Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-05-02
The Insane Asylum Investigation.

Dr Eastman, at present a physician at the
hassacnusetts insane asylum, atWorcester,
Maes,, ana formerly connected with the u.
| y. Insane asylum, was examined at length,
ana particularly in relation to the witness
Earning, who testified against the manage
nlent OF The asylum. DIR. Eastman testified
mat nT. Nichols always went through all
the wards OF the asylum on Sunday, because
| IL was The best day for a general inspection,
ana was the rule of the army. DR.. Nichols
was always ready to visit any patient when
/ he as ked him to do so. Dangerous patients
were always put in rooms by themselves.
| Dlfiicultfes sometimes occur between pa
uents In the wards, or when two or more
were put In the same room: In such cases
| they were separated. He denied that three
| soldiers We're killed there, or we're buried at
| night time. There were no deaths caused by
violence whilst he was an assistant phySi-
clan there In 1885 or 1861. Such thing was
| not possible. Had any patients been killed
| there he WOuln have heard of il. Darling
/ also went by the name of Atkins. Darling
| destined during the Investigation of 1859.
| NO burialS ever took place at midnight II
! was usual to bury at dark, for obvious rea-
| sons, so patients would not be excited about
~. There was no particular preparation for
I the reception OF visitors. All patients
/ were dressed up little on Sunday morning
Tue patents were at times allowed the
! privileges OF the grounds for exercise. The
| board patients were allowed to ride about
| the grounds. Visitors were not shown the
worst nor the best wards, but were shown
through wards where there were no excita-
! ole patients. Have had fourteen pears eXpe-
| Ilence IN the treatment of insane. Was at
| the u. s. Insane ASYLUM for seven wears
witness denied that there was any abuse of
| patients there cbargabie to the manage
| 1nent. Attendants who would strike pa
! uents were.immediately discharged. In re-
| gard to the food 1t would occasion ally hap
| pen that meat unit 10 eat was furnished,
| but 1t was unavoidable. Suca meat was
always sent back wnen IL was discovered
not to be good. Knew Oliver Ambrose, a
boy, VINO was a patient there In 1863. He
was patient there twice, being In tue
asy lUm forty-five days the first time,
ana less than month the second
time There was no age given In any
of the papers in relation TO him. Estimated
that his age then was certainly seventeen
There were sores upon him, but there were
no vermfn on him. He was as clean when
ne left the asylum as when he came there
A letter was read from Mrs. Ambrose, dated
on the day when he was put IN the asylum,
wherein she says that he had been In bad
health for seven years, and that he had wan
dered about In Baltimore for a week before
he was sent there, and that ne must have
caught the skin disease that he was troubled
with during the time he was in Baltimore.
DIR. Eastman testified that he was not a
The asylum when the patient was at first
admitted, nor did he remember how much
o. wardrobe was seat there with him.
Have no recollection OF telling Mrs. Am
DFOse that her boy tore up his clothing. Pa
tents In his condition frequently destroyed
TIER clothing. Never told Mrs. Ambrose
that she could not see her son, or that he was
SO violent that he would Kill her; has no re-
collection of the interview with Mrs. Am
r.
Z Takesly, of the Patent Office and Mr. Will
son. Auditor of the Treasury; do not recOl-
lect that he conducted her to the cell where
her Son was confined. He characterized
most of her testimony which was read re-
garding this affair as fabulous. There was
no such place or stairs as she described
Her sons condition was not such as she de-
scr1oed. be was thin in flesh, but il was to-
tally false that he fell away while there
rom 155 to % pounds. 1t was not impossible
mat his clothing might have been torn as
she described, but bad no recOI lection in re-
gard TO the case. Think she WIS mistaken
llld not think that her statement was true
tnat ne was covered with vermin. 1t was
MS back he may have had sores on his
back as he had skin disease when ne came
there. Have no distinct recollection that
his eyes were black, or that his arms We're
blue.
Another portion of Mrs. Ambrose's testi-
mony was read, showing that il was DR..
Franklin, and not DR.. Eastman, who &C
her son was confined
DR.. Nichols was recalled and testified that
The reference made TO him by Mrs. Ambrose
u at "she dashed the dirty, veimin-coyered
shirt which ste found on her SON." over DR.
Nichols head, saying al will cover yOu with
the.vermln that you put on my SON." is I'M
rue. would not forget such n thing IL IL
occurred. II Is unquestiOnably in his mind
a pure creation.
Judge John ". Wright testified that his son
who was an inmate of the asy lum, was very
see him every time he called at the asylum
for that purpose.
The committee then adjourned until to-
morrow morning.
GEN. REYNOLDS has telegraphed 10 Chair
man Clymer that upon returning from the
field be saw for the first time the testimony
OF Gen. McCook, given before his committee
on the 23d of March. He adds: .'It is abso.
lutely false so far as ii refers TO my being in
any manner in collision wi tn con tractors or
them"
GREAT BRITAIN DIsREG ARDING THEEx-
TRADITION TREATY.-Our government has
official notice that the British authorities
will release " inslOw, the Boston forger, to-
morrow, the Sd day of May. The action OF
the British government in this case is con-
sldered by the administration as completely
wiplng out the AshburtOn treaty. The Pre-
sident will in few days send to Congress
all The papers and correspondence relating
the same with special message. IL is ex-
pected that Congress by joint resolution will
recognize the abrosatiOn of the treaty.
Mr.. WIN. ]. MURTAGH, proprietor of the
National Republican, was before the Free l.
mans Bank Committee this morning. He
testified that he had borrowed : | 200 from the
bank ana had paid IL back. The main object
in summoning the witness seemed TO be a
desire on the part of the chairman to know
who was responsible for the article in the
hcpUOttCOH Oh Tue -OIH ulL., WQlcn set forth
that he douglass, chairman OF the commit
tee} had used the money appropriated for the
committee TO reward his constituents and a
journalist. Mr.. Murtagh said he had not
read the paragraph until after 1t was printed
but that he was making an investigation of
the matter. Mr.. Douglass then took the
stand and under oath went on 10 make
long explanation by way of denial. He con-
GUIDED by stating that either the writer or
bls informant was a liar. That settled il
ana the committee adjourned.
LEGISLATOR EXPELLED.-The Penn
sylvanla house of representatives yesterday,
AFTER Ten hours discussion, agreed to expel
T. j. Petfof, member from Philadel phia,
Ior conduct unbecoming a representatives
The accusation was that Petroff had negotl-
ated with lobbyists who were urging the
passage OF the boom bill, to obtain fourteen
votes In their favor for 81 800. Petroff denied
any corrupt motive, but insisted that his sole
obJect mad been TO ascertain whether money
was being used TO pass the bill, and to expose
those oy whom 1t was so employed. The
evidence proved that he did not receive a
dollar, but the house considered that the
negotiation was improper, and therefore
decided on expulsion.
THE WINsLow CASE.-The British cab
met have determined 10 adhere to their po-