The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-08
HOW euRNs WAS KILLED.
The Attendants We're Most Brutal In Their
Treatment of the Victim.

CHICAGO. May Coroner Hertz and jury
began to-day an investigation into the cause of
the death OF Robert Burns, patient in the in
sane asylum at Jefferson. Attendants Richard
son. Crogan and Peeha, 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
;he asylum, and the only abrasion on his body
was on one of his legs, which had been injured.
The most damaging testimony was that Of
Charles Beck, reporter, who successfully
played the insanity dodge, and was admitted to
the asylum, where he was an eyewitness to
much of the brutal treatment which reduced
Burns. in ten days, from a strong man to a COM
plete physical wreck. resulting in his death.
The story was one of the most revolving and
heartless cruelty. The witness detailed at great
length the repeated acts of brutality which
the three accused defendants inflicted upon
the unfortunate man. He declared that the
patient was not unruly but seemed dazed and
incapable of understanding what was wanted
OF him. Beck said that upon their arrival az
the asylum they were given cold baths, then he
and Burns were left shiverine in a cold room
for fifteen minutes; then, after examination
by the doctors the attendants took charge Of
them. Burns was ordered to sit on q bench
He seemed not to understand and did not do
so, whereupOn he was violently thrown down
upon it. 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.
And the brutality continued, the three
attendants, Richardson, Crogan and Pecha, 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 excruciat
ing agony, meantime continuing their blows
When this was done Crogan picked up one OF
Burns shoes and taking il by the toe, beat the
unoaending patient over the head with the heel
of it, cutting great gashes and covering the un-
fortunate victim with his own blood. BY this
time he was in a semcOmatOse 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 the witness and Burns were put
in the same cell. Burns was ordered to remove
his clothes, but not complying was slapped and
cutfed. Finally the attendants stripped him,
and then Richardson kicked him in the abdO-
men, knocking him across the cot. At another
time, the witness said he heard the sounds of
blows in Burns cell, and loud cries from
Burns, lasting several minutes. Attendants
Schuyler, CrOgan and Richardson were there.
Then a mop and pail Of water were brought
and the door was closed and locked. The at
tendants evidently came TO the conclusion that
the witness was too inquisitiye and he was re-
moved to another part OF the building.
The reporter came out of the asylum at the
end OF ten days. Burns was then reduced TO a
skeleton, and was sallow. hollow-eyed idiot.
The reporter told how, when friends secured
his release, DIR. Kirnan, the superintendent of
the asylum, shook his head OminOusly and adj
vised against it. He declared the reporter to
be incurably insane; that he knew this because
he had watched the case very closely. DIR.
Schulzer, OF the staff, eOneuTed in this opin-