St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-30
Patients Subjected to Treat
ment That Slavery Days
Never Knew.
Manv Witnesses Unite in De-
nouncing the Manage
ment.
DR.. Bowers Would Not Give
Ear to the Complaints
Made.
Whispers of Gross Immor-
ality that Pervades the
Institution.

Horror and disgust were alternately
depicted on the face of Gov. Merriam as
he yesterday listened to the testimony
given before the committee he has ap-
pointed to investigate the alleged mis-
management of the Rochester asylum.
The revelations of Friday were shock
ing; those of yesterday not only sub
stantiated all that had been previously
spoken of, but in lurid colors laid bare
the rank rottenness of the admlnIstra-
tian of the institution. Assistant Attor-
ney General Child continued the eX-
animation of witnesses before the COM
mittee, Messrs. Willlstop, Simpson
and Amundson, and Senator Davis
closely watched the interests OF his
client, DR.. Bowers. The latter gentle
man was present, and also DIR. Collins.
The face of DR.. Collins was perfect
study. He was seated close behind DIR.
Bowers. his features placid and pale,
but the mention of his name suffused
his face with deep red blush. which
he attempted to hide ever and anon by
discovering something particularly in
teresting on the carpet at the rear OF
his chair.
SAME OLD STORY.
John B. Trogdon, an inmate OF the
soldiers home, was an inmate of the
Rochester asylum from 1888 to 1885. He
is an old resident of Nicollet county,
and gave general corroboration to the
i'll treatment of patients by the attend
ants. He was committed to the asylum
for inebriacy. He spoke of patient
named Haynes being allowed to NAL
treat another named HOlbroke, the at
tendants standing by all the while.
Attendants Carroll and Mason handled
George Taylor, patient, very roughly:
Taylor could not attend to himself, had
soiIed the bed, and so the attendants
thrashed him. He was over sixty years
old. and they could not have handled a
dog or a hog worse than they handled
that old man. Taylor died at the aSy-
lum, perfectly neglected.
Mr.. Child-How neglected?
Mr. Trogdon-Why they locked him up all
night, left him there until morning unat-
tended.
DIR. Wilson, of Shakopee, was also
abused, and Mr.. Trogdon says he saw
Attendant Carroll kick patient named
Clark, who was druggistin Rochester.
He had also seen Attendants Carroll
and Mason take man into room and
thrash him there for stubbornness. He
heard the mans cries of, mercy" and
Help"
Mr.. Child-Was it common occurrence for
the attendants to beat patients?
Mr.. Trogdon-Very common. l do not
think a DAY passed but that some one was
beaten; sometimes half dozen.
Mr. Child-So far as your experience goes.
were yon well fed?
NJ hod
sort of spite against me. somehow or other.
They would give me half rations sometimes,
and when complained 1 was told the less
said the better would fare.
Mr.. Ch1ld-Had the at ttendants the same or
different fare?
Mr.. Trogden-Altogether different. They
had good fare. Properly cooked meat and
good coffee and tea. We had imitation tea
and coffee and boiled meat understand it
ISL better now.
WAS MONEY USED?
Cross-examined by Mr.. Davis, the
witness said within ten minutes of his
entrance into Rochester asylum he be-
came on bad terms with Dr.. Bowers.
He objected to being put in ward with
lunaticS. the lowest ward in the institu-
tion. He also became on bad terms
with Messrs. .Sackett and Schimmel, who
are trustees of the asylum. He was of
opinion they wanted to keep him in the
asylum.
Mr.. Davis-Why?
Mr.. Trogdon-1 think little gold deceived
them.
Mr.. Davis-Whose gold?
Mr.. Trogdon-I do not think that proper
question.
Mr.. Davis-was there any one interested in
keeping you in the asylum?
Mr.. Trogdon-I think Sackett and Schim
mel were.
Mr.. Davis-Was it pecuniary interest?
Mr. Trogdon-I think they were bribed.
Mr.. Davis-Who bribed them!
Mr.. Trogdon-My impression is that A. j.
Lamberton paid Schinlmel & Sacketts part
ner, Charlie Fay.
MI. Trogden-Because he did not want me-
Mr. Davls-How long have these gentlemen
been pursuing you?
Mr.. Trogdon-Fifteen years.
Mr.. Simpson elicted from the witness
that he had property suit, and that he
was put in the asylum to keep him from
the witness stand. Sackett and Shin
mel opposed his discharge, and after he
had been granted lease it was six
weeks before DR.. Bowers allowed him
to CO. 1t was twelve months before he
got his certificate, and then not until he
had threatened DR.. Bowers with law
suit. 1t was upon these grounds he
based the assertion that Sackett and
Shimmel were brlbed to keep him con-
fined in the asylum.
DAMAGING TESTIMONY.
Mrs. Eva Bartlett, of $50 East Third
street. st. Paul, gave the most damag-
ing testimony that had been forthcom-
ing against the asylum authorities.
Mrs. Bartlettis young married woman,
and displayed more than average in
telligence. The grace and ease with
which she gave her testimony carried
with it the weight of reliability, and the
great importance of that statement is
apparent when it is stated that Mrs.
Bartlett is an ex-attendant of Rochester
asylum. She was an attendant at the
asylum for ten weeks in the fall of 1887.
Mrs. Bartlett thought that DR.. Bowers
tried to have the management conducted
as it should be, but the attendants
employes-were not competent. She
knew it to be fact that the patients
were most cruelty and inhumanly
treated, and that the attend
ants were immoral. She had
seen Attendant Martha Donoghue,