The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-06-09
1t was case of sheer fighting.
"Would YOU think this was? abuse"


was asked.
ssYes, think it is abuse to try to
make a man follow you by fighting"
would it not then be abuse for the
insane man to strike the keeper?'
mo; it is not abuse to strike back
when you are struck"
on did not see any marks OF vlo-
lence on the insane man after the fight"
''None except little bruise on the
hand"
1.-The insane man was not hurt, was he,
in the conflict in the street"
mo"
Mrs. Carrie E. Dow saw the affair.
She thought the keeper was mad clear
through, She saw some of the conflict
in Mr.. Swasey's hall, and saw mans
hand put out between the Swede and the
keeper as if to separate them.
Mr.. Frank G. Simpson, of the Sunday
Times, who wrote the article bout the
affair, was called, but had not seen the
affair.
Secretary Baker,
of the Board of Overseers, was next
called He said young Svanholm, the
Swede, had called on him in January,
asking permission to go into the hospi-
tai, but when told at the hospital that he
was insane had left at once. Later, at
the request of his brother, the police
had taken him, and he was put into the
house of correction for safe keeping.
Some time in March, as he had got bet
ter, his brother took him home, but kept
him only two days, as his wife was very
much afraid of the crazy man. SO the
man was kept at the aims house until
sent to the insane asylum a few days ago.
City Physician Harry M. Nickerson
was next called. He saw the Swede the
day of the alleged cruelty, and in compa-
ny with DR.. Alfred King, who was called
in, examined him, as the Oyerseers had
directed. DIR. Nickerson said he found
no marks of violence on Syanholm. Both
he and DR.. King thought the Swede
should be sent to Augusta. DR.. Nicker-
son asked Svanholm if he had gotten
away that morning, and he replied that
he had. When asked why he came back,
he remarked pleasantly that three were
too many for him.
DR.. Nickerson was asked if he exam
ined the mans throat, He said he did
not particularly.
DIR. Alfred King
was next called. He said he had been
called to see the Swede, whom they
found insane, although not wandering.
He showed no signs of having had any
trouble, and appeared to. have no feeling
about it. He saw the keeper also, and
he seemed to be some used up, having
black eye and being quite SORE
Richard Casey. the keeper, was next
called. He was born in Prince Edward
Island, but came to this country five
years ago. Had worked three years in
Bath and in other places. He was in the
aims house hospital three months and on
convalescing had become a keeper. When
Svanholm escaped he set out in pursuit
Immediately, and chased him along Port
land street to State and Grant, where he
saw him enter house. He feared that
women might be alone in the house and
ran in at once without stopping to ring
or knock. He went into the house, saw
two men in there, one of whom was the
Swede, whom he took by the arm. He
announced that he was the keeper of the
man and had come to take him. Casey
said he had left the aims house in the
clothes he was washing dishes in, with
his sleeves rolled up, an apron on and
his hat off, and probably did not appear
very much in order, especially as he had
just been running half mile. He de-
MED that he had choked the man or
struck him in the face. ''If had struck
him dozen blows in the face | think I
should have marked him." said Casey.
did you let the man go?" was asked.
tsYes.'
"Why?"
because that man there [Swasey] told
me to-
'sWas he your superior?'
mo, but didn't quite know what to
"Could you have brought the man
back?"
Eyes, although he began to fight hard
when he found he had the man on his
side"
"Did you tell Mr.. Swasey that you
were keeper when you entered the
house?"
81 did,
In response to cross-examination. Casey
said he had always been a laborer and
had never had charge of men before com
ing to the hospital.
Mr.. j. G. Roberts,
superintendent of the aims house said
Casey was here when he (Roberts)
came; was very handy about the place
at doing work; and whenit became nee
essary to put some one as keeper with
the insane, Casey was selected, He had
found his work there good. When Casey
came back on the Monday morning
he showed signs of having met Swan
holm or someone else. His face was
scratched, his shirt torn and he was con-
siderably beaten out. Mr.. Roberts at
once took his team and rode up to Sva-
sey's where he expected to find the man.
He was met by Mr.. Swasey, who was
much excited and thought, that the
Swede was sick patient from the hos
pital. When he was told that the man
was insane he seemed to change his
mind; that made a difference, and
he should say nothing about it. When
they found Svanholm Mr.. Roberts ex-
pected, from what Mr.. Swasey said, to
find him much banged up: but they
found no marks on him except a little
skin off his hand. ~
Mr.. Roberts said they had often made
ex-patients keepers, as it was position
not much sought after. The pay is SIP
month and board. " ~
Charles Ell. Stevens, engineer and as
sistant to the superintendent, was next
called. He saw Casey when he returned
from the chase, and noticed that his
shirt was torn and there was red spot
under his eye. Witness went to help