New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-03
CHARGED WITH KILLING 4 PATIENT
DARBAROUS BRUTALITY ALLEGED AGAINST
1NSANE ASYLuM.

DARBAROUS BRUTALITY ALLEGED AGAINST
ATTENDANTS IN AN INSANE ASYLUM.
Chicago. May o.-Coroncr Hertz and Jury today
began Investigation into tn" CauS" OF the death OF
Robert Burns a patient I'm III" Insane Asylum al
Jefferson. Attendants Rcharisnn. Crogan aud Prcha'
who arc charged with beating him to death "ri'
present. The dead mans widow ami her n"thef
testified tllat Burn, in good health whom hr was
sent to tho asylum, and that the only abrasion on
his body OF his legs, which had been
injured Tho most damaging testimony was that OF
Charles Bcck. a reporter who successfully fcigneh
insanity and was admitted to the asylum where he
was an eyewitness TO much OF th" brutal treatment
which reduced Burns In ten days from strong man
to complete physical wreck resulting In hlS death
The witness detailed at great length the repeated
acts Of brutality which the three accused attendants
nAIcrd upon tho unfortunate man. II" declared
that the patient not unrur. but seemed to De
darel and inc apable OF understanding what WIS wanted
Of HIM Beck said that upon tho arrival of Burns
and himself at the asvlum cold baths w"r" given theth'
after which they left shiv"ring In cold room
for fifteen minutes. and that then. after c1anina'rn
ny the doctors. the attendants took charge OF then
Iurns vas oricrrd 10 sii bench. lie seem"i
not to understand. and did not do so:
whercupon he wa, violently thrown down upon
f. Upon his rising IN daz"d and lClplcN'
way Attendant Kcharl,on Kicked him vi""h'V
IN tho abdomen Hurn~ again aros and urea ~
wak au,y when Richardson caught him hy the collar
and threw him 10 the fo"r. And So IA" orutahN
continued the thrc aricndants. Richardson. tr'Gan
and Tr.Cha each iahinE part IN IT, kicking It." helpless
unatic I'm the side and stomach, striking and cut'ihs
and brsing his fac with their fists. They nnlr'"R
10 dress his wounded leg. Jerking him about roughly
and causing him cAcruciatinG agony, meantime con
tInuIng their blows. when this was done tr'Iah
picked up ono Of Hur1s's shoes. and taking It hy the
toe. beat the unonrndlng patient over tn" heal with
h and
unfortunate victim with his own blood By this
time he was In a s"mt Cumatrse condition.
That night the witness and Burns wcr' put INFO
the same cell Burns orirrMl to rm"Hc MS
clothes. but n,I Obcyiug III" uricF was slapprd Mh
cufrd. Finally the Attendants stripped him. AMI
then Richarisun kckci him IN the abdomen, k' King
him arrSs the cot At ano' her time the witn'ss Saii
he heard the sound Of blows III BurnsS cell ana loHu
erie, from burns lasting several mnut's Al
schubert. Cr,gAlI All. l.c arTl-,n "rc 'ir'
Then mop and a pan Of Wi'cr "rN Ui"ns'' "'1 H''
door closed and pch'Sl
The attendants evidently came 10 the conrIuNi"h
that the witness was tD inqu!SitlNr ana he WAS ~
moved iO another part OF the building. IA" rPpr.'
came Of tic asylum Al thr "hn oil th ''a9s'
wat ihrn rdur"I To- a shrlrtnr. hni was a saHo".
hollow eyed IDIOT IN" reporter tnll hpw, "hci
friends secured his release. Iir. HERMAN. ur supcfh
irrdcut Of the asylum Nhruk his heal nndhnusI an
advised agalrs' IT, He drclarNi iir rrpor,t =" u
inrurai,ly insane and said hat y" knew this be
cau,c be- hai watched the c'S cln~"y. Dr echuUet|
Of tb. stan concur rai In his opintn.
EupVln'cuGrut ki"Tnan VaN 'imnibhrh 70 Sprh'
hefrrr the cuiuu"r I" daN 4" 'rN'liy ~ ~" ~
oucr He wa also tnld tha' thr Grand Jury "ouil
ris tbr o.yIn thlS a"ruu,n t. lork Int" the cVnl'
t,nn 81 affairs there. lie "l"ctcd 30 remain a. thc
asylum tn meet IL" latter body