Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-11-13
THE ASYLUM SCANDAL.
Less Shocking Testimony This
Week.

and Trustees Knew Little
About the InstItutIon---V witnesses Now
TestifyIng for DIR. GIddIngs.
The hearing before the legislative insane asy lum
committee was continued at Mont.
pelier Friday. A. T. Canedy, former engineer
in the institution, testified that the steam was
shut off in the south wing, where the patients were
kent from 1880 to IL each night, except in the
very cold nights, when two pounds pressure was
kept on so that the pipes would not freeze; AS he
understood the steam was never shut off in the
administration building, which contained the Of
hcers' quarters. II was understood that the steam
was turned off IN the wing 80 to each morning
The butter was never good and the meat was
spoiled sometimes He had seen DR.. Glddings
lose his temper and appear very different from
George W. Wing Of Montpelier, one of the trus
tees said that there we're no formal rules for the
ASYLUM everything being left to the superntend
emit He did not remember having heard that
there was a rule made by Dr. GtddtnRs prohiOlt
ing attendants from complaining 70 the trustees
He knew Of the Towne girls condition some time
before she died He tried to ascertain the cause
of the trouble and made report. He had ques
toned 'sonle persons, but had found out noun
ing He never talked with Mrs Perry, and he
would not swear that he had ever talked with
any of the attendants about the matter He could
not remember whether he had noiihed the states
attorney He had not heard of the scalding bust.
ness DR.. Giddings had talked with him about
attendants who had msused patients, and he,
Gi1dings, had always reported them as being dis
charged He thought that Giddings had once
told him that he struck man. He did not re,
member the name of the patient He testified
that when he first assumed his duties the heating
apparatus did not work we'll but 1t was changed
and went all right. He had never heard that the
steam was shut off nights He had general idea
that some of the patients were naked. He could
not tell whether he knew of this in cold weather.
He thought Giddings was man not easily irri-
tated and he never saw him mad he thought
him exceedingly nervous" AT the time OF the
grand Jury investigation he had been tod that II
he would 60 to the asylum and go into the Hoyt
woman's room without the doctor he would ma
things in bad condition He went down, but IN
stead of going to the room he had several talks
with DR. GiddIngs. The witness gave half dozen
reasons why he did this. The principal one was
that he knew well enough that as things stood he
would find nothing, and il he didn his visit would
be a reflection on the superintendent.
DR.. r. T. johnson of Concord, one OF the state
supervisors, testified that when the monthly in.
spection was made DR.. Giddings accompanied
the supervisors through the buildings, but the su-
pervisors talked with the patients alone IN their
rooms. He said VI never examined the food at
ter it had been cooked. examined supper not
long ago, but did not go into the minute. no
ticed the patients had milk and doughnuts
have no idea of the bill of fare. l never gave
any directions about the food. never heard any
complaint suspected that the patients might
not be well clad. knew nothing about their
underwear. Some had shoes on, some had stock
ings and some were barefooted. l never gave
this any attention" The witness said that he
knew nothing of the clothing worn In winter as
compared with that worn in summer and had
never heard of patients freezing their feet he
never gave beds or bedding any attention any
more than he did the temperature, which he had
never noticed. He left all those things to the
management He bad never heard of any
abuse whatever, but he remembered hearing
Giddings say that he had discharged men for
''misusing" patients. He had never made any
investigation in this line as the patients had a
chance to complain and he would have investl-
gated if complaint came to him. He said that
the patients had complained of bad butter, cold,
bedding, etc but he had considered these insane
decisions and had made no investigation. This
was the way he understood his duty under the
law. He never knew OF women being naked any
length of time, but those whom he had seen in
that condition the doctor informed him would be
clothed soon. Neither did he know that they
slept on the floor. IL he had he would have
"made a fuss about it.
He did not think that the stone. fioored base
ment was any fit place to put woman, and he
once objected when he found a naked woman in
one. He did not tn INK the steam should be shut
off at night and did not know that It had been
Under sharp examination he admitted that when
the insane complained he treated such complaints
as Authorizations, but that when they said they
comfortable he thought they knew what
they were taikfNs aoouJ. He did not know much
about the attendants He should consider scald
ing man In bathf--b an 2b Sc He had heard
of no such occurreInl: If he had he would have
conducted a searching investigation" He
thought the board had done its duty. All deaths
had been inquired into by him He knew OF Fitz
simmons's death, but he did not recall the cir
cumstances. From the way the case had beer
presented to him he should have been slow II
calling it Brght's disease He knew of Sally
TOWne,
ton and should think that no more examination
would have been necessary.
xGov. Woodbury. said that he met with tn,
trustees nearly every time during his term a
governor. AS far as he knew there were n,
rules in the management of the institution. HI
had examined the food but had never tasted it
He did not know what the hash was made of, a
he always avoided hash" He thought the foo
to be good and abundant He knew nothinJ
about the clothing but thought the patients wer
well clad. He had perfect confidence in DR.
Giddings and still considered him faithful pub
lie servant. He once saw him discharge a MAJ
for abusing patient and told him he did right
He never heard a complaint of abuse from ian,
living soul" He had read or heard all the test
mony and did not believe word Of it. Mr.. Bate
told him the committee appointed to do tn
judging that he Woodbury. was simply a wit
ness and 1t was not necessary for him to give hi
views. Mr.. Woodbury. replied sharply that h
was free to give them. Mr.. Bates said that
would perhaps be better if he did not give hi
opinion at that time The witness went L
say that while he did not mean to say that tn
witnesses had perjured themselves, they mad
wrong deductions. Crossexamined he eulogize
DR.. Giddings and said that 1t could not be posi-
bic that the doctor was guilty OF the crueltie
charged against him.
e. ]. Grout of Waterbury, a former attendant
testified Monday that the patient So~ervill
complained that the water in the bath tub wa
cold, and that when the hot water was turned OIL
Somerville slipped down against the end wher
the water was running and was burned.
Patrick Bridges, in charge of the electrical ant
heating apparatus, testified that it was the pur
pose TO maintain a temperature Of 20 during tn
day and W at night, and that the heat was turnet
off all the buildings at certain times during tn
night The wards were sometimes cold days AM
the apparatus was changed and he thought it u
be sufficient now.
The testimony of Patrick Garner a former at
tendant, related to the death of the patient, Fitz
simmons, who was said 10 have died a few day
after fight with Burke, an attendant Carne
said he never heard about the struggle witt
Burke, never told Tuthill that he did, and saw n,
injuries marks on Fitzsimmons. The patien
seemed to be failing long time and kept his be-
or room for week before he died. In the cross
examination Garner told about patient nameC
Ford, who went on a rampage one night and wa
dragged out of his room by the throat by an at
tendant.
S. D. Hobson of Brighton thought his duty a
trustee related mainly to the finances of the in
stituton. His memory was poor and his testi
mony of little value He did not know whethe
the superintendent gave bonds according to law
or whether a steward, chaplain or matron haC
been appointed as provided by section 1856 of tn,
statutes
Five witnesses were examined Tuesday. They
were Dr. W. n. Plat of Shoreham, one of the
trustees, DR., @. NJ Ferrin OF Essex Junction,
supervisor of the insane, j. #. Shipman, the asy
lum farmer, Mrs. Mary A. Long and Mrs G. T
Larrabee, cook and matrOn at the asylum
These witnesses were introduced to BREAK tn,
force of the previous testimony brought forward
by the committee. Drs. Plat and Ferrin arr
well acquainted with the institution at Waterbury
from being often called upon to visit and inspec
the asylum DR.. Platt said that the per cen