New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-20
KILLED IN AN ASYLUM.
AN OLD LUNATIC DIES FROM INJURIES.
Z CORONER'S JURY CHARGES FLATRUSU MAD
HOUSE OFFICIALS WITH CULP,BLE



NEGLIGENCE.
Mrs Martha Emily Adar on April 90 diel in the
Flatbush Insane Asylum, where she hal been con-
fined for two years. She was ninety years old.
Although the cause of her death was given as aes-
thenia or senie exhaustion, il aroused the suspi-
cion of of her relatives who informed the au-
thorities The body was taken to the home of her
daughter Mrs Pidgeon, at No. 5ls Grecne-ave
Brooklyn, where the funeral services were held
Bruises were found everywhere on the body by the
undertaken who prepared it for burial This con-
WINGED her friends that death WAS due to violence
and they became so persistent in asking for
topsy that Coroner Creamer instructed Drs FreeI
and Clayland to carry ont their desires The ply
eicians now make the following report:
Having made an examination of the body of
Mrs Martha Adair, we found the whole lett brcas.
and part of tho right darkly Ascolored by
ecchym0sis. There was also large ecchymOsls
over the outer surface of the forehead left).
with an abrasion. Also bruse on the chin,
one on the left humerus. marked discoloration of
the nose and left eve and left check also of
RIGHT eye: also deep wound the middle finger
which had begun to suppurate; also scab on the
index finger. There were two abrasons OH the
right knee: two below the left knee; one on left
leg; two on the toes of right foot; several on
left loot: also the fourth finger of the
right hand, and forehead. The brain was
soft and the ventricles and subdura space
tanned moro hnid than natural. Heart fabby:
aorta and the mitral valves calcareous plates
aorta atherOmatOuS; lungs oedematous: liver
scerotc; kidneys sclcrotic; capsule adherent;
nterus contracted: right ovary contained a large
fbrcd. There was fracture of the second, third,
fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh ribs the left
side, and the egnth ninth, tenth and eleventh
ribs on the right side. Cause of death, fracture
OF the ribs and shock"
Last night Coroner Creamer held the inquest in
the Gates Avenue Police Court. Brook
lyn. When the asylum authorities
heard Of the reflections cast upon them,
they denied in the most emphatic terms that the
woman had been il-treatcd in the asylum Super
intendent Sylvester, of the asylum. declared that
Mrs. Adair had received the best Of treatment
while in the asylum. Several witnesses were ex-
amined last night Superintendent Sylvester, of
the asylum, testified that he had seen the body
and the bruises were only superficial. DR.. +. NJ
Phillips, one Of the assistant physicians of the
ASYLUM, corroborated Mr.. Syvesters testimony. /
Ellen Reilly. one of the nurses of the asylum
who had Mrs. Adair in charge. testified that tile
bruises had been caused by her falling out of bed
She denied that violence had ever been used
Mary Downing assistant nurse also testified
that Mrs. Adair had fallen out of bed. Edward
Clark, a grandson of Mrs. Adair. and Mrs Pldgeon
the womans daughter. testified that they had
visited the woman in the asylum, and that she
had told them that she frequently beaten by
the patients at the suggestion of the nurses. ms
was four weeks before her death Two weeks be
fore her death they visited her again. but she
afraid TO talk on account of the nurses being pres
ent
Drs Free and Clayton, who made the autopsy.
testified that the bruises of the body could not
have been made falling out Of bed The case
was given 10 the jury at 10 O'Clock, who brought
in the following verdict:
THE deceased came to her death from injuries
received in the Fatbush Lunatic AsylIm, and
there was culpablc negligence the part cf the
as to the cause OF death"