Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-21
The Insane Asylum Inves,trat,ou

LIE
Inc committee on Expenditures in the
interior department. resumed their investi-
CATION into the affairs Of the U. 8. insane
asJ lum his morning.
AN N-PATIEN- ,.
-.-.,. ~. Clark testified that he was
clerk, and that some time since-in 15ij-he
" as attacked with the typhoid fever, and at
the request of his physician (Dr. Patterson
ard his family he went TO the asylum as
pay patieI {, for treatment. He was first put
In Poplar ward, but afterwards was trans
ferIed TO Garfield ward, where come very
insane patients. were. Often saw patients
fighting with each other; was always treated
well, though low and then received push
nom some of the attendants, especially
when be went TO the door for Newspapers;
saw an attendant knock lame soldier,
patient, down like beef, by blow on the
head; saw patient named Brennan Knocked
down by an attendant. On one occasion
witness was beaten by an attendant because
he would not scrub the floor. Witness told
his wife, " no reported 1t to DR.. Chase, at the
asylum, who said that II was required for ex-
ercise. Q. What; the beating? A. No, sir;
the scrubbing. Witness refused to work at
scIubbing, and was placed in a strong room
for IL. Always got enough TO eat, because
he was very light eater, but heard other
patients complain of not getting enough to
eat. An attendant named White, VINO is
low a street car conductor, once struck wit
ess because he asked him to loan him q
newspaper; asked him for IL in q respectful
manner. Remained there about two months
and, having recovered from his attack, re-
turned 10 his home. Every patient is re-
quiTed 10 make up his own bed. Never
knew DIR. Nichols to examine the rooms or
beds TO sse. if everything was all right.
White, the attendant who struck witness.
d1O lot hit him very hard. Don't think that
the attendant who knocked the lame soldier
down intended To knock him down; he struck
him because he did not get along fast
enough.
AN Fx-ATTFNDANT's STORY.
Michael Btn!Stcr testified that he has been
employed at the insane asylum since Sep
TENDER last; came here from Trenton, y. J. +,
where he had been employed in an insane
asylum for three years; am employed as an
attendant in Beech ward. There is one man
in the ward whs Is not insane, though the
most of them are, and very violent at times
Has never known of patients being abused,
but have seen an attendant named Brother
ton strike patient because he would not
take of his clothes and take q bath. He
struck him on the side of the head; also saw
Brotherton strike other patients; Broth
erton left the asy lum yesterday; saw him
chemisole or Straight jacket on him
q. Have you ever struck a patient your
self? A. Yes, sir; have when attending TO
very troublesome patient Striking pa
uents is forbidden, but a times IL is neces-
sary to defend yourself. Have never struck
patient in the presence of any OF the physi-
cans. Have known tainted meat TO be fur
nished toithe patients. Have seen vermin on
patients in Beech ward, and reported the
fact to DIR. Morrell, who ordered him to rub
ointment was used, most OF the vermin were
removed. Do not intend to say that all the
meat was bad; mean that 1t was only oc-
casiOnally tainted. Have never used force
when 1T was not necessary, except In two or
cases, when l gave way to my passion.
Have never let the doctors know that as
saulted patients.
WILD AND WILLING WITNESS.
AT this point an old colored woman en-
tered the committee room and made q de-
mand that the committee require DIR. Mich
no TN ffnI
that DR.. Nichols had sent them Ia service to
"the wife of butcher Bell, )" who, so far, had
not paid her. She also said that Mrs. Bell
said that DR.. Nichols had given them to her =,
aid that DR.. Nichols said he would shoot her
If she came around there again. The COM
mittee said they could do nothing in the
case, and the old lady left in disgust
ANoTHKR EX-ATTENDANT.
John BolCltng testified that he resided on
18th street, near Georgia avenue, and was
now tOrekeeper. Was employed at the
insane asylum In 1871 as an attendant. Left
voluntarily. DR.. Nichols paid the attend
ants very irregularly. Was told that if he
charged, as the doctor did not allow any one
TO ask him for money. There was at one
time seven months pay due him. Do not
remember how much was due him when he
left. Was an attendant in gray ash ward.
Most OF the attendants Were soldiers. They
were rot kept clean; most of them had YER
min on them. While witness was there he
did all he could TO keep them clean. Have
seen patients abused by attendants.
saw An attendant, named Frank Cook
strike colored patient on the arm with
CLUB, disabling his arm. A club almost as
large as base ball bat was kept there for
that purpose. Have seen attendants named
Fitzgerald, Mahorey, and others, get up at
night tim and beat patients with this club,
because they wouli sing, and thus keep
other patients from going TO sleep; the ply
sicians, when they came into the ward,
could see the club; no attempt was made TO
conceal ii. Didn't think il mis- duty TO re-
port such things, as he never had any orders
10 that effect; If he had seen a patient killed
he would lot have thought IL his duty to re
port 1t. Heard patients complain about it.
when witness left the asylum he had leave
OF absence for one day, but he remained away
purposely. Do not know OF auy case where
an attendant was discharged for asking for
his pay.
The comm ittee then adjourned until to.
morrow morning.