, 1875-02-11

alton Of honest indignation in Goodhue,
that Allen should testify SO falsely. AZ
Goodhue said he did.
Mr.. Goodhue Is an honest, intelligent
old nan and has for the last year been
filing the most responsible position in
the Asylum. that Of night-watchman;
and Mr.. Harmon had so much conf
dence in his integrity and ability that
he had him employed as night-watch,
man more than two months before he
was discharged as q patient, and the
Territory was paying 81 cents per day
for his keeping. The Committse say
in the report, ''we find that when any
change or improvement about the Asy-
lum became necessary. the Board of In
spectors has always acted prompt and
favorable" This deny. In July last
the female patients were removed to an
adjacent building, from the ward occu>
pied by them in the building whore the
male patients nre kept. 1 insisted on
using the ward vacated by them, as a
oonvalescent ward for male patients. 1
nrged the necessity of this upon the at
tention of the Contractor and the In
spectors at the tims. My verbal sug-
gestions we1e unheeded by them. On
the 5th of August / fled with the In
spectors q acomplaintin writing, ofwhich
the following is copy:
To the Hon. Board Of Inspectors for
the Territorial Asylum.
Gentlemen: I would respectfully call
your attention to the change now being
made in the wards of the building now
used for the male patients. The plan
is to remove the partitions and throw
both wards into one; against this must
protest. The health, hygiene and com-
fort of the inmates demand that there
be another ward in order that the physi-
clan may be enabled to classify the male
patients with reference to the condition
of their malady. And now that the fe-
male patients are removed to another
building. the ward vacated by them can
be used IS convalescent ward without
any additional expense to the Territory,
and thereby overcome great barrier to
the successful treatment of patients in
the Institution. Trusting that youl
Hon. Board will give the matter the CON
sideration that its importance must GER
tainly be entitled TO. have the honol
to subscribe myself
Your Ob't. Sv't.
H. G. WnLIsoN. Resident Physician.
(August 5th. 1874
Notwithstanding this appeal the par
titions were torn down and the patients
of all classes herded together as before.
end in this condition they remained un-
til about two weeks after the Medical
Association met at Seattle 22nd of Oct,
when was surprised one morning to
find they were putting up partition
through the ward. Two of the Inspec-
tors admitted 1 had told them of the
brutal treatment of one McDermott, q
patient, which occurred last July. One
of these gentlemen also admitted before
the Committee that had on more than
one occasion spoken to him of the rough
treatment of the patients in the
Asylum and on one occasion urg-
ed him to call out to the Asylum
and examine q female patient who
had been seriously injured; and that
had also complained that there were not
sufficient number of attendants em-
Ployed to take proper care of the pa
tients. These complaints he also admit
ted, had never received the attention Of
the Board. The Committee say that
1.-The Law provides that all complaints
shall be made to the Board of Inspec-
tors" This ia not true, The Law pro-
vides that complaints of patients shall
be investigated by the Board of Inspec-
tors, and makes no provisions at all for
the hearing of other complaints by the
Board.
The committee in their report say
that 1 Confessed or admitted" to them
that had no other facts in my poses
SION other than those I referred to in
my letter to Dr.. Weed. and threatened
to publish. Who said I had sny other
facts in my possession than these? What
they mean by this vsgus statement. un-
less it be to create a wrong impression
| in the public mind. am unable to say.
Ifthey mean to say that I told them that
1 had no knowledge of fragrant abuse in
! the management of the patients except
those complained Of by DR.. 4emenway,
then they do not quote me correctly. At
Steilacoom the last day Of their session
after they had refused positively to hear
witnesses at the Asylum whom I had Of
fered; and had also refused TO hear the
testimony of fconvalescent patients, COM
plants by whom the Statutes Of Wash
ington Territory states implicitly shall
be examined into
For obvious reasons, fagrant abuse
is liable to be perpetrated in the man.
agement Of these poor people who are
locked up alone with irresponsible at
tendants, and if the patients are not to
be heard in their own behalf. how are
We to know anything about it? Atten>
dants who are guilty will of course deny
their cowardly crimes. and when their
statements alone are to be taken, what
prospect il there 10 get at the truth? It
vas at this time that / told them, that
under the circumstances. would offer
no further testimony before their com~
mittee.
might have rehearsed to them the