New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-23
ALMOST KILLED OUTRIGHT.
sUFFERINGS OF WARDS ISLAND PA
TENTS
TESTIMONY IN THE LUNACY COMMISSION IN
COLONEL A. II. ROGERS
AND OTHERS.

The hearing OF the charges of cruelty and mis-
MANAGEMENT brought against the City Asylum
officials was resumed before the State Lunacy
Commissioners. DIR. Carlos F. MacDonald Goodwin
Brown and Senator Henry A. Reeves. at the Park
Avenue Hotel yesterday. The first witness was
Colonel A. H. Rogers. patient Wards Island from
October 1889 10 February 1890 He said that he
served in the National Guard Of this State during
the war. and held two honorable discharges from
that body. He described the diet at the Wards
Island asylum in terms similar to that used by
other witnesses. and said that he had been unable
10 eat any OF the food provided. He said that the
clothes entirely insufficient. and he had seen
numbers of patients kept out In the snow on ex-
tremely cold days. EX-Congressman Meade was
one OF them. and he caught a severe cold. from
which he died The witness mentioned specific
cases Of brutality exercised by the attendants on
patients. The principal offenders in this respect
were the attendants OLeary. French and Nc
Dermott.
one OF the patients i'll treated was McClusky.
O'Leary announced TO the witness his intention TO
get McClusky transferred to another ward. To
DO this II was necessary to provoke the patient.
VINO was a harmless fellow, TO some act Of vo-
lence. OLeary accordingly buneted him until ne
had exasperatei the man TO strike out IN return;
upon McCusky, knocked him down, and while Nc
Dermott jumped on his chest O'Leary kicked hlm
patient named OHanlon. whom he saw thrown
down and unmercfully kicked by mebepam ned
l)ay who was kicked by the attendant Mccall,
and afterward died in the hospital .,
The witness said that IL was commonly reported
among the patients that certain OF the inmates
were paid for privately. He said he had been told
BY the friends Of certain patients That they were
In the hab Of paying s. % d month respectively 10
Drs Burns and Petit for paying extra Afternoon
10 their friends. In answer TO Mr. Mastn. colonel
Rogers said that he a Deputy commissioner
OF Street Cleaning in 1883. He had been a member
az the Young Mems Democratic Club. the Mannat-
ian and Reform clubs. the Old Guard the ST. Men
oas Lodge OF Masons. the Columbia Nacht CIuD'
the Veterans Association OF the nth Regiment,
the Thirteen Club and the Growers: pom belns
asked about the circumstances or his Deng com
mitted 10 Wards Island. he admitted ne MAD Deen
on a little spree" Then ne went on TO say: well,
nobody doubts that the commissisoners MAKE more
than their salaries. don't you know. They all 90 IL
They get a percentage of contracts. suppose. Now
fieman Porter Is. His salary is 5000 year, and
we'll he hasn't got any fast horses, but y Small
Coione, Rogers characterized Wards Island as "a
slaughterh0use OF the mind ana a lndhulaCtOI! O4
permanent lunatlCs. 49, -
christopher J. Kennedy. an attendant on Wards
Island from October. 1892. TO August 1879 was ne
next witness. He described instances OF brutality
was. il appeared in great demand as fabrcator
Of plausible explanations whenever patients, me-
with injuries. In the OF patient named Flick,
FOR Instance who died suddenly with two black
ewes and several fractured ribs The attendant in
charge OF Prick James DAILY. VINO asked tne
witness TO invent some excuse. Inc witness sus-
eested that Daily should report that the patient
fell out of bed and he did so. witness hau re
ouently seen Frick maltreated by DAILY before his
death The inquiry was adjourned until next iues-
day at 10 o'clock. -, ar. 49,
1t is probable that the commission will shift the
scene Of the inquiry to Wards Island some time
next week. A thorough inspection Will pc mace OF
the buildings and attendants will be called upon 10
testify on the spot