The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-02


The development, IN regard to the death
OF Nicholas Odcnwild. the Mnutie patient vino
died on Thursday last in the As, am for Tie
Insane on Nnrl's I.mud. nrr more fivprtbi. to
Byrne. the inculpatci keeper. tuan was at first
expected. 1nc facts in the case, a, iar ms tho
authorities have allowed them TO terome pub
lie are aa follows, OdonWGld nipn ol tul
stature and powerful frame. .raii' 90 the asylSm
from the City Prison on Monday last. n was
suffering from general parays aud acute init
MIA and was consigned TO the l"reiVing Ward.
In the fret story. in which thc most dangerous
patients are conlned AZ night re was placed
In % dorniiory with dozen other patients. AMI
Me door closed. the keeper refuaiung on the
outside. An open grating In tho doorway al
lowed the keeper to o-ok IN from dne to time.
Two Of the three attendants in Tho hall retired
n their rooms. aud Ia" third rcninined Oh duty.
The night wore on without incident until alt'io
after 8 o'clock. whrn there were sounds of %
struggle IN Odcnwald's room. From what fol-
lowed. the keeper whose duty Il was to patrol
the hall would appeur TO have been asleep. The
noise grew louder and rhritks ior help were
beard. mingled with the soonia of q man chok
ing. Keeper John Byrnc who slept In the room
opposite Odenwald' - was the first toh aroused.
without waiting to dress he burst oI,rn the door
ghere the dozen lunatic~ werh confined. On
oed near the door lay the writhins body ol Il
patient named Ritter. with tho hurly form VI
odenwnd above him. hIs fingers clutching the
hroat Of the PROSTATE man. Odenwald was
howy choking Ritter to death. aud would prob
ably have killed him within few minutes. In
corner Of the room were huddled the other
patients. whose pale faces and afirightcd looks
showed that they realized what wns going on.
Byrne. although smaller than Odcnwald. and
-
and succeeded in dragging him o'T Hflrr. when
.hc maniac turned and grarplcd w,,h him.
Byrne was unarmed. and had to put forth all
his strength to defend himself from the now
enrneed and thoroughly aroused lunatir. In
he struggle which followed. both fcll. Ol"n-
vad undormo~t. striking upon the sharp "oEc
Of heavy woNien pnil in the ""nir" ~ tho
room. lie wis stunned hy the shfr'k, hut only
for y moment, and in,Hin rpr' rui r'n"M"d ia"
ilsht. Cuban patient nalned Con nm hurri'd
a. the other end Oi tie hnll. and aroused Ilri,
another OF IN" k'"prrS. Ia th" mean tim" ll"
struggle went on. Bvrne attempted Z. throw
bis qn!aeonisi. hg' without sn.frss Il irled
torall for help but IN thu hurry he had inrgoi-
on to tpke his whistle. Summouiu. nm a'l hrs
.srength for final eirort. he threw oi.nwald
ofthe room. Odenwnid struck on his left side.
groaned, and lny pto-trntr. Nss -uln arrived.
and the injured man WIS taken =, the hos pital.
and the physicians Wprr summoned. II" rit-
on both his sides had been broken. and there
were contusions. P"nd,ng IN .cSaniinnion;
Byrne. The latter, who WIZ hut slilhiY IN
jured told his story substantially ns r"lted
above. his statements being corrolnrated 10y
those Of the other Keepers and by two ci the
iunntirs.
,Byrns was criticised for. not having sounded
bis whistle beior" taking hold ~ OLenwaid-.i
being standing rule lhnl In violent ca-N, the
keepers shall rmeiidte ca rass stan On
Thur-dayevening Odenwald dird and IN tii. dAy
following nm Investigation was heidi 10y the Com
missioners Of Charities and Correction. rhe
peisn py penut2 caI6nsr VI brToT@ 4 rnsy
Is 10 be- held early this waek b. Coroner CrQker.
A SUN reporter asked DR.. A. f II Donald. the
ton yesterday. The Doctor saId politely that
hecould no, allow an Investigation hvtr press
before the Coroner. tut was wlilius geo Eive any
facts which would throw additional light UPON
the ntfair: ,..,....,
" He hni been her" only tlrtl SIX hours. and
that was hardly time n permit a compl"tr di,l;-
noss. should saw however. that lis '7s' rr-
solved itself into one RI general pnrHly~ g., h'-
companied by acute mnlia. II" WIS pgt into
room with others. IN ord IN prevent attempts
at suicide. or anyth ng uf that kini."
Do you mean 10 sly, boffor. that n" pra
ti"e OF putting dozen mHuiach patients into
one room ie calculated u increase their per
Most ass1redly not. We do it simply iro-
cause we have alrrudy twice as many patients
a. We have room for. and ARE consequently
icr.sd 70 do II tor lnrk OF spHce.
=, How long had Byrne bcen n the employ OF
the asylum
At1ut SIX months. beliove Thor, have
been no complaints against him that J have
heard Of II i verr dim 'ul under any crcum-
stan rs 70 grt good attendants at h' smnl
wages ulloY;"d. The u"n drr uId oriy SIS per
N nth. AMI tleir work ia dii ut Nul dan ..,'r-
ouH. Then wc have .inr too -ftuil u iorrr only
about on~ keeper to iiit''n puti' ni---Whrh rot
only ucreHsr- the Il itcuDy Of lcUk.u. alter fiir
Insane, but OF k"epln., Tho keepers themselves
under proper discipline. We have uo favor =
iim here h,owes"r. aud u th' inN sil-Ai,Dn
shows thut Byrue abused pirnwtud. or i-cd
in, iGnnary s,9t 'or' r. ;5 be wl m r nIn 1 Gf ~ b g
sent 'y"rai ui our Keepers to N" p"uli'fitaIs,