The herald., 1896-03-04
Golfer WILL NOT DOWN
He Says He Will Try to Personally
Interview Governor Budd
He Wishes to Give His Testimony About His
Treatment In the Highlands Insane
Asylum Under Oath

j. A. Golfer, the recently discharged pa
tient from the Highlands insane asylum,
does not propose to let the charges made
by him against certain officers of the asy-
lum drop without an official investiga-
ton, if such can be brought about. He
says that he has information that Drs.
Campbell and Dolan have been in the city
since the publication of his charges in The
HERALD, interviewing patients who have
been recently discharged from the asylum
with view to securing evidence to Offset
his testimony in case the investigation
should be ordered. Golfer says that he is
anxious to give his testimony under oath, in
the presence of the asylum officials, and
will give them dates and corroborative
evidence to substantiate what he says.
Should Governor Budd remain any length
oftime in Los Angeles, Mr.. Golfer says
that he will try to secure a personal in
terview with him, and he thinks that he
can convince the governor that he has told
the truth, and that there are ample grounds
for the investigation which he asks. He
says that he has not yet told half that he
knows. and while he does not wish to do
any one an injustice, there are certain
abuses practced in the asylum that in the
interests OF humanity 5uOulu Do COLEcctcu.
The San Bernardino Sun has published
the following editorial comment on Col.
ter's story as published in The HERALD:
Yesterdays Los Angeles HERALD pub
lished blood-curdling narrative by one
}. A. Golfer, a discharged patient from the
Highland asylum, which represents the
entire management = Superintendent
Campbell, DR.. Dolan and many OF the at
tendants-as cruel and inhuman monsters,
who practice all kinds of brutality upon
the hapless and helpless patients. The
story, which is simply incredible, rests
wholly upon the testimony of one person.
Evidently no effort has been made to test
its accuracy, in the absence of which there
could be no excuse for its publication, ex-
cept love for reckless sensationalism.
The publication of such stories without
some effort at verihcation is a prostitution
of journalism. The humblest attendant in
the institution is entitled to more consider
alton than THE HERALD has shown in this
case"
1t reply to the above it is only necessary
to state that it is dollars to doughnuts that
the editor of the Sun never even inquired
of the asylum officials as to whether such
a man as Golfer was ever in the asylum or
not, and that he knows absolutely nothing
about the particular case under discussion
or the asylum management from personal
investigation. Furthermore, The HERALD s
article was not ''blood-curdling" in any
sense of the word, nor was there any
straining after effect or sensationalism.
1t was plain narrative of a discharged
patient, verified by the most careful ques-
tioning, and by the testimony of the man S
wife. Neither was the ''entire asylum
manage mentn represented as cruel and
inhuman monsters, who practice all kinds
of brutality on the hapless and helpless pa
tients. On the contrary. Golfer expressly
stated that such was not the case. He said
there were among the attendants some who
were brutal in their treatment of the un.
fortunates under their care, and that these
should be removed As to the asylum Off
GERS, the only charge was that they did not
sufficiently investigate the complaints ol
patients. Golfer said that it was COM
mon practice for the attendants, or at least
some OF them. to cuff and kick the patients
and that he himself had been subjected to
this treatment, giving in detail the par.
ticular instances. Furthermore, none OF
the asylum officers have seen fit to answer
Colters charges, and nothing has been
heard in their defense except the editorial
paragraph above referred to.