The evening world., 1894-06-21
PATIENTS SHIPPED ABROAD,
A Sensational Story Ready for
the Lunacy Board.
DIR. Cheney Says Corpscs Were Kept
In the Bath Rooms.

| The Investigation into the condition
OF the insane ON Wards and Randalrs
Islands before Dr. c. f. Macdonald.
Senator Henry : Reeves and Goodwin
Brown, constituting the State Lhnncy
Commission. was continued this MORN
ing at the Park Avenue Hotel
Drs Dent. Macy and Superintendent
of the Insane. DR.. \. L. Macdonald, In
company with their counsel, A. II.
Mastln. were present. duncan Ed
wards. Judge John r. Mcmahon and
Charities Commissioners Porter were also
! in attendance.
The testimony so far given has shown
frightfnl condition Of sr,; affairs existing sting
| Wards Island. The state o. wrctched-
ness permitted to exist among the pa
tients on the latter island is almost be-
produced to fix the responsibility for the
abuses shown to exist. or to define the
cause, This, however. Will evidently be
| brought out later.
There are two witnesses present at
the investigation. who have not yet been
called. Both have been patients on the
island. and. If what they say is. true,
the Commission completes its work:
| One Of these patients is William Hnr-
rlngton,, who was confined on RsndaiIs
January. 1893. The other is John Bielen-
berg, who was a patient for one year
According to these witnesses. DR.. A. E.
Macdonald, Superintendent OF the asy-.
lum. Is responsible for the condition OF
affairs. There is. they say. ring be;
hands are tied. and they can do nothing.
During the time these men were con-
! fined on the island they did not see DR..
| Macdonald once
Money can do anything" both de-
clare. .'If you once enter there, the
! door Is locked. and you are likely to re-
main until yS die vo unless IS ysy ySy Gan ID pay a
the, condition that you Immediately go
| to Europe"
Poth OF these witnesses state that
paid their expenses abroad at the time
with dflculey, and were taken to the
steamer by the asylum authorities.
Cheney was continued this mornIng. Nj
Edwards conducting the examination
Witness testified that for lack Of proper
accommodltions the bathrooms were
We're placed there. Patients w9r: put TO
bed at dusk and compelled 10 remain
thole unit, o'clock next morr,ns.
"There has been very much improve
ment When the Grand Jury visited the
islands n very nice lunch was prepared
for their members. DIR. Dent took great
interest in its preparation Witness
had only seen Commissioner Porter on
the islands once while he was there.
Many patients died from inability. to
secure proper restoratives at the right
time.
clans that it was not best to give too
much attention to sick patients In order
that the overcrowding might be avoided,
wasn't IT." asked Mr.. Edwards.
Il don't think So" replied the wilt
WHO do you consider responsible for
the conditions preyailinS?"
.! dSn', know. ! have .,n3s often wondered
Witness further stated that the death
rate among the children on Randalrs
| Island was enormous.
"You knew that the Board Of Charities
| and Correction had the power to correct
these abuses and also the Grand Jury?'
WHY did you not report to them?"
Because l knew that it would do no
This closed the direct examination OF
the witness. and Mr Mastin theh pegah
""Dia Dr. Dent ever tell YOU that the
supplies of spirits were insufficient?
did you ever differ with him in regard
to the amount which should be admins
'erfd to patient"
months in 1898 en- Blackwell's Island.
corroborated previous testimony ABOUT
poor food nd clothing.
| In regard TO treatment or patients,
witness sai1 they were seldom kind to
them, and woul1 force obedience by
bending back their thumbs, pulling their
| hair or choking them. The attendants
never seemed to think OF using kindness.
| Witness knew of three attendants who
practsed brutality. 1t was a common
occurrence, taking place almost every
day within the observation or the Wilt
| ness.
"pid you report these things?"
| mo"
| why not?" ,,
Witness saw one attendant try to lift
up a very heavy female Eatient by the
hair because she was too Ill to walk ana
| had fallen down on the ground.