Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-03-13
'indieation OF the Hospital and
Its Omcers

e"iioS VI UlS0rdered Mind.
'indieation Of the Hospital and
Its Omcers.
The Visiting Committee to the I,.,ne
hospital, to whom were referred tho con,
muhlcation of the Trustees of the Maine In.
sane Hospital, have attended tn tho dr,,
assigned them, and beg leave IN ,naLa 81.
following
| REPORT:
In order that the public NAV fully unde,.
sldhd the whole matter, and the causes which
contributed and made necessary an inve.t;-
satioh' we give transcript of an article
winch appeared in the Bangor Commercial
on the 18th of January, 1882.
THE article in the Bangor commsrc;., .h..u..
that Mr. Norris NJ. Tewskbury of Bangor was tst sn
rom that city to the Insane Hospital on Wondsv
July isthls l. and while the institution was horr,
MS arrival he claims that three of the attendant,
| conducted him to "lodg-," where he remained two
| bread and water Incensed by some trivial ofIense
ne was thrown upon the floor by the attendants nd
one OF the men brutally kicked him in the head
| ana stomach. As the result Of the abuse a long at
| OF sickness followed, and he is now suffering from
| assault 0' '"e
The following article also appeared in the
Bangor Commercial. Feb. 9th, 1882.
M ne commercial of this date, under the caption of
more serious Charges gainst the Insane Hospital
puDnshes an anonymous contribution claiming TO be
| written by man who was patient at the Hospital
| when Mr. Tewksbury was brought there and =. u,
the brutal assault. He recites several
nited upon himself and other inmates by the atten
| dants and asserts that such treatment was common
az the institution The Commercial editorialy saws
that these charges of a too serious character 10
| De ignored and that investigation should be
made without delay.
Ihe editorial remarks and criticism of the
Daliy Commercial and other newspapers of
the State aroused public attention and COM
ment, and caused an earnest inquiry in regard
to the truth of the allegations and it is reason
able to suppose that many believed that the
charges were well founded. The Trustees of
the Insane Hospital forwarded tn the Cover
nor and Council the following communi-
cation:
| As soon as the Commercial articles appeared Dr.
H. N. Harlow, superintendent of the Hospital, and
j. H. Manley, Esq, secretary of the board of trus.
tees, wrote To Governor Paised requesting an nves
tigation into the cases of alleged abuse. Mr. Manley
said: .'Ihe people of this State have right to
demand that the mt of this Hospital shall
be above suspicion; they have right insist that
its unfortunate inmates shall be humanely treated,
properly fed and clothed, and the recipients the
best medical attendance. with competent and efficient
| nurses and attendants. If Mr.. Tewksbury received
the treatment it Is alleged he did the or
attendants that committed the brutal outrage should
| receive condign punishment, and the officer or
officers that would overlook it should be summariy
dealt with. II the charges be not true il is simply
| v1lainous TO make and repeat them.
The Council at regular meeting adopted
the following order:
STATE OF MAINE.
| In Council, February 9, 1852.
| Ordered,
That the communication from DR.. II. NJ Harlow
and j. II. Manley be referred to the Visiting Com
| niff IN tba IuS Ins oil
In Council March TO- 1882.
Read and passed by the Council and by the Gov
| ernor approved.
JOSEPH o. SMITH, Secretary of State.
| true copy
In obedience to this order, and desirous of
presenting all the facts, the Visiting Com
mittee in company with Hon. Samuel n.
Campbell. Councillor. visited Bangor and
called on Norris NJ Tewksbury, Esq, at his
residence. Mr. Tewksbury made substantial
ly the same statement that has been previous
ly published in the Bangor Commercial. 1t
was fairly and freely given, and there can be
no doubt but what Mr. Tewksbury is sincere
| and believes what he states. He treated the
Committee politely and with due consider
| alton.
| Mr.. TEwKsBURY's COMPLAINTS.
He says he was taken to the Hospital,
July 18Th, and left Sept. Sd, 1881. He appears
to compr ehend very well the material facts in
the case which led to his removal to the
Hospital. but is not aware that he exhibited
any manifestations of violent insanity. He
| simply admits .'he lectured and talked some !;
and on the dav he left Bangor ''was as
rational as he ever was. and knew what he
was about" He says that he was taken from
Bangor to the Insane Hospital by James
Nickerson and John Farnham, citizens of
Bangor without any trouble or violence "
They came to take him out on ride. 81
was as rational as | ever was, and knew what
they were up to-" He states that on arrival
at the Hospital he was taken to an upper
room. and was detained there one day, and
was then removed to 'lodge" in the second
story of the same building. He states that
the ill.treatment which he received was IN
f]icted entirely by one attendant by the name
of +. ]. Williams, and during the early period
| of his confinement in the "lodge room; that
before that period and since, and during his
entire STAY at the Hospital. he was treated
with kindness and courtesy by Williams,
every other attendant and officer OF the
institution, and makes no complaint OF Ill
treatment against any person except Williams
lBRrr,L TREATMENT ny THIS ATTENDANT.
He saws that he was kicked in his legs and
sides of his chest by Williams in very cruel
manner. and was taken from his ''lodge room
TO the bath after this cruel treatment. ana
was so much prostrated and exhausted that
restoratives had to be used. He further
testifies that he was refused water when thirsty
and was obliged to drink from leaky and
useless dipper. and that tea and milk were
given him when he asked for water. lie
fest;ies that Williams would take him by the
hand and ask his forgiveness and declare that
ha could never treat another patient IN the
same manner. He said that he heard from
Johp Creahan that Williams asked him
| CCreaban) if he thought Tewksbury
wopld forgive him for his ill-treat-
ment He repeated these words
..They were all kind to me and treated n. me
first rate. and no one abused me except
Williams Mr.. Tewksbury complains that
Mr.. O. II ingalls, of Bangor visited the Hos
pital after his confinement, and that he was
refused by the officers of the institution an
,nnor,unity TO converse with him; and that
ingalls, was taken round BY the back door C oy
Mr. Lakin. so that he might escape his notice
IN