New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-19
FOR KILLING A PATIENT.
MORRIS PLAINS ATTENDANTS GET FOUR
TEEN YEARS EACH.
,,ENRY CoNvERY AND WILLIAM MACK PRACTl
CAILY PLEAD GUILTY OF MANsLAO'iiEH
IN THE SECOND DEGREE-THEY CAUSED

cA1LY PLEAD GUILTY OF MANsLAUGHTER
IN THE SECOND DEGREE-THEY CAUSED
THE DEATH OF AN INSANE MAN.
Morr,stown. Dec IS SpeciaD.-Court was called to
order at 40 o'clock this morning lot the 'r'ai oi
Henry Convery and William Mack, who are accused
of the murder of Nicholas Dolfuz on the morning
of October 10 last DofuZ was patient IN the state
Insane Asylum at Morris Plains. and the deiendan's
were keepers After the arragnment or the oe-
PENDANTS before the Court their counsel, MT . Brien
asked permission to withdraw the plea OF not gui'y
of murder In the first degree ana 10 pleau ihsteau
guilty of manslaughter This the Court af'er con-
srltation refused to allow 1t was contrary 10 an
act of 1884, but he said that they couid piead non
wilt which would carry with 1t a sentence FOR muir
der in the second degree Convery ana MACK TOOK
ADVANTAGE Of this offer and threw themselves on the
rrorcv Of the Court An adjournment was then
taken until 2 p. m. TO hear the argument Vi 'ne
counsel and prosecutor in regard 10 sentence
Irpon the opening Of the afternoon session MI.
O,Rrien contended that the plea of non vut allowed
them 10 present to the Court all or the lacts III 'e
case which might tend 10 mitigate the sentence %
the Court He said that the patient, Nichoias Do'-
fuz who was killed was extremely voieht Il, ''eS'
and was fed with five other violent patients al
eonarate table After the other patients had eaten
on the morning in question. Dolfuz had shown
rehorious spirit and had bitten Convery on Inc
finger. Mr. OBrien contended that DoltuZ was not
u-treated or hurt until he got into fgnt WIN
that in the fight Hoffman who was hea,S ma" ian
fell on him. The keepers IN separa'ne i mat NE
hreT R 5s head sEa nnd r n the injuries which
caused death. There was also NOR cssTsed
death but which could not be traced 10 any INJURY
e nro Se Mr. salmon said that these facts
were essentially The Court said IN
ing sentence that It had taken into cohsue t 10
the fact OF the defendants saving fhe and preoms
expense OF trial, and Also the yousi anu 1 there
good character OF the prisoners ana W3nud lor
fore sentence them to fourteen years al haro 'a''
"Had You stood trial and been convicted OF muir
der in the second degree, SAID Juuge n ~ .n
should have imposed the extreme penalty u twenty
years.
William Mack and Henry Convery. the attendants
who peaded guilty Of killing Dofuz, had good rep
utations I'D 10 the time OF their offence Mack came
from Newark and Convery from Trenton poth cary
last wear. The tragedy occurred In the vioieh'
ward. About o'clock on the morning OF OCTOBER dT
y CHIEF supervisor o and Mack assauiting Doifuz
Mack had the patient by the ihroat aiu orvar, ye
ing his head against me me wall ""''e convey
Here stop that Coleman said. according 10 his
own statement "Il report both OF you u III
An hour later Coleman did make such report or,
and DR.. Evans medical director OF .he asytu nn,nrv
and Mack Just about the time that Dr. Evans VIZ
doing THE Assistant Supervisor Poyner visited tne
a he'd in the room adjoining the dining'rooIn; Con-
very and Mack were bending over the 4ea San man
agpare1y tiy what had Occurred he had Mack
and Convery locked up In separate rooms ard,
Douglass held an inquest. and this was the Verucl
I've ind that Nicholas Dolfuz came to his death
by VIOLENCE at the hands s OF d henGy October 5
We fully exonerate the medical director ms as as
sstants and those to Which might
have prevented the above