New-York tribune., 1896-05-08
THE LOUDEN HALL TRIAL BEGUN.

TESTIMONY TAKEN AT RrvERlIEAp. LONG ISLAND.
REGARDING THE AMITYvILLE sANITARIUM.
The trial Of John Louden. proprietor Of Louden
Hail. q private sanitarium at Amtyvilie, on
charge OF maintaining and conducting private IN
sane asylum without authorization from the stare
Commissioners OF Lunacy. was begun In Riverheau'
Long Island, yesterday. There are SIX other in
dictments against Mr.. L>ouden based on the hndng
of experts that six of the inmates OF the sanitarum
were insane.
The case has attracted much attention. The han
was attacked last fall, and it was alleged that
Louden had no right to conduct It, He was taken
into custody for examination by Sheriff O'Brien, OF
Suffolk County. and Justice Gaynor heard the pre-
liminary examination. The case has since been
watched with much interest by those interested in
priyate eanitarums and asyums throughout the
state The trial OF Louden is the first one under
the new law relative TO private asylums.
Charles j. Babbitt. the special assistant OF the
. Attorney General Joseph NJ Belford and District
Attorney Walter Jaycox. OF Suffolk County ap-
peared for the people, and ex-Judge John r. Reid
and T. NJ Griffin for Mr. Louden
The entire morning was taken up with the seiec-
tion OF a jury. Each talesman was subjected to
rixfd examination by both sides, and the work OF
obtaining twelve men to try the case was SLOW 1t
was II 80 when Dstrct-Attorney Jaycox opened the
case for the State. lie outlined briefly what he
intended 10 prove. He would prove the existence
of the retreat at Amityvilie conducted by Mr.
Louden and he would show that no permit had
been granted by the State Board and that there
were insane persons in the retreat.
Sheriff John c. OBrien. the first witness testified
to his visits the place and the incidents connect
ed with the raid last November. His testimony
was mostly formal and was for the purpose or
tracing the history OF the case against Mr. Louden
Secretary Megar. Of the State Board of Lunacy.
testified that license TO keep an asylum had been
granted to Louden in 1857 and refused in 1880 Judge
Red fought against the admission OF this test-
Fnony, and after long debate II was thrown out
es being too remote
Mr. Reid, In his argument. practically outlined
the case OF the defendant. 1t VIII be claimed that
the hall was not insane asylum but retreat for
persons suffering from l-heath and disorders which
DO not amount to insanity Therefore. there was no
necessity for the taking OF a license
When Judge Gaynor heard the case last ian he ap-
pointed Drs. Macomber. Tracy and William A.
fittIe a commission to examine the inmates or the
Hail and ascertain whether or not they were In
oane. In the report made by the doctors they
additional Indictments are based on the findings OF
the doctors. The doctors were called 10 the stand
separately and testified. They had made two visits
10 the hall and examined twenty-three Inmates or
the twenty-three they found that six were insane
The insane inmates were Anna c. Brown Rose
Leherian, John Stewart. Mary Alborn. Sarah
Murphy and Elizabeth Feely. The doctors gave ex-
acty similar testimony.
DR. Macornber. the last OF the three to take the
stand, was subjected to a most exhaustive ex-
was considered insanity and TO the condition OF
each OF the six inmates whom the doctors say are
insane. The cross-examinaton lasted three hours
IN the afternoon and when the evening session
opened the doctor again on the stand. The
questions Of insanity and delusions mental weak
Sesses and nervousness were gone over
The case will be resumed this morning and an
effort made to complete II by tonight