New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-21
the FLiTBUSH ASlLCM CHIRG rs.
oFFICI\Ls DEFEND THEMsELvEs-To INVEST
GATE THE DEATH OF \ PATIENT.

OFFICIALS DEFEND THEMsELNES-TO lNNEsTI-
GATE THE DEATH OF \ PATIENT
The Flatbush Ieanc Asylum officials were disturbed
Yesterday over the result Of the Coroners inques, III
thc case OF Mrs. Martha Emily Adair. who died III
the hospital. The inquest was conducted by Coroner
Crcamer and the developments were sensational.
TN. testimony has been laid before District Attorney
Rldgway.
Mrs Adair had been mentally unbalanced. but her
Insanity WAS Of the Intermittent kind, and she en-
loved many lucid intervals. She was the mo'her oi
several caildrcn. among them being MIS-. Martina r.
Clark who for many years has posses'eu II local
musical reputation and formerly led IN" ch"ir III 81.
paul', Roman Catholic Church. at Court ana Con
rr,ss sts Another daughter Is Mrs ElNina Pidgeon'
M No 5ls Greene.uve. II was at her home that the
funeral took place.
Ms Admir- was transferred from the reception
-, yilon at Bellevue to the Flatbash Asylum on April
If 1900 and was ppt under the care OF d. l. w.
Tracy In January last she was removed 10 a'o'h'r
mart OF the asylum controlled by Dr. r. W. fh'ihP''
In the room where she had bee were three o'her
cots. On this floor were about forty PATIENTS at
tended to by Ellen Reilly. assisted by Neie D'a''ou'
ON APRIL ~ Mrs. Adair died. The body was taken
nr, NJ bv I l. Higgins m undertaken. II was
th.n found that the body was mass oil bruises anu
that many OF the ribs We're broken. Coroner 'reaner
ordered an autopsy, and instead OF dcath pei"s anc
10 old age tine certificate says, the physicahs ae
clare that II resulted from fracture OF the rips anu
shock A.,
At the time the case first brought 10 inc
notice of the city authorities william sylvester supe'
intcrdcnt of the asylum, denied that the woha" ''
hcen illtrcated lie said Mrs. Adair was III the
bablt of falling or throwing herself ont OF peu anu
frcouently fell down while walking across the roo
She had also mana he said, for smashing glass; III"
I'm this manner cut her hands. DR.. PHILIPS corio'o'
r,,.d Mr. sylycster's statements. Mrs. Adir' acc
in, IN the statements of her daughter, VINO Vlsi'e"
nor nj the asylum told them that she was suojec,'u
TO brutal treatment by the other patients a' 'n'
suggestion OF the nurses. ,
Drs Frcel and Clayton, who mace inc ""'op'''
d.clnrc TINT the condition Of the body could never
have been made by falling out OF bed. Noiohei d.
= Colt. president OF the Charities COMMISSIONER ie
c.,ved bc following statement yesterday from s"P'
inendent sylvester: 49,, ,., ~,
have Just returned from an Inquest III 'ne e'. and
.,r,Io Acur held by Coroner CrcaIlcr ~ D. H. "u
m which DR. phillips the two nurses (Ellen heiiy anu
ELLEN DumOnd) summoned -, -. -. o,.,,,,
In regard TO the inquest will say that they ciilliea
Thai len lbs we're fractured. ana me patcn uieu
from shcck:, and the physicians sworc that ,he
t, ,.rc tr,c,urcd before that, and many other
,heorics IN which an educated physician would not
tastifv nositvcy for even II these were iractur'l
Ills II * impossible for any one TO state Just whch
thy we're broken and In person OF her age such i
thing could happen ut any ume especially III inc
haIrnu of remains after death.
Willie the very eAtcpsive bruises described might
te readily explained from the fact that the autopsy