New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-09
NORRIS PLAINS ASYLUM
DIR. MCFARLAND EXPLAINS HIS CASE.


Ills DISMISSAL FOLLOWED BY MANY OTHERS OF
THOSE WHO KNEw roo MUCH.
Tho investigation into ALLEGED abuses at the Morris
Plains Asylum. =. j.. VIII be resumed BY She Legisla
tive Committee at 80 this morning. Reports oil tHo
progress heretofore made have been printed In Tho
Tribune. Dr. lcIaranc. who has been active In
pushing tine charges and collecting evidence against
Warden Moa.o,, makes the following statement;
II wa, dismissed By the Board Of Managers at their
regular monthly meeting Ia June for my evident AZ
sire to prove the truth Of the charges against INC
MANAGEMENT At that meeting was called bcfore the
board and incrrOgacd as 10 ny posltlon IN iho u"
vestIgation / asked ~hat right had 10 taie
butter TO Ncw-Yor to be analyzcd This ANALYSIS
revealed tho fact that the butter was poor DE-
Green took me 10 task for the treatment OK an III
cbrafc who was an inmate of the asylum
at would be impossible AMI also improper 10 go
into details OF this case except to state tha' ''o
non alcoholic treatment had been tried for year Win
the most unfavorabe results then 1t was thought "cii
to prescribe for him a moderate amount OF stlmuahs
This "a the only case ont Of 600 that tIca'ca
with which any fault was found. Tho Board OF Man
ayers also thought had been away too mucn from
the asylum In the last three months. But caiied 10
their mind that for seven months had done the WORK
Of two assistants, and during that time was much
confined 50 that considerable time allowed under tho
regulations unused, had accrued to me. They also
asked why did not lay these facts Of mismanagemenf
before tie Board of Managers. / answered that hal
Intended TO when ! had collected sufficient cvldchcc
These wcro all the charges that were brought
against me, and which formed the grounds OF my le-
moval Ny dismissal by the Board of Managers was
I'm consonancc with the action Of Mr. Monroe In dis
charging various other employees. David Edwards,
who had been the butcher for five years testified TO
the fact that large quantities of had como to the
ASYLUM In 2 tainted condition. shortly aiicr"aiu nc
was told TO do some heavy work. which he was ply
sically unable to DO. and help refused hin, which
had always heretofore been given TO him. lie was
told substantially that he might do It or Co.
Senator Crlcgs, chairman Of the investigating COM
mttce recognizing that tho character Of butter had
become an important question, called as witness
Roger fort, who had been employed in the store
room IN charge Of the butter etc. lie testified That
there had been strong butter sent out from the store
room about two months ago. lie was discharged ON
the following day. Mrs. King and Mss Eel, Who had
been engaged Tor long lcrod IA the special h'clr'
told of number OF Instances OF improper 1901.
shortly aficr~arl they were informed that they might
60. as there was too much help IN ~" hlicheh' As9
Gordon. who was employed In the kitchen; staten a,
This same private invest eaton tLa' snS nag eaIot
Mrs. Monoes attention Ia improper lo"i rms vac
denied by Mrs. Monroe. and She was discharged a.
once for impcrtlncncc. because she maintained that
she had Informed Mrs. Nonuc.
The secret Of the action q the Board of Managers
les believe. in the following fact; VINE Df hul-
TO- IN was still superintendent they were cd 10 hIcNc
thaC the institution could he run moro successfully II
the business department was separated from mn neaI,
cal control and pafcd under an hdcWldent heau 80
when the opportunity presented H>ct, the sultilh-
tcndcnt asked 10 resign. Then the Board 81 Man
a-rrs started the present dud system OF management.
a system which has never been a success wherever II
has been tried and which Is condemned I'm the
strongest terms by aienist, and the medical prOies-
sion all the word T. admit now that evils
exist IN the asylum and that those evils arc the fault
of the warden and the present system. would bc 10
acknowic igc that they had made gt1evOus MISTAKE
three years ago
Dr. T.. +. smith. the first medical director res gned
after a years service In October, 1856, DE- +. c.
Booth. medical director presented most serious charg
Of mIsman8T cement against the warden Ihcy were
conside red by COMMITTEES Of the Board Of Managers,
who heard only the tcstlm ny OF pr Booth and the
counter testimony of Mr. Monroe. and would not hear
the cOrroboraye testimony Of the assistant physt-
cia