The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-11
THE WRECK COMPLETED.
How an Insane Patient was Hur-
ried to the Grave.
Brutal Methods of Teaching an Unruly IN
mate of an Asylum What His Keep
ers Desired Him to DO.

CHICAGO, May 8.-Coroner Hertz and
Jury began an investigation into
the cause of the death Of Robert
Burns, q patient In the Insane Asylum at
Jefferson. Attendants Richardson, Gro.
gan and Pecha, who are charged with
beating him to death were present A re-
porter named Black, who gained entrance
to the asylum by playing insane, and who
witnessed the acts OF brutality, was the
principal witness. He said that the pa
tient was unruly, but seemed incapable
of understanding what was required Of
him. Once when Burns was ordered to
sit on bench he did not do SO, where's
upon he was violently thrown down
upon 1t. Rising, in dazed and helpless
way, attendant Richardson kicked
him violently in the abdomen. Burns again
arose and tried to walk away when
Richardson caught him by the collar
and threw him to the floor Richardson,
Crogan and Pecha each taking part In 1t,
kicking the helpless lunatic in the side
and stomach; striking and cutting and
bruising his face with their fists. When
this was done, Crogan picked up one OF
Burns shoes, and, taking 1t by the toe,
beat the offending patient over the head
with the heel Of it. cutting great gashes
aud covering the unfortunate victim with
his own blood. By this time he was in a
semi comatose condition and was fast
losing consciousness. He was then jerked
out Of his seat, which was covered with
blood that had run down from his head.
Thatnight the witness and Burns were put
into the same cell. Burns was ordered to re-
move his clothes, but, not complying, was
cuffed Finally the attendants stripped
him, and then Richardson kiched him in
the abdomen, knocking him across the cot.
At another time, the witness said, he
heard the sound of blows in Burns coll
and loud cries from Burns lasting several
minutes. Attendants Schulzer, Crogan
and Richardson were there. Then a mop
and pail Of water were brought and the
door was closed and locked. The attend.
ants evidently came to the conclusion that
the witness was too inquisitive, and he
was removed to another part of tho
building The reporter came out of the
asylum at the end of ten days. Burns
was then reduced to skeleton, and was
sallow, hollow-eyed idiot. The reporter
told how, when friends secured his re-
lease, Dr. Kirnan, the superintendent Of
the asylum, shook his head ominously and
advised against it. He declared the re-
porter to be incurably insane; that he
knew this because he had watched the
case very closely. DIR. Schulzer, Of the
staff, concurred in this opinion. Richard
son, Scroggin and Pecha, under advice of
their attorney, Francis I. Colby, refused
to testify or be present at the subsequent
proceedings, preferring to remain in
Jail. Drs. Kiernan and Schubert, of the
asylum, were on the stand, as were num-
ber of other witnesses, but nothing inn
portant additional was elected. A verdict
was reached in short order by the jury
finding that Richardson and Scroggin
caused the lunatic's death. The pair, with
Attendant Pecha, are already under in
dictment for murder. There seems little
doubt that Drs. Herman and Schubert
also will have bills of some sort presented
against them by the grand jury.