The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-22
THE DAVIS MYSTERY.

The following communication has
been received. and as The Herald de-
sires that full justice shall be done
and no improper reflections shall fall
by its aid upon any person or institu-
ton it is printed entire:
Salt Lake City, Nov. 20, 1888
Editor Herald
In your issue of today appears an
article headed "A Mysterious Affair, -
followed by an account of the arrival
at Logan of the body of one Albert
| Dayis-sent there for internent from
the insane asylum at Blackfoot, Idaho,
and stating that the appearance Of the
remains was such as to cause q SuS-
picion of foul play. The article also
! reflects somewhat disparagingly upon
the management of the asylum, etc.
Having just returned from there,
where myself and men have been en-
gaed during the past five or six weeks
in installing an electric light plant, 1
am prepared to defend the manage
ment of that institution against all
charges of cruelty and mismanage-
ment whatever, and take great pleas
ure in endorsing the administration of
affairs at that institution as the most
admirable of any institution of the
kind in the country. The treatment
accorded the patients is of the most
gentle and humane character. During
the wiring of the buildings, our en-
ployees were at work in every depart
ment of the asylum and they unhesi-
tatingly assert that during the whole
time they were there they did not hear
an unkind or cross word spoken. Nor
did they hear off or witness any pun
ishment whatever, having been in
f1icted upon any of the inmates.
The superintendent DIR. John w,
Givens is eminently fitted in every
respect for the position he occupies. He
has been wonderfully successful in his
treatment Of the insane, and COM
mandS the respect and esteem of all
who know him. In conversation with
him a number Of times upon the sub
ject of treatment of the insane. he has
always advocated kindness, persuasion
and entire abolition of corporal pun
ishment, claiming that any departure
from these rules always aggravated,
but never cured the disease
If Davis received i'll treatment it was
no doubt Self-inf1icted and no one at
the asylum should be blamed therefor.
If there is an investigation ordered.
believe 1t will result in Yindicating
DR.. Givens and the attaches of the asy-
lum ana generating them from all
blame.
By giving the above space in your
valuable paper you will be doing JUS
tice to DR.. Givens and the worthy in
stitution he epresents.-Yours truly.
S. f. FENTON.
That is a pretty good advertise
ment for the Blackfoot asylum. But our
correspondent in standing up SO man
fully for the institution where he had
a contract, and its manager. has
omitted some considerations to which
it is necessary we should draw atten-
ton.
In the first The Herald has made no
statements concerning the matter I'M
der consideration. The article referred
to was taken from the Logan Jour
nal which was given due credit, but
we omitted the vigorous headlines. If
there is any mistake, therefore, it is
not The Heralds error.
Our correspondent and his men have
had very good opportunity, no doubt.
to judge of the general course and
management of theAsylum, and he does
right to speak of both the place and the
man as he found them. And what he
says will go a long way towards re-
moving the unfavorable impression
that has probably been created by the
suspicion of foul play which the Davis
case suggests.
But it must not be forgotten that
the injuries to the person of the unfor-
tunate man now deceased, were seen
by the people who viewed the remains