The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-22
A CROWD OF MURDERERS.
A TERRIBLE REVELATION IN COURT.
Damaging Testimony Against the Attend
ants in Chicago's Public Insane Asylum
Patients Kicked, Beaten and
Murdered-Burns' Death.

CHICAGO May 20.-The most terrible revel-
alton yet made in Judge Pendergast's investi-
cation of the management of Chicsgo's public
insane asylum. was reached to-day in the testi-
mony of George Hill locomotive engineer.
now running an engine on the Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern. Mr.. Hill is a shrewd-
looking man, with black hair and mustache,
and a straightforward manner that carried con-
viction with it. He said he was admitted to the
institution at Dunning in January, 1888, and
was discharged as cured the following May.
He was not violently insane when he went to
the asylum, and on his arrival was asked by an
attendant named Lott if he was insane. George
said he was not. "Well." replied Lott. "we
will make you id sight insaner than you
are now"
''Then another attendant, named Julian, or
dered me to sweep out the room. / replied
that was not sent there for that purpose"
"'You amt, eh? he said, we will see about
that"
''Then he knocked me down and kicked me
in the body and mouth and kicked two teeth
out. Itried to cover my face by getting my
head under bench. My arm was over it and
through space in the back of the bench.
Julian turned the bench over to get another
kick at my face. In doing this my arm was
broken"
Hill rolled up his right coat sleeve and
showed. about three inches below the elbow,
huge lump where the ends of the broken bones,
lily joined, stuck out.
'They knocked me down again" continued
Hill, "and broke one of my ribs. Ny arm
caused me great pain and had no proper
Treatment Ono dow Jrlian said sla+ y,a 500 that
arm, and he tore my coat of. Then he rubbed
the arm with liniment. That was the only
attendance | had. / tried to see the doctor
but Julian told me that if l dared to speak he
would kill me right there. | told Supervisor
Jones that was badly treated and he said ne
would send me TO another ward. Then Lock
and another attendant from ward ID w L held
me down while Julian kicked me in the head
and breast. got up bleeding and said
would have justice some day.
You -@,' said Julian, we will give
you all the justice you want and he struck me
in the face and knocked me down again. That
was all that was done to me. My arm and rib
all right.
"One day poor fellow named Levi was
brought in. He did not know enough to 60 to
the dining-room, and was showing him the
way, when Lock asked me what | was doing.
Julian came up, and Lock said: The --
won't eat
"'I'll show bim how to eat said Julian, and
he grasped Levi by the hair and, throwing his
head back, jammed big piece of bread into
his mouth. Levi tried to run away and hide in
one of the rooms. There he was caught by Ju-
lian and Lock. They struck him In the face,
knocked him down and jumped on his stom-
ach. Lewis face turned black. Get up they
said, but he could not move, and they picked
him up and threw him on the bed. The poor
fellow died that night."'
The courtroom was as still as death during
the awful recital. The witness was told to
bring in his wife TO corroborate bis story, and
DR.. Harold Meyer was instructed by Judge
Pendergast to examine Hills arm and rib.
Further evidence was taken to the effect that
the attendants were brutal in their treatment
of patients. One inmate was cruelty beaten
for going to bed with his socks on, and il was a
common thing for the attendants to come into
the wards with clubs and drive the patients to
bed, using their clubs with freedom. 1t was
further in evidence that the food was insult
cient in quantity. and that the clothing and
bedding furnished were entirely inadequate for
the comfort of the patients in cold weather.
County Physician Todd testified that Robert
Burns, who was beaten TO death by attendants
in the asylum, did not die of consumption, as
was stated by Supt. Kirnan in the certificate Of
death.