Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-03
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. REVOLVING CRUELTY. Inhuman Treatment In An
 Insane Asylum. FUNERAL OF DR. BARNARD. Neglect And Cruelty At The
 Grand Trunk Horror. A MERIDEN FIRM EMBARRASSED. The Routine Of The White
 House Is Resumed.
A MERIDEN FIRM EMBARRASSED.
CRUELTY IN AN INSANE ASYLUM.

CRUELTY IN AN INSANE ASYLUM. An investigation Into she Cause of Death Of an Inmate of she Jefferson Asylum-A Reporter Plays the Insane Dodse-HeartIes and Revolttng Bru- taIity-A Patient Thrown on the Floor and Kicked Into InsensibiI1Ey and Then Beaten on the Head With a Shoe.
 CHICAGO, May 2.-Coroner Hertz and a jury to-day began an investigation into the cause of death of Robert Burns, patient in the insane asylum at Jefferson. Attend
 ants Richardson, Crogan and Pecha, who are charged with beating him to death, were present. The dead mans widow and her brother testified that Burns was in good
 health when he was sent to the asylum, and that the only abrasion on his body was one of his legs, which had been injured. The most of the testimony was that of Charles Beck, reporter, who successfully played the insanity dodge and was admitted to the asy- lum, where he was an eye witness to much of the brutal treatment which reduced Burns from a strong man to a complete physical wreck, resulting in his death. The story was one of the most revolting and heart- less cruelty. The witness detailed at great length the repeated acts of brutality which the three accused attendants inflicted upon the unfortunate man. He declared that the patient was not unruly, but seemed to be dazed and incapable of understanding what was wanted of him. Beck said that upon their arrival at the asylum they were given cold baths. Then he and Burns were left shivertng in 8 cold room for fifteen minutes, when after examination by the doctors the attendants took charge of them. Burns was tC it a Ho fO
 understand and did not do so, whereupon he
 was violently thrown down upon it. Bis
 ing in a dazed and helpless way, the
 attendant 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. And SO the brutality continued, the
 three attendants, Richardson, Grogan and
 Pacha, each taking part in it, kicking the
 helpless lunatic in the side and stomach,
 striking and cutting and bruising his face
 with their fists. They undertook to dress
 his wounded leg, jerking him about roughly
 and causing him excruciating agony, mean
 done Crogan picked up one of Burns shoes, and taking it by the toe beat the unofending
 patient over the head with the heel of it, cut ting great gashes and covering the unfortu-
 nate victim with his own blood. By this time he was in a semi comatos 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 That night witness
 and Burns were put in the same cell. Burns
 was ordered to remove his clothes, but not
 complying was kicked and caffed. Finally
 the attendants stripped him and then Rich ardson kicked him in the abdomen, knock ing him across the cell.
 At another time Beck heard the sound of blows in Burns' cell and loud cries from Burns lasting several minutes. Attendants Schubert, Crogan and Richardson were there. Then pail of water was brought and the door was closed and locked. The attendants evidently came to the conclusion that the witness was too inquiAitive and was removed to another part of the building. The re- porter came out of the asylum at the end of ten days.
 Barns was then reduced to a skeleton and was sallow, hollow-eyed idiot. The re. porter told how, when friends secured his re- lease, Dr. Kiernap, the superintendent of the asylum, shook his head ominously and advised against it. He deolared the rsporter to be incurably insane; that he knew this ! because he had watched the case very close- I ly. Dr. Schubert, of the staff, concurred in ! this opinion. A recess was then taken by the coroner.