The morning call., 1894-11-17


tanned in the epistle may form the basis of
questions to be put to L.. Potter when he
appears as witness next Tuesday.
Kate Hall. the nurse. made good wit
ness till toward the close of the examina-
tiop. when she grew a little weary, trifle
nervous. and raising the pitch of nat
urally low and pleasant voice, struck two
or three discordant sharps. She was not a
voluble witness. Questions were an
swered yes or no as asked, and noinforma-
ton was volunteered.
DR.. Potter dislikes the press. he seems
to have impressed his aversion upon his
employees, for the witness on several occa-
sions took the opportunity of saying that
stories which had appeared in the news
papers concerning the institution wherein
she is employed. were untrue.
Kate Hall declared that she had been
employed at the Home for the Care
of Inebriates for moro than year. She
had had four years experience in caring
for those afflicted with mental or nervous
ailments, the most of which had been al
institutions for the insane in Massachu
sets.
DR.. Potter had placed her in charge OF
Annie Barkdull and had told her to guard
and watch her carefully.
HE told me that he would not put her
under restraint" said the witness. '.be-
which appeared in a morning paper con-
corning the institution. The patient was
quiet and seemed anxious to get well.
son the eighth day after her arrival at
the home she a'e hearty dinner and
asked for needle and thread to mend her
clothes. That was Saturday. That night
went off duty, and Mrs. Potter relieved
me and remained with Miss Barkdull until
10 O'clock. / saw the patient at 1880
O'Clock, and again at about Ii. l next
saw her the folio wing morning at 6o'clock
she was sleeping. l next saw her at
o'clock; she was dead"
The witness told how she unfastened
the catch of the door. it being the custom
to lock patients in their rooms over night,
pushed open the door, failed TO see the
patient, searched under the bed and then
discovered the unfortunate young woman
hanging from a hook on the door, GUS
pended by curtain chain, and dead.
The details of the suicide as related in
the papers were retold by the witness.
Inquiries were made as to the mental
condition of the deceased. The witness
was sure that Annie Barkdull was not
quite right in her mind. She had hal!u-
cnations previous to coming to the insti-
tuition. She had been afraid to eat, fear
ing that her food was poisoned.
She had been told that the institution
was 3 private asylum. When she saw the
lettering on the linen showing that 1t was
the Home OF the lnebriates. she was
greatly frightened. II told her," said the
witness, that the stories in the papers
were lies and that she would be we'll cared
for. She said that she never drank and l
told her that the institution also treated
persons with nervous diseases"
The witness declared that on one occa-
sion Miss BarkGull heard an insane man
making an cutlery, whereupon she went to
the window and shouted. "Murderl"
"Helpp'
: For this offense the patient was placed in
a close room for twenty-four hours and
was released after apologizlng and promis-
ing To scream DO more.
The wristlets and belts used to fasten
insane persons were produced. Kate Hall
stood I'D and DR.. Potter fastened the in
strument upon her to show the jury the
methods of restraining the violent ones
from iniuring themselves or others. Miss
Barkdull had never been restrained in this
way.
During her testimony Miss Hall stated
that Miss Barkdull was constantly anxious
TO see the papers. She had to read THE
CALL, as that was the only daily permit
Ted In the female ward. The patient
thought that persons were writing things
about her in another morning paper.
When asked. by Coroner Hughes if she
thought 1t safe to leave the patient on the
Saturday night referred to. the witness re-
piled:
81 lett her with Mrs. Potter"
'Why did you leave her?"
: 81 had to get some fresh air." was the
response.
1t developed from the: testimony that
none of the female nurses were paid as
much as $40 month at the institution.
Quite number Of personal questions
were asked. To certain interrogations
concerning the institution DR.. Potter en-
tered his objections.
Attorney De las Casas had wordy tiff
with the Coroner in trying to have certain
questions asked the witness.
A juror asked the witness 10 reconcile
the statement that she first learned of
Miss BarkdulpS horror Of the Institution
on account of reading of it in tne press,
from the patient herself, with a previous
statement that DR.. Potter had told her
that the patient should not be put under
restraint on account of her fears. which
had been caused By newspaper articles.
She explained that this was a mistake /.