The morning call., 1895-02-12

reasonable tlme-say twenty-tour hours.
"If Won Schmidt had been brought to
you, ironed and handcuffed, accompanied
by an officer, what would you have done?'
"Before taking him in | should have had
an understanding with the officer"
Another witness who was put through
long examination at the hands of both at
torneys in the case was George Vincent, a
nurse employed at the home. He told OF
Won Schmidt's arrival at the home from
what he had heard, as he was absent on
that day-June Is, 1894. When Won
Schmidt left the home he looked better
than when he came in. AT first Won
Schmidt refused to leave the place. He
never said that he wanted to be free. The
witness had never seen Won Schmidt i'll
treated by DR.. Potter or any one else
around the institution. Won Schmidt had
never complained of any pain except in
his ribs and his heart.
Attorney Sawyer then wanted the bed
which Won Schmidt had been strapped on
exhibited to the jury with one OF the
nurses playing the role of strapped
patient thereon. Mrs. Foltz objected until
she had cross-examined the witness. She
asked about the bed and learned that the
one in court was not the original one which
Won Schmidt had first been strapped on
when he entered the home. That one was
nailed to the floor in room IS. The bed in
court was from room 80.
"Did you ever strap Won Schmidt?" was
asked.
81 did because it was necessary; he stood
behind the door with pitcher and threat
ened to kill any one who approached"
Witness then denied that he had ever
struck Won Schmidt When he wanted to
bind him he got. him from behind. In
strapping Won Schmidt witness said he
acted under orders from DR.. Potter. He,
in response to questions, then went into
details of the management of the home
and described how he used the various
straps, ropes, anklets, wristlets, handouts,
gags and the like when dealing with OBJ
streperous patients. He saw sores on Won
Schmidt, but did not know how he came
by them.
"Your memory is very poor" said Mrs.
Foltz
Perhaps it is" admitted the witness,
"but we have so many cases."
Mrs Foltz held up the various instru-
ments of torture, as she called them, and
asked questions regarding each.
Witness said he had been at the home
eighteen months. If any one brought a
patient there, saying he was insane, wit
ness said he would be taken in and held.
If the superintendent was not there the
witness would confne the patient until his
arrival.
Vincent added that if insane people were
brought to the home they would be taken
in, but they would not be sent for.
A Juror asked the witness if patients
were at liberty to leave the home whenever
they desired, and Vincent replied that they
could only go when the superintendent
said so.
"You would not send after man, but if
some enemy sought to dispose of a man
and brought him to you the doors would
open for him, eh?" asked Mrs. Foltz.
"0h, I wouldn't think any one would do
such a thing" replied Vincent, apparently
amazed at the idea of any persons enemy
being so wicked as to try to imprison him
in the Home for Inebriates.
'You wouldn't2 Have you ever read
Charles Reade's Very Hard Cash? ?"
"No, have not"
"Well, you read it. That's all,' said
Mrs. Foltz.
The exhibition of strapping man to the
iron bedstead was then begun. Robert
Davis, a nurse at the home, was strapped
down in a very scientific manner by two
other nurses. His feet were confined by
straps and his body by band across his
chest, to which his wristlets were fastened.
"Now, can you turn about" asked Mrs.
Foltz.
"Oh-oh-y-yes," gasped Davis, as he
made an effort to turn on his side. 1t
was hardly success. SO securely was he
| fastened.
"Now, could a sick person do that, too ?n
"C-certainly," replied Davis.
'Was Won Schmidt kept this way all
night?"
"Yes.n
After Davis had turned and twisted and
gasped answers to questions for awhile he
was released.
Patrick Fenton, a red-faced man, who
admitted to having been in the home
eighteen or twenty times as charity
patient, but who, with some display OF
dignity, asserted that he was gentleman
and no "bum," told about the regulations
of the home. He had never seen Won
Schmidt i'll used, after which Mrs Foltz
excused him with the hope that he would
never have to go to the home again.
Dr. S. o. L. Potter, the superintendent
of the home, was the next witness. He
described his experience in asylums for
the insane in England, Scotland, Ireland,
France and this country. He said he had
taken Won Schmidt into the home at the
request of the young mans father, Colonel
Won Schmidt, whom he had known great
many years He described A. w. Won
Schmidt's arrival at the home, saying he
was very violent and had to be placed
| under restraint. While an inmate of the
home Won Schmidt had received the best
of care and had DR.. McNutt as a special
physician. The witness described some
wild outbreaks on Won Schmidt's part
| wherein he had tried to injure people. ''He
tore, bit and kicked" said DIR. Potter,
"during the first week" Witness did not
strike Won Schmidt, nor did he maltreat
him in any way. When he came into the
home he was in a very bao physical con-
dition