New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-14
BELLEvrE MANAGEMENT DEFEc11rE.

THE FINDING OF CORONER MERKLEs JURY IN THE
KELLEHER CASE.
The inauest in the case OF Michael KeeEer, who
was killed by an insane man AT betleVte Hospital.
! was resumed Yesterday by Coroner Merkle. At the
opening OF the The Coroner stated that the wit
ness whose presence was requested Oh last Friday,
and account OF whose absence the inquest was adj
! journed, had not been found, although subpoena
and summons had been sent out for him. Waiter
ORourke stated that ali the officers of the hos
pItal were subject To his orders. There had never
been paid night orderly since he had been m
nected with the hospital. The night orderly was
cOnvalescenI Patient who had held that posi- lou
for about seven weeks IhiS was the hrst accident
OF the KIND in the hospital since Mr.. O'Rourke had
been there. John Hawkins testified that he was
q convae cent patient of the hospital and that lie
WAS present wheu helleher was Killed. lie said
fur her. "When / got up in the morning about
O'clock MahOn was out OF his cell: fhe ight
orderly was there also. MahOn bade me govd
morning We sat down together for breakfast. |
gave HIM eggs, but he said he ddn: like them.
Then he cleaned out tho cells and tue corridors.
Mahop got up AMI said to kelleher, You've got
pistol too aud then he hit him with stool. Then
shouted for help, but no one calne. All the other
conv~lescent patients VINO had been near ran down
stairs and 30 did [. rushed to the night orderlys
room and called him. Several men came IN And we
secured MahOn .
ness and others pulled OIL TO get the night orderly
Warden q Rourke-These are OF non.
Juror-Aud these men pulled them of
Warden ORourke-Ihey are more Tor show than
anything else. ,
Coroner Merkle in his charge TO the jury, alluded
TO the tact that il contained several Mayors and
other prominent persons. lie SAID he ana not sum
mon such jury for the sake OF notouetv. lie
called attention to what he considered careessness
on the part of the OF the Hospital lie said
that he did not blame the physician In charge ot
the Alcoholic Ward or the Commissioners OF Char-
ties ara Correction but he tho, ght that something
ought to done to enforce strict rules IN the hos
pila Ee also thought that something ought TO
be done 10 prevent such tragedies iron occurring
again. by having the tables aud chairs IN the Al
conolic Ward fastened down, so that they could
not be used as weapons
After long delIberatioD the jury returneI the
folloNing verdict: We find that Michael kelleher
came TO his death from injuries inflicted by George
f. Mahon ut Bellevue Hospital on February l.
1888 In view of the evidence before we Oe-
lie ye that due cafe was not exercised Dy tue ouoeIs
i'm charge of the Alcoholic Ward. In our opinion the
system OF management is very detective The ward
sbould at all Times be in charge OF Responsible
employo The orderlies highly censnred for
lenvInr the wards without putting the patents IN
charge of n responsible person. We further recon-
mend that the furniture of the rooms. tables and
windows be OF such character and 80 secured as to
prevent tho possibility of their use weapons OF
offence By patients" No. ~
Mahon was released on 300, William ii. Ken
neGv of TAlrd-aye, furnishing IL.