Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-19
"A HE'LL UPON EARTH"

\ Former Woman Inmate Comes from
New York to Testify-Most Startling Dis
closures Made by Her of Dirty Baths
Vermin, Filth and Cruelty-Gov. Buffers
Spar With Attorney Brown.
Boston, April 1S.-At the Tewksbury ex-
animation Mary E. Bowen, formerly an in
mate, said she could not eat the food fur :
nished, but lived upon that bought with
money furnished her. She never saw any
of the Marsh family while there. Thirty
or more women were bathed in the same
water, many persons having had skin dis
cases and many were infected with vermin.
When there was time carbolic acid was
poured on the heads of such of the pa
tients. Vermin were all over the place, the
rats being so abundant that the patients
would call the nurses to drive
woman, unable to call help, was bitten
badly. This happened every night until
she died. The closets and everything were
filthy, but when visitors were expected
things were cleaned up. One woman who
died was large and her body was crowded
into case by men standing on it. She
had on the same bonnet worn when alive.
Another patient occupied bed on which
of clothing being made. An old insane
man was beaten with sticks and tied with
ropes. The witness had come on from
New York to give her testimony.
She was asked several questions which
Gov. Butler said were not pertinent.
Brown retorted that the characters of the
witnesses, so far, were fit subjects for criti-
| cism, and he proposed in this case, to
| governor said he did not propose to sit
still and allow his witness to be maligned
He asked the committee not to allow it
Some of their daughters might by chance
come to this he'll upon earth. Loud ap-
plause from the spectators followed.
! The governor said that because the
witness was fallen woman her character
| should not be the issue in this case. She
should answer all pertinent questions in
this case, but not those which sought to
drag her down.
Brown said his excellency WINGED as be
n ever had before. He called the gov.
ernor's attention to a case where he, the
| governor, questioned witness in regard
| to character, and in s most unheard OF
way. The question as to the proceeding
with cross examination was decided by
the committee in the affirmative by five to
four votes.
Miss Bowen refused to give a name by
which she was known in New York and the
counsel demanded it, to inquire into hel
character for veracity.
In the course of the controversy the
governor said that this investigation would
interest the entire country where there
were institutions like Tswksbury and
ought to go before it. Already it had
aroused examinations in other states. He
had never had political thought in con-
nection with it. The only questions to be
decided were law, propriety and humanity,
but the opposing counsel took that narrow
view of it of which he was capable.
The chairman said the governors re-
mark, that another five to four vote would
hand this committee down as another com
mittee was handed down to the country By
its eight to.seven vote, was highly improp
or, and he hoped that no more polItica
illusions would be made by any of tht
| counsel.
The governor said he had as little re
s7ect for the chairman's opinion as The
IL ter had for his, and he had no respec
for the chairman's decisions. Being asked
if Miss Bowen would be present to morrow
| Governor Butler said if she wasn't here the
testimony could be stricken from the rec
| ord Adjourned