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


The Committee on the Expenditures of the
Interior Department resumed their investl-
gaticn OF the L. 8. Insane Asylum this morn
ing.
Mss Cert, the young lady who accom-
panied Mrs. Gen. Taylor wneu she visited
the SSy lum in July last. cOTTOboTated the
testimony Of Mrs. Taylor in regard 70 the
supposed whipping Of a female patient. She
heard the conversation between Mrs. Taylor
and DR.. MOrrell, and cOrrobOrated what Mrs
Gen. Isy Tor said in relation to IL.
DT Wdtktr, the superintendent OF the insane
ssy lom al Boston, made a voluntary state
ment before the committee I'm regard to DR..
Nichols efficiency as superintendent and
10 MS nigh standing in the association of in
sane asylum superintendent, of which he
Us the president and witness vice president.
Did not think that Or. Nichols would allow
any OF bis subordinates TO abuse the patients.
Thought the large farm attached TO the a5y
lum was necessary, and that s.ll asylums
should raise their own vegetables. Women
in hysterical attacks some times beat them
selves and screamed so that a person outside
would suppose that some one was being
whipped.
BY The Cbairman:-Came to Washington
on business, and not at the request of DIR.
Nichols, though witness wrote 10 DR.. Nichols
about ten days ago, but did not receive an
answer. Did not say that he would come TO
this city. Did not know this general inves-
LEGATION was going on, though he knew that
the dumping of some insane patients In
a. joining counties in Maryland was being
looked into. Had about 20 patients under
his charge at Boston. Coal flour, and other
supplies for the Boston asylum are purchaS. 1
~ the tOard Of visitors, in conjunction with
himself The L. S. asy lum is regarded as the
GSy um having the worst class OF patients.
Insane persons, after they have recO vered,
can give vivid and truthful account of what
took place while theywere insane. Ifa patient
woo was known TO be unquestiOnHb bly, insane
at TWards denied the fact, would consider
them as still insane. Very few persons re.
cover from insanity when it Is connected
with delusiOns, and would not consider them
as reliable.
r. Eohr0rd CyqrS testified that he was a coal
merchant; supplied coal to the asylum and
occasionally lumber; furnished about I.4OD
tons OF coal to the asylum; was paid S4G2T
Per ton; considered il an honorable tranSac-
ton; was the lowest bidder. There was
uutbfrg wrong in the transaction.
This was in denial OF the charge that there
was fraud in the transaction
The testimony of BeT jamin r. Dexter. OF
New York, was then read, which set forth
tEat he was fOrciOly placed in the asylum
April 9Th, 1873 end detained there for some
time. That lie never knew what he was
sent there for for about week, when DIR.
NOTelI told him he was Insane. He was
very cold, ard complained of his treat nay,t
and reminded him that he had Just recovered
rom severe attack OF pneumonia. He also
sWeaTs that he cor tracted a severe cold from
the effects of which he is still suffering; that
he sent for his brother. DIR. Dexter, of Wash
ingtOn city. and also DIR. j. fl. Thompson,
who came there and saw him, and that
Afterwards the ward was heated and he was
made more comfortable; that he was detained
II days in Maple ward.
There was some discussion about receiv-
ing the affidavit, counsel for DIR. Nichols &C
ceptiDg il. d.. j. NJ. Thompson, who was
sitting in the committee room. arose and
said, "l believe every word of &c TO be true
from my own treatment while was there"
Or. j. II. Thompson testified that he knew
that Or. j. f.. Dexter, of this city, did not
should come before the committee.
TIE certificate of Col. Dexter's insanity
signed by Drs. Dove and Dexter, and certi-
ned before Squire Wplter, was here read.
In Col. DeXter's affidavit he says that he
did not know that there was any certificate
of his insanity; that DR.. Chase, at the ssy-
lum, said be never knew OF any certificate
DIR. j. II. Tho npSOn further testified that
be knew Col. Dexter before he was sent To
the asylum, and that ne was suffering from
religious Naturalization that he was 10 be a
saviour OF the world, and that he was TO re
tain followers. Visited him at the asylum
several times, and have seen him since he
came out. Col, Dexter egarded himself as a
sacred person. Did not think that patients
of that class often recovered. Had a talk
with him in New York recently. Cues
ton. DO you regard him now as sane and
cuTeq? Answer. hope yOu will excuse
ne from answering that question. Col.
Dexter j. now a police surgeon in New York
ard a gentleman Of learning. The witness
iuTther stated that II a thousand persons
were to tell Col. Dexter that he was mis-
taken lie would Lot believe them. Col. Dex-
Ter Is q little SOle over the fact that he was
sent TO the asylum, and because he was
forced To take medicine when ne did not
want to take it.
The committee ordered the clerk 10 send a
suhI ana for Col. Dexter.
d. IhoHlpsoa said he thought il was neces-
$ - To put stIlight jacket on him. Col.
Den eT told him that the attendants at the
asylum had put stTaig GIT jacket on him aud
compelled him 10 swallow some medicine
that made his lips swell little. In regard
% The complaints that the attendants had
beaten him chOked him and used very yio-
lent language towards him, DIR. Thompson
SAID such things might have been, without
he superintendent of an asylum being re-
>po'sib!e for it. He related case that took
place IL his own hospital (the Columbia Ly-
tng-in aSy lum). where he had to discharge a
female nurse, having heard that she used
very violent language towards the patients,
al when he spoke to them they said they
feared 10 tell of IL before. thinking the nurse
would hear of IL aud treat them worse. Col.
Dexter threatens I'd prosecute To the fullest
extent tie physicians who certified to his in
sanity and had him placed in the asylum.
Col. Dexter is al present police surgeon in
New York city.
The committee then adjourned until to-
morrow morning.