The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-06-07

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THE WASHINGTON, MADHOUSE,
A Mother Tells the Sad Story of her Son
y o.. Confined In tho Asylum.
Mrs. Van Keuren testified before the
Congressional investigating committee
that she had been resident Of Chicago
since 1866. She had, son in the gov
eminent asylum who Was seventeen when
he went there. He, was sent from the
navy. She saw her son soon after he
was sent there, but could not see, DIR.
Nichols for many days. = She does not
consider harl son insane. He is epilep-
tic.iinShe had an interview with DR..
Nichols, and told him she wanted every
care taken of her son, which was prom
ised, the doctor saying he would take q
fathers interest in him. She left Wash
ington in the full belief of that! prom
ise. = She went there q second time to
see her son, but not intending to take
him away. This was after the great fire
in Chicago. She had always written,
but seldom obtained any answer. Her
boys pension was stopped, and on
writing to the pension Office she was in-
formed that it had been asserted that her
boy had been abandoned by his friends,
not having been supplied with any
clothing. The witness said she then
came to Washington and went to see her
son at the asylum, and after waiting two
hours and half saw him. She hardly
knew him. He was haggard old man.
He screamed. "Dearest mother, take
me- ont of this horrible place" He
made complaints of bad treatment, and
his head was literally alive with yermin.
He had just been bathed, and was drip
ping with cold water Tbs attendant
said the pants just removed were coy-
cred with vermin. DR.. Morel was pres:
ent at this time, and said he had noticed
the vermin the day before, and was very
sorry for it. On her return she went to
Admiral Porter and to the secretary Of
the navy. The latter was absent from
the city. The surgeon.gen Of the
navy came to her. and said he would
write to DR.. Nichols. He received a
reply, whichhe' read to witness, acknowl-
edging the vermin, but denying all else.
Witness was accompanied by q Lady of
Washington, Miss Jenny De Bar, who
was present the whole time witness con-
versed with DR.. Morren. Her son went
to the asylum in 1869 and left in 1878.
Witness paid a visit to the pension
office, but General Baker was absent.
She went the next day and the commits
sioner had returned. he wished to e1-
cuse himself, being very tired, having
come from q long journey. An appoint
ment was made for the next day, which
was kept. General Baker did not give
her any satisfaction. The next day
witness was told her letters had been
sent to DR.. Nichols. by q clerk OF the
name of Pryor. Gen. Baker said it was
not possible, but on confronting Pryor
with the commissioner he cknowledged
1t. The commissioner said many bills
were sent by DR.. Nichols amounting to
several hundled dollars. Witness said
she would never pay one cent of it. She
succeeded at last in. convincing Gen.
Baker, who sent "a physician to the
asylum who proved that her son was, in
that horrible condition. Gen. Baker
said if witness did not take him out at
once he would. He also said he would
send clerk over to the asylum. to see
how many boys were there, as it was no
place for them. The pension Of her
boy is $50 month. At the time it was
kept back by DR.. Nichols it was $25.
The witness said she had received all
the pension due her as guardian of her
son, having established her claim in the
pension office. The trouble with Gen.
Baker was about the pension, it having
been suspended by DR.. Nichols repre-
sentation that no clothing had been sup
Piled. Gen. Baker said Dr., Nichols
thought witness had accompanied
gentleman to California, when in fact
witness WIS in company of Secretary
Bristow. and his family. 1t was inSep-
tember that the boy was taken out OF
the asylum. Witness saw letter from
DIR. Nichols to Surgeon General Beale OF
the navy. g. ...4 - - 80 o ="
Witness went on to say that the mat
tress on which her son lay was rotten
with therain which came through the
roof. His body was covered with
bruises; it was quite black. He had
been put in strong room, and they had
placed strait jacket on him. Her son
told her this, and the attendants also;
and Mr., Anderson and bis wife told her,
that DR.. Nichols only came t. thrQugh the
wards once q week-namely, on the
Sabbath; that he cared more for the pigs
and dogs than he did for the patients.
On witness demanding to see her sons
room, DIR. Morrell objected, saying it
was against the rules, but afterwardcon-
sented. She found there no books or
which she had literally Supplied
him with. - - ."'. D.. u. - 80. .
The witness then said, addressing the
chairman, that during her stay in Wash
ington she was called on by q man fre-
quently to know how much money she
would take TO leave the city. She did
not know the mans name. She also had
o statement from a man that two pa
tients had been killed, one a white and
one colored man, and that both were
put into one coffin. ,I, .. .,