St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-21
HELPLESS Patients Kicked to
Death and Clubbed to
Sleep.
The Pilot Foat Webb Run
Down in a Fog and Two
Men Drowned.
The Family Of a Returning
Missionary Murdered for
Money.

CHICAGO, May 20.-Ihe insane aSy-
lum investigation was continued in the
county court to-day. Further evidence
was taken to the effect that the attend
ants were brutal in their treatment of
patients. One inmate was cruelty
beaten for going to bed with his socks
on, and it was a common thing for the
attendants to come into the wards with
clubs and drive the patients to bed,
using their sticks with freedom. 1t was
further in evidence that the food was
insufficient in quantity, and that the
clothing and bedding furnished were
entirely inadequate for the comfort of
patients in cold weather. County Ply
sician Todd testified that Robert Burns,
who was beaten to death by attendants
in the asylum, did not die of cOnsump-
tiOn, as was stated by Supt Keirnan in
the certificate of death.
One of the most horrible revelations
made in the investigation was that
reached in the testimony of George
Hill, locomotive engineer now en-
ployed by the Lake Shore & Michigan
Southern railway. He was admitted to
the institution in January. 1888, suffer-
ing from slight mental arrangement,
and was discharged as cured in the fol-
lowing May. When he went to the asy-
lum an attendant named Lott asked
him If he was insane. Hill said
he was not. SWELL" replied Lott.
1--WE will make you d-n
sight insaner than you are now"
Another attendant named Julian or
dered Hill to sweep Out the room. and
that purpose, knocked him down,
kicked him in the body and mouth,
knocking two teeth out. Hill tried to
cover his face by getting his head be-
meath a bench, when Julian turned the
bench over, breaking HIPS arm. Hill
rolled up his coat sleeve in court and
showed a huge lump where the ends
of broken bones, badly joined. stood
out. They knocked him down again,
he said, and broke one of his ribs.
His arm caused him great pain
and he cOund not get proper treatment.
He tried to see doctor, but Julian told
him il he dared to speak be would kill
him right there. One day Hill had an
opportunity of conversing with Super
visor Jones, and told him he was badly
treated. Afterwards two attendants
knocked him down and held him, while
Julian repeatedly kicked him in the
head and and breast. On getting up,
with blood running from his face, Hill
said he would have justice some day.
whereupon Julian cursed him and
knocked him down again. Hill said a
new patient named Levy was brought
in one day. He did not know
enough to go to the dining room,
and Attendants ] Julian and Lott knocked
him down.and jumped OH his stomach
until he was unable to move. Then
they picked him up and threw him on a
bed. Levy died that night. The court
room was as still as death during this
awful recital. Judge Prendergast in
structed the witness to bring in his wife
to corroborate his story, and physician
was detailed to examine Hills arm and
ribs. Several other witnesses testified
to the brutality of attendants, misera-
BILE quality of food, etc. County Physi-
clan Todd testified that Robert Burns,
whose death resulted in this investiga-
ton. did not die of consumption, as was
stated by Supt. Herman in the certifi-
cate of death.