very small rod. Kellogg, q former
Warden, acknowledged that he had
ehoked patients into submission, and
believed it necessary in some instances
to use considerable force to subdue pa.
tents. He had seen it done by others,
and as long as he was in authority, il
was right, but soon as he was dis.
charged it was grievous wrong. These
witnesses were dismissed for reasons
not necessary to state, and both left at
the Same date DR.. Hemenway discon-
tinued his connection with the Asylum.
Tho letter of DR.. Wilson to DR..
Weed. published in the Dispatch, was
declared by one of the witnesses to
have been &" too highly colored, and as
the doctor refused to substantiate his
charges or testify in his own behalf, de.
claring that he had "no charges to
make against Mr.. Harmon we are
compelled to adopt that very mild ex-
preston as as the very least that can
be said of the letter.
The investigating committee was COM
posed Of gentlemen Of acknowledged
ability and integrity, men peculiarly
fitted to sum up the evidence with.
out fear or Partially. We believe that
the public will be satisfied with their
verdict. We feel assured that the in.
mates Of the Asylum are humanely
treated, and that the institution is con-
Quoted in a manner creditable alike to