Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-03-07
DIXM0NT ASYLUM.
UNDER INVESTIGATION BY A
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

| IN
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
Testimony of Mr.. A. P. Hop
kins, of Washington, Pa.
The committee appointed by the
Legislature to investigate the charges
made against Dixmont Insane Asylum
consisting of Senators McCrum,
of Crawford; Mcneil, of Allegheny,
and Hart, of Lycoming; and Repre-
sentative Walker, of Erie, and Gra-
ham of Allegheny, met at the Monon-
gahcla House, Pittsburgh, at ii
o'cljck, \ VI, on the oath ult In
addition to the Committee there were
present Charles r. McKenna and
James II. Reed, attorneys for DR.
Reed: Mr. T. F. Zimmerman, of Johns
town. counsel for Mrs. Constantine
Neinstrell, and who was summoned to
testify in reference TO the charges CT
Dr. SEWN. of Erie, that she was being
grossly abused; DR.. Wylie, of Dix.
mont, Rev. Travelli, Warden Wright,
Morrison Foster, Malcolm Hay,
George w. Guthrie and the Repre-
resentatives of the press. The chair
man of the committee announced that
it had been thought best to exclude re-
porters, but added that a conference
would be held on this point and the re-
suit announced. a session OF half an
hour was held by the committee at the
end of which it was decided to allow
the press representatives. to remain.
! The statement was made that Messers.
Hay and Guthrie appeared for the
committee. Mr.. Graham said that
this was mistake as the committees
were not acting as prosecutors but as
Jury. The gentlemen were net pres
cnt at this time, but just then came
in, when it was learned that they
were present in the interest of w. Il
Scott. proprietor Of the Erie Herald,
against whom several libel suits have
been entered in connection with this
affair.
A. P. Hopkins, pleasant and in
telligent looking gentleman. with
smooth face and silvery hair and prob
ably sixty years Of age, was the first
witness sworn Mr.. Hopkins stated
that he resided in Rochester, Pa; pre-
yious to June last he had lived in
Washington county. O.. February 8,
1882. he was sent to Dixmont by the
county authorities, and remained there
until the 9th of June following, DIR.
Reed was Superintendent ana man
named Caldwell had charge Of the
wards. Mr.. Hopkins said his insanity
had been caused by overwork in TAX
ing care of smallpox patients in Little
Washington. For a period of nine
days be had scarcely an hours sleep.
About the second night ! was in
Dixmont, said Mr.. Hopkins, "two men
came in with straight jacket. said,
Men, don't want that or me- They
replied, ,.'We know what is best for
you,' and put it on me, tying the
sleeves around my throat until | was
insensible."
The witness here described what the
straight jacket is like. He said it fits
closely to the body, and has sleeves
about eight feet long, which are tied
tightly around the body and arms of
the patient, and in hard knot in the
back
"Whcn / recovered" said the wit
ness, "tLe jacket was still on me l
struggled hard and finally broke the
Jacket in the back. The next night
they put another jacket on me but did
not choke me. VIM Ligget and
JoseLh Hamilton were the two attend
ants. | think ! was insane at this
time and remember these circumstances
plainly, but how | remember them so
distinctly ] don't know For several
weeks nothing occurred, only that let
ters which | wrote home never reached
there. One day while sitting at the
dinner table | thought it would be a
good joke on the attendants to pretend
to take spasm, as another man was
accustomed to do | stiffened myself
and threw myself back in my chair.
| was Immediately seized and taken to
ward No. 8, where some strong medi-
cine was given me. Then Liggctt,
Hamilton. Robert Parks, Jno. Genneff
and another attendant tried to put a
straight Jacket on me. | resisted and
struck at Gennef They threw me
down and choked me, jumped on
me with their knees and broke rib on
my right side and one on my left"
Mr.. McKenna-Before accepting
this testimony as to injuries, it would
be proper to have medical examina-
tioH.
Witness.-I was examined by two
physicians, who said some of my ribs
were broken ! can bring certificates
from them. Continuing the witness
said he had never consulted any of the
Dixmont physicians, as the patients
generally understood that they were
not allowed to speak to the ply ysicians.
"After throwing me down." said the
witness, "they put the straight jacket
on me and kept it on me for nearly ten
DAYS, during most of which time l
was tied down to my bed. The pain
in my arms was excessive on account
of the impeded circulation This iDjn-
rv to nv ribs was inflicted on me
about three months before | was re-
leased, and felt the effects of it some
time after | was released"
Mr.. Graham-"Was the jacket put
upon you as a punishment or to re-
strain violence 2"
Witness-I can't answer, sir, but l
was not violent"
In answer to questions Mr.. Hop.
kins said ne had similar attack of in
sanity q years ago and was sent to
the insane department of the West
Penn Hospital, then under charge of
DR.. Reed, now of DiAmont. While
at the West Penn Hospital he had
been maltreated as badly as at Dix
mont. He had difficulty with three