The herald., 1895-07-13
THE HIGHLAND ASYLUM
Capt. P. j. Conway Is Still
an Inmate
DR.. N. B. CAMPDELL'S LETTER
He Thinks There Was a Con-
founding of Names
THE REPORTERS REPLY
A Number of Questions Asked and the
Answers Awaited
The Friends of Conway and Other Uniortunates
Indignant
In the Interest of the Institution Itself Will
the Asylum Authorities Consent to An.
swer Such Questions as the
Herald Propounds?
The Friends of Conway and Other Uniortunates
Indignant


When DR.. A. Stanley Dolan, the physi-
clan in charge OF the Highlands insane
asylum, told The Herald representative
on Tuesday last when interrogAted in the
office Of the asylum. that Captain Patrick
J. Conway had been discharged on the
Sunday previous because he was not in
sane and wanted to go. the reporter had
no reason to doubt the gentleman's word,
especially as his statements were verified
by the bookkeeper of the asylum. Moth
ing concerning bad management or ILL
treatment OF patients at the asylum was
known or suspected by the represen tative
at that time, but an apparent desire OF
the bookkeeper TO see man. and the i'm
mediate withdrawal of DR.. A. Stanley
Dolan, made the representative little
suspicious, so following the doctor into
his private Office a request to see the
asylum was made and granted. After
getting through with this another forced
talk was made with DR.. A. Stanley Dolan.
when his attempted ruses to find out Just
who the representative was were waived,
and the doctor was led into conyersa-
lion of whi ch the following is correct
report, and one which DR.. A. Stanley
Dolan will not deny:
''Doctor, this man Conway has an aunt,
Mrs. Hannah Campbell, who lives at
Juneau, Wis. un her behalf l would like
you to tell me just how Conway is, and
what are the prospects of his recovery
from insanity, if he ever was affected in
that way
To this Interrogation DR.. A. Stanley
Dolan repl ed: Conway is a quarrel
some, fault-fnding man; he finds fault
with his clothes, his food and everything
else; we have let him go on his own re-
quest on parole, and don't think he will
ever have to come back here"
doctor, do you think Conway is or
ever has been insane?" was the next
question put, and although answered IN
the negative, desire to get plain un-
equivocal answer was cause enough for
putting the question again.
Or. A. Stanley Dolan replied: 1.-THE
man is not nor was he ever insane; he
was better off here than in Jail, so we
kept him until he got cooled Off then let
him CO."
After pleasant chat ON other matters
the representative took his leave, and
before he had got off the grounds had
proof positive that DIR. A. Stanley Dolan
had made a complete misstatement OF
facts. for positive information was re-
ceived that Conway was at that moment
confined in a cell in the asylum.
Conway to have got to Santa Monica
abroad would have to present ticket
Il pay his fare to the conductor of the
rain leaving Highland at u 2:20. From
Information CLEANED Conway nor any,
body else got on that train at the asylum,
as the train was not tagged. Conseq uent-
v it did not stop. To still further prove
che assertions of the doctor untrue il
was only necessary to ascertain from the
Southern California railway that no as
ylum transportation was issued on Sun
day, July 7, 1895, the date DIR. A. Stanley
Dolan said Conway had been discharged.
Then the Herald in Its yesterdays is
sue put forth the query ''Is Patrick J.
Conway still confined in the asylum"
The following dispatch and letter prove
that the query was well made, for the fol-
lowing Associated Press dispatch was re-
peceived by this paper last night:
"SAN BERNARDINO. July 12.-Cap-
tain Patrick j. Conway is still an inmate
of the insane asylum at Highland. His
friends In Los Angeles and elsewhere
who have been seacrbing for him need
look no further. He has never been dis
ports OF his discharge and subsequent
disappearance have no foundation in
7 fact"
DR.. CampbePs Letter
In the Herald's mail, received last even
ing, among others was the following
letter:
To the Editor of The Herald-Dear Sir:
In looking over your issue of this morn
ing l notice an article relating to this in
stitution, signed sc. S.N.," and as there
is evidently a misunderstanding due 10
the confounding of names, l take this
early opportunity to correct the same.
am informed by DR.. Dolan and my
secretary, Mr.. Harpham, that a gentleman
called here last Tuesday, who stated that
his name was Nichols, and that friend
of Michael Donahue wished him to call
and inquire about him.
Michael Donahue is an old soldier, and
was discharged June %. 1898, but left th c
asylum a few days later. The secretary
looked at the books in the presence OF
the gentleman and found the record OF
his discharge; also on the voucher file,
and found a receipt for ticket to Santa
Monica for Michael Donahue. Later, in
another room, the gentleman inciden-
tally inquired of DR.. Dolan how Conway
was. and the doctor told him. All the
parties here supposed that Donahue wa
the man about whom the gentleman es-
pecially desired information.
Patrick Conway was committed to this
asylum November IS, 1894. His com.
mitment paper was in every way regular
and legal. 1t was signed by b. n. Smith
Judge of the superior court, and bore the
official seal. TO the question on the
comm itment, "Why do you consider the
patient insane?" the following answe,
was given: 1.-The patient has been at the
Soldiers home, and lately became vio
lent, attacking fellow inmate, the COVER
nor. and the physician with q club, anC
striking them. Claims thai he is con
stantly prosecuted and given poisonou:
drugs, etc., and uses vile language"
The answer to the query did some one
send word to the asylum that his record
was being looked up?" is "No."