Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-05-03
The Insane Asylum InvestIgation.

| lum this morning.
Policeman Arnold testified that the reputs-
J ton OF Darling zone of the witnesses against
the management OF the asy lum) for truth
/ was bad.
BY Mr.. MutchIer.-Have never heard any
| one say that they would not believe him,
| end never heard his character for truth dis
cursed. Darling deserted mis- family.
/ Waiter Proctor, clerk in the Surgeon Cen
/ erals Office, testified that Darling LEFT his
| family in England, and when he came here
! be enlisted in the army under the name OF
| Atkins. He left his family In a destitute
! condition. Darling was an enlisted man
/ doing duty in the Surgeon Generals Office.
The reputation of Darling among his fellow
/ clerks IN the Surgeon Generals office for
! honesty, morality or veracily, was bad.
Have heard people say they would not be-
| Tho1nOs p. Marsh testified that he resided
/ at oil y street southeast, and was a clerk IN
! the Post Office department. Sat up with the
! remains of the patient Murray, who died a:
| the asylum. Noticed the marks and bruises
on bis head, but did not see any vermin.
! Mrs. Murray complained 10 him about her
! husbands treatment al the asylum, bui LETT
! him with the impression that lac would Just
| as soon roma n there as not.
! John HdteIUdl testified that he was now
I employed at the Insane Asylum, and had
been there since July last. Knew Charles r
Carter, WHO was an attendant at the asylum
/ He denied The statement Of Carter that he
| Oh kicked the patient Frank McAdam. He
| said he had trouble with no patient except
| one named John Miller. whom he had 10
| strike 10 defend himself. Never kicke any
patient. Never saw any attendant strike a
| patient there. Have seen tainted meat come
| there which was used. Sometimes the bad
| part was cut out of il aud sent back.
Or NoTTeH was recalled. and again testified
| in regard 10 the death of the pa tIent
| McAdam. Presented the history of the case
! from the books of the asylum. He was
| private In Co. A, "a cavalry, and was admit
! ted May 9th, 1872. He was inclined to be de-
structive of clotbing-not violent On July
| 18th he was reported 10 be visionary and
fancled he wanted to go TO Baltimore TO get
married, and imagined that the lady had
called upon him the previous night. Noticed
The bed sore that was testified TO by Carter
and put lead plaster upon IL. ~ was not
caused by violence or kick. Toe excite
ment began August 18th, and he died August
3Oth, part of when time a straight jacket or
rchemisole" was placed on him, and he was
lied 10 bis bed. Was satisfied that his treat
ment was the best that could be under the
| circumstances. Saw the patient frequently
Theodore p. Wilson never called his atten-
ton to any cases of cruelty and negligence
never replied 10 him, "yOu are too sensi-
tive" Never refused TO give adying patient,
who had lost his teeth, a little rice To eat
The man was able to maSticate all the food
he got, and he did not starve TO death. Beef
tea and milk punch were furnished him. Do
rot remember how many teeth the patient
had, but did not give him any food that need
10 be chewed up. Frank McAdam died from
exhaustion from acute mania. He was not
allowed TO stand up on his feet for a week
Part OF the time, when he was quiet, the re-
straint would he removed. During the last
few days restraint was not required.
Mrs. MAJ RyGR testified that she and her
husband are now employed as attendants al
The Insane asylum. Both OF them have been
there for eleven years. Are attendants in
the infirmary ward. Witness heard Wilson
say one day that If ne got money 20 take in
sane patients TO Baltimore and there put
them on vessels and send them TO Ireland.
as her husband frequently did, he would turn
tie patients loose in Baltimore and go on a
spree with the money, instead OF putting the
patients on the steamers and buying tickets
for them. She replied TO Wilson that DR..
Nichols frequently sent her husband on such
brands, and raj fun confidence In him. and
mai be would rot think of doing such a
'hirg. Wilson's appetite for liquor was very
strong.
DR. johnson Eli6t testified that he knew OF
oliver Ambrose; signed certificate OF MS
insanity ten y ears ago; was his physician
hen; thin he was twenty years OF age at
tLat time; haven't seen him since; he was
iabCring under hailucinatiOn OF the mind.
G6OTHe S.tdgsOYe tes lied that he is now aOi
has been employed at the insane asylum as
a steam engineer JOr ~ years: have hSd
charge OF the engineering there for II or ID
years. In relation 10 the patient who is de-
tailed 10 carry coal 10 the boiler, under him,
he said that the man WAS not REQ lired TO
work more than four hours OF the day. He
carries the coal because he wants to; if ne
refuses he is rot forced. The man IS washed
every day. His orders were to coax patients
10 work, but never forced them If they dill
not want 10. Have worked in every ba h
room ward and closet in the asylum. Have
never seen a single patient maltreated dur
ing the whole time he has been there. Reside
at The asy lum.
Robert montgomery testified that he had
been employed at The insane asylum for
seven years; had charge of the patients who
worked on the river wall; never knew pa
tient TO be required 10 work in the water:
the patients never worked up ID their knees
in water: the patients a. work on the wall
spent most OF the time lying under the
trees. smoking pipes, &c. Sometimes some
OF them would exercise themselves by car
rying up the masons' tools, chisels, &c, 10
the blacksmith shop, and having them
pointed. The patients helped to unload stone
from the boats. Do not recollect that one OF
the patients died while he was working o.
the wall, or that he was taken sick there.
months previous to taking charge OF The
been assaulted by the patients, but
never saw any of them msltreated.
Card from Deputy First Comptroller
Jones.
Editor Stdr:-In THE STAR OF Saturday
evening last an article appeared headed "A
Treasury Officers Record" and purportiug
to be a special dispatch TO a Philadelphia
paper. The article contains certain charges
against my official and personal character.
These propose TO answer
FfTH / never wrote q line 'Frecom menling
any person for appointment TO any Office"
civil or military, "under the rebel govern
Eent" very eStimable gentleman, a clerk
in this office having young and growing
family, resigned his clerkship for the pUr-
pose as then declared, and a understood,
Of getting into employ ment in some bank,
or going into business. 1 gave him, as he
well deserved, and as all who knew him viii
cleeriully admit this, strong Testimonial
| Of his capacity and fidelity. ! had no idea
| a. that time that he ever thought Of going
| south His father and family were then, and
| had been for some years, residents in this
| city, and he, himself. was a householder
| here. l simply did for him what ] have done
| score of times for other good clerks who
nave resigned their official positions in The
hope of doing better for themselves outside
| the Treasury.
Second. 1 never presided al any meet
| ing or demonstration given at the White
| Sulphur Springs in Virginia" or attended
| any meeting there or elsewhere Gin honor q {
| the presence OF Robert f.. Lee" 4 never
spoke to Gen. Lee In my life-never even
| saw him but once. and that was on a Sunday
morning in the Church OF the Ascension, In
ibis city.
| Tbs next charge is the most serious of ALL
| because IL involves personal criminality
II is in so many words that ! am guilty OF
| .'dbSrdcti'g papers from the nles of the
| Treasury, and placing them in the hands OF
| the democratic investigating commit ess. :"
| This is utterly and basely untrue. During
| the eighteen years OF my service as tbs chief
| clerk OF this office and deputy controller, IL