The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-07
BRUTALITY AT ASYLUM.
Insane Patient Horribly Beat
en- and Maltreated.
He is a Foreigner and Could
Not Understand Orders.
Son of Treasurer Dolau of the Boar d
of Charities Present, but Did
Not Interfere.

Fritz Redemski, a patient at the in
sane asylum, was beaten yesterday al
ternoon in q most inhuman manner.
Fritz works in the kitchen and is
good worker. He does not speak Eng
lish very well and it is sometimes hard
for him to understand what is said to
him. After the dinner had been cooked
and sent to the wards the different pa
tients who work in the kitchen were
given their dinner and as soon as they
were through they went to work to
scrub the tile floor of the kitchen The
head cook has been sick for some time
and Assistant Cook Wilson had charge
Of the kitchen help.
Redemski did not seem to understand
that he was to obey Wilson and did not
want to do as he was told. Wilson
told him to something and Redemskl
was slow about it and Wilson struck
him on the arm with a large paddle
used for stirring the food in the large
kettles Redemski stopped work as
soon as he was struck and went out
on the porch and said to some one
1T is a shame to beat man like that
for nothing. wilson tolIOWed MN
out and ordered him back to work.
Wilson said TN show him VINO IS
boss here" and started after him with
one of the heavy Oakeu paddles he
struck RedemSki on the head as he was
getting ready to work and knocked him
down and jumped on him with ms
knees and commenced to beat MIN N
a most brutal manner. He choked
him and gave him no chance to defend
himself. Henry Butler, son OF eX-
Steward Butler of the asylum. who is
a helper in the kitchen stepped up and
helped in the disgraceful affair. Super
Vison John DOian, son of 2. II. DOlan,
treasurer of the board of charities, was
standing in the door and did nothing
to prevent the cruel treatment that was
,fr,fgr rfEaTsEa 4
| was directly under his charge Frank
Brown the engineer stood near by and
urged the three men TO give 1t to hlfn
| That is what he needs.
The force of the bakery and engin-
GERS departments were there and no
one made an effort to put stop to the
| disgraceful affair Finally Redemskl
| was allowed to get up and Wilson and
| a bVStander took him to the ward and
when they got him into the basement
| at the foot OF the stairway leading to
] the ward they commenced to pound
| him again. The blows and cries of the
unfortunate man could be heard in all
| the adjoining buildings.
The matrOn, Miss Louise Wheeler, a
| sister of s Q. Wheeler, secretary of the
board of charities, was called for and
| the matter was reported to her Dy the
| hOusekeeper. She inquired if any of
| the help was hurt and when she found
| out they were not she let the matter
| drop and made no report to the Off
cials The superintendent was told Of
| the cruelty by one or the Dystanders
but as yet nothing has been done with
| the guilty parties.
| John Dolan, the supervisor, was en-
| ployed at the institution under the
| Lewelling administration and was dis
| charged for allowing patients to escape.
! 1t is the duty of all the employees to
treat the unfOrtunateS under their
! charge in a humane manner and 1t is
| especially the supervisors duty to see
| that the employees under his charge
| obey the rules of the institution. The
| fact that a half dozen or more of the
employees of the institution stood
! by and urged the three men to cruelty
| beat the patient is revolting in the
/ extreme.