The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-11-04
The Giddings Investigation.

The legislative committee appointed to
investigate the charges against DR.. w. IL.
Giddings, superintendent OF the state
asylum for the insane at Waterbury, has
been at work in the grand jury room at the
court house since Wednesday afternoon.
w. b. c. Stiekney of Bethel appears for DR..
Giddings, and the prosecution is conducted
by Senator Hulburd, chairman of the COM
mittee. Mrs. Amanda Perry was the only
witness examined on Wednesday. She was
a former attendant at the asylum, and her
testimony tended to show brutal treatment
by DR.. Giddings of Emma Hoyt, Emma
Fletcher, Sally Towne, Mary Galbraith,
Emma Sweetland, Mrs. Wells and Mrs.
Wright-all patients at the institution
The witness testified to having seen Dr.
Giddings choke and strike these women,
strip them of their clothing and contne
fed at length about Sally Towne, a deaf
and dumb patient who had a child in the
asylum. The TOwne woman Immediately
died and was buried in the cow-pasture,
where some others were buried, without a
funeral The child was also dead. Mrs
Perry told about some physical examina-
tons, eighteen in number OF the woman
made by DR.. Giddings, which she tho 1ght
brutal and harmful. On cross-examination,
Mrs Perry said that she knew that Dr.
Giddings beat the Wright woman only by
what the other attendants told her and by
woman was insane 80 as to be childish in
some respects, and could not herself tell
much about such a thing. Mrs. Perry also
said that day or two after DIR. Giddings
choked Mrs. Wells her throat became black
and continued so for some time. She also
told about some investigation in the asylum
to find who was responsible for the Towne
wOman's condition, but said that nothing
was discovered. Other former attendants
who have been examined by the committee
are Mrs. Bidwell of Montpelier, Mrs. Beulah
Russell of Waterbury, Mrs. Levi w. Davis
Their testimony tended to corroborate that of
Mrs Perry. Dr. III. K. Ballard Of Burling
ton was before the committee Friday. He
was formerly second assistant physician at
the asylum. Among other things he testi-
fled that the patients in question were well
treated, and he had nsver known from ob
servation or in any report that they had
been ill-treated. The only marks seen
on their persons were the result OF chafng of
straps used TO restrain them when violent
Witness knew OF Mrs Perry's discharge
from the asylum and understood that it was
for ill-treafment of the pa'ierts at divers
times. Patients were only led forcibly
when it was necessary z . SO to sustain
life. They were laid on "a Ued in sort of
straight jacket and then The patient would
not receive the food = wedge was used with
as little force as poss ole. The nasal tube,
which was more painful method, was only
used when the jaws were SET and the pa
tlent struggled excessively Patients had
at times strange notions regarding food, in
some cases laboring under the idea that 10
was wicked to take food and IL was in such
instances that the above methods were OBJ
ligatory to sustain life. James Fife car
penter, who formerly worked at the asylum
testified that he had seen female patients in
perfectly nude condition, confined in the
basement. he never reported these things
because he considered them none of his
business. The investigation will be con-
tinued Monday afternoon.