Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-01-16
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING O0M-
MITTEE.

OF w ARLINGTON LHRlTOfsI. Ut!uttWeN ::
Your commission, appointed for the
purpose of examining complaints made
in reference to the management of the
Insane Asylum, at Steilacoom, in obedi-
ence to authority contained in your let
tiers Of appointment, did, on the 9Th day
of January, 1875, proceed to said asy-
lum, and after patient and thorough
investigation and examination, lasting
for period of five days, of all the doc
uments, ahidavits and witnesses pro-
duced before us. beg leave respectfully
to submit the following report: That
we found no charges other than those
contained in affidavits accompanying
this report, and no person willing to
make or prosecute charges. Not having
authority to inforce the attendance of
witnesses, subpoenas were issued, which
the Sheriff refused to serve, because
there was no provision made for his
fees; finally DR.. Wilson agreed to no.
tify aud procure the witnesses; that in
no instance has any patient been roughly
or inhumanely treated, either by the d.
rection, knowledge or consent OF Hill
Harmon; that although in one or two
cases, more force may have been used
than was necessary to effect the object
sought, no harm resulted therefrom;
that it was no more than may sometimes
occur in any insane asylum, and i'll one
or two instances patient was abused,
but against tho express orders of Mr..
Harmon; that the evidence established
clearly that Hr. Harmon's orders were,
that no more force should be used than
was necessary, and that in no case
would he permit patients to be abused.
Your committee cannot, of course,
recite all the evidence brought out be-
fore us. Very much was frivolous in
character, and not worthy of serious
consideration. Other of the evidence,
particularly that contained in the affi-
davits was deemed unreliable. Indeed,
one of the atlantis, Kellogg, admitted in
his examination that he had not read or
heard read the whole of his affidavit,
and that it was highly colored, again,
the affidavit Of one Goodhue, former
inmate of the Asylum, charges one
Allen, formerly Warden, with offenses
most brutal and fendish in character,
committed upon the person Of said
Goodhue and others, during the time
OF their confinement, and reaffirms the
same upon cross examination. Said
Allen was introduced, and fully salts
fed your committee that all the materi-
al allegations and charges OF said Good
hue were untrue. While Your COM
mittee cannot believe that Goodhue
intended to testify falsely, yet they do
believe that he testified of impressions
made upon an unsound mind, and that
they were almost entirely imaginary.
Indeed said Goodhue, during the ex-
animation of said Allen, manifested
strong, and almost conclusive evidences
of insanity.
Whenever any requests or sugges-
tons have been properly made to MIR.
Harmon, we find that they have been
complied with. We are of the opinion
that tho present difficulty arose, to some
extent, from want of full and perfect
understanding between those having
charge of the insane, as the law does
not define the relative duties of those
in charge. The statute provides that
all complaints should DO brought before
the Board of Inspectors. Had that
course been pursued in this case, much
labor, expense, annoyance and ill-feel-
ing would have been prevented, for we
find that whenever any change or im.
necessary, that the Board has always act
ed provement about the Asylum become
promptly and favorably, but we find
that none of the charges alleged, Lave
ever been brought to the attention of
that Board.
1t will appear that the offeDces charged,
are alleged to have been committed from
one to three years ago, all of them during
the term of DR.. Hemenway's attendance
upon the Asylum, and your Committee
are although unable to explain how, or
why, Conscientious medical attendant
in an honest discharge of his duties, could
for SO long time, keep the fact of such
outrageous conduct, on the part Of the
wardens, closely sealed up in his own
breast. Your Committee,as far as consist.
ent with duty, and proper regard for
the object of the Commission will permit,
would avoid all personalities. But we
are constrained to say that the position
of DR.. Hemenway is, to say the least, q
most singular and inconsistent one. The
DIR. in his affidavit (he would not appear
and testify charges gross and serious neg
lect upon Mr.. Harmon, in the manage
ment of the Asylum during his term as
physician Of that institution, and anterior
to the Doctors report Of October, 1873.
If the DR.. can reconcile that affidavit
with that report, your committee will be
highly gratitied.
The facts, as your committee under
stand them, 60 to show that DR.. Hcmen.
way has, in the present matter, taken
great pains to prove that some of his
statements contained in his report of 1878,
are false.
1t is to be regretted that Doctors Hem
enway and Wilson failed to put in an
appearance for examination, as many OBJ
scure points might have been explained,
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