The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-25
THE ONONDAGA POORHOUSE
CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION DIS
GRACEFUL PLACE OF CONFINEMENT FOR IN
SANE PATIENTS, WITH DRUNKEN, CRUEL At
PENDANTS.

o1hACChE, ~. l., beI. -, 1910.
Aconclusion was reached to-day in the investiga-
ton into the management of the onondaga County
Poorhouse and Insane Asylum, which has been in
progress here at intervals during the past two weeks
under the direction of the State Board of Charities
part the President. William p Letchworth, and
the Secretary Dr. Charles S. Hoyt have been constantly
in attendance. This committee acted in conjunction
with Messr Clarke. Gere and King. of the Board of
Supervisors. The testimony taken to-day was OF
highly important aracter sustaining in every
tia particular the statements published in the HERALD
at the time the facts disclosed. The testimony
goes further than the original charges, going to
show that the institution is Differed by corps
of FIVE persons. four Of whom not alone utterly
incompetent to fulfil their trusts but also brutal
in their treatment OF their unfortunate charges in
other ways than incarceratng them in the gloomy
basement dungeons. Many of the statements sworn
to by tho attendants to-day refrted by better
and more trustworthy witnesses. divulging state
Of affairs not heretofore limited at.
THE rIyTnaoSY.
Timothy Hough, ex-Superptendent of the Poor,
the first witness. Nothing important elected
from him except that he considered O'Connell. tho
head attendant in the Insane Asylum. untitled by
age. intelligence and habits for the place.
George W. Chase, Of the Committee of the .
Board OF Supervisors County Buildings, testified
that the committee paid Official visit to the poor
through the buildings various proposed improvements
suggested and discussed after going through the
or yards where the patients had their out door exer
else; the committee were on tho point Of leaving
after having. exchanged views. when the wit
inquired for insane named Judd
Settle. who, he was told was down below; the wit
asked to him and shown to the dark
building; there they found 1--we men; the
cells were totally dark and the ventiia
fad. fha in, fho
not clean. and one OF the committee said no hoped
none Of his friends would ever como to
clothing on. it being explained that it could not be
kept on them; Settle had on garment which looked
like coffee sack and It had the Appearance OF having
what these places were used for, and was answered
that there was no other place to confne
violent the witness suggested that this state
of affairs should be remedied that these could
be got into the air; he was informed Of the contem
plated removal Of some Of these patients to the
Willard Asylum, 1T Ovid.
THE UNIIoHTED CELLS
The witness looked into the cells when the doors
were opened; the smell was terrible; there one
colored man in one cell who had nothing but short
shirt upon him when the witness asked why the dark
Of the cells could not be done away with it
said that tho present managers forced to take
the buildings as they found them; the witness said
he suggested that windows At least could be broken
he noticed other evidences Of neglect, OF q
general character. which showed that the institution
was being run cheaply; there appeared to be very
few attendants about the premises; the committee
discussed the want of help and the capacity Of those
that were about; the witness to the conclusion
he thought OConnel was not At man to have
charge OF the attendants; he was too old and had
the committee would not have the cells had
the witness happened to ask for Settle.
AN UNEXPECTED VISIT.
The witness did not think Nj. Loomis was advised
of the day on which the committee decided to
make the visit to the poorhouse; the
o visit but was not to his knowledge advised on
what day it would be made the witness thought the
system In vogue at the Poorhouse not the right one
he was opposed to pauper attendants and an ythiny
Mr. Chsse's testimony was corroborated generally
by Messrs. Eastwood and Mason, his colleagues ON
the Committee County Buildings. Tho latter,
however. would not admit the wrong Of shutting up
DRuNKES ATTENDANTS
The most important witness was Mrs. T. NJ. Dor
win wife Of the lesper OF tns Institution during
Morris O'ConneM was IN attendant at the
asylum at this time; witness was ma
duty to visit the asylum daily; oConnel was recog-
nized the head Of the attendants; he allowed
from tho city in an intoxcated state he was bolster
0us and excited; the witness reprimanded OConnell
TOY his conduct; oconnel was seen by visitors who
drove up ct the time that OConnell il the ofce
the witness saw O'Connell strike woman named
OBraen with . strap about two yards long
%1onns said. Tina. Hs the n way s10'1 they
do in Utica" OConnell was very harsh with the men
and women who were cOnnned III the dark cells ON
from the. Kitchen; the witness had never or
dered the confinement Of insane in these cells;
the women were confined by order Of Mrs.
to the witness; the Witness had no faith with Mr.
OConnell-that is to say. abe thought the females
to witness facts which led to this distrss; the
Of Barbara o.mpbell. one Of the at.end-
the influence of liquor her return from the city;
she returned in the night in the company
and language; she must have been seen by other
attcndants tho witness had confidence in Barbara
Campbell; her general conduct to the insane was ty-
ranncal and rude especially to Protestant PATIENTS
STRIKING AN INSANE PATIENT.
few weeks before Mr.. Darwin resigned the witness
saw Henry Hilton strike an insane woman named
Clarity; the woman was doing the washing when she
saw the gate open aud started to rum Hilton chased
her out into the road. aud overtaking her struck
her In the face; the woman fell to the ground aud
when she returned her face was badly bruised; it
was many weeks before the marks disappeared;
to 'D escapes the witness ' reported the facts
to Mr.. ID. rwin the witness also saw Mrs.
conp ns on
threw the girl on the foor by the hair she had the
testimony Of the inmates that Mr.. o.connsll
north end OF the new building were
shown the witness by Thomas Hill, who died in
one % them. and they Mere IN PAD condition.
OF the hospital strike an insane man. named Post
in the hospital; VConnor was recommended by Mr..
Post was severely bruised; O'Connor reported
having several times injured those in his care;
O'Connor was still employed when she last hoard
anything of the institution; her husband had nothing
to do with engaging help.
USfEELISa DOCTOR.
The witness said during her husbands admins
tration Dr. Tcfft often showed himself very unfeel
ing; he had been her family physician for a long
s sSs a sna o1s ORE
Tcft came sometimes every day. in the
week and other times only occasionally; the wit
ness knew Mrs. Padbury a finely educated woman
whose board was paid for by her husbands estate;
while sick Of typhoid fever the witness met
her in the hall day and asked her
why she not in bod; the patient said
Mrs. OConuell would not permit her. later she
asked be taken away and just before leaving she
became quite ratonai; her condition such To-
carry conviction; since that time she has been
stored completely; she complained bitterly of Miss
Campbell and Mrs UConnell, saying that they had
abused her and refused to furnish the food ordered
for her.
WOMEN II DARK CELLS.
The witness had examined the cells OF the kitchen.
There VA A of light I'M them. She thought