New-York tribune., 1900-12-22
STATE PROBE AT BELLEVUE
BOARD OF CHARITIES AS WELL AS MIR.
KELLER TO INvEsTIGATE-HlLlr
lard INQUIRY ADJOURNED.


yesterday at the United Charities Building Dr- n.
w HILL who had visited Bellevue Hospitai AT the
request of the president of the Board ana haa mao
a conference with Commissioner Keller MADE a
brief report the recent charges preferred against
nurses IN the institution and the Board ADOPTED d
resolution that a special committee Of three COM
nnissoners Of the Board be appointed by the pres-
dent 20 make inquiry as to the facts ana 10 m
sfitute investigation of the affairs and manage
ment OF the institution, under Section IL OF the
State Charities law, IL in the Judgment OF the com
nlittee Il is advisable 10 do so.
r. w fIebbzrd secretary Of the Board. said that
the inehciency OF the nurses at Bellevue had been
complained Of in the reports OF inspectors OF the
institution that their standard had been COM
pained Of and their character referred to adverse
~.
The inspectors had a great deal of trouble. Mr.
Hebbard added, I'm getting into the alcoholic and
insane wards at Bellevue and finding out the real
conditions existing there. they had no key and
had to knock 10 gain admittance, thus giving the
nurses warning of their coming and putting them
on their guard.
When his attention called to MI Hebbard
statement, President Keller of the Department OF
Charities said he did not think that any such
reports had been made. He added that the State
Board Of Charities had authority over the conins-
sioner Of Public Charities and could at any time eN-
ercise its control He had worked in complete har-
monv with the Board and terms of per-
sonaI friendship with all its members and its in
spectors.
Mr. Keller yesterday completed the overhauling
Of the alcoholic ward Of Bellevue Hospital by dis
missing the three helpers and before DIR. Louis w
schultze left the ward in the evening new nurses
from the Mills Training School had taken the
places Of those suspended on Thursday by M.
Keller Dr. Schultze said that methods of at
tendance and medical supervision would he adopted
and put into force in both the ALCOHOLIC and in
sane wards speedily possible
NURSES ACCUSED OF DEMANDING MONEY.
After receiving complaints affecting the service
in several OF the open wards of Bellevue Hospital
Mr.. Keller yesterday decided to make thorough
investigation Of the whole institution, from top TO
bottom. 70 root whatever abuses might be
found exist.
Anthony Monroe Marcus n recent patient in medi-
cal ward No 30 appeared before the Commissioner
and complained of III treatment at the hands OF
tpo nurses who he alleged. had demanded money
from him. When he told them he had no money
one of them had said well, YOU had better
croak" Marcus had undergone an operation for
varicose veins and he complained that The wounds
had been kept clean and that the nurses
caused him great pain by roughly using dirty
instrument him.
The Commissioner said that he had received
other complaints which he declined TO give out
at present. Their general tenor had been that the
young OF the Mills Training School had been
negligent IN their attendance upon the patients.
There had been laxity in the of hypodermic
syringes by the nurses, and he intended TO bring
the mater before the Medical Board and insist
that no hypoderInics be given by any nurse with
out the written order of physician or IN the
presence of one of the physicians.
Referring to the assignment of DR.. Schultze 10
the charge of the alcoholic and insane wards. Mr.
Keller said that be had had physician in charge
of those wards but there had always been friction
between him and the Medical Board and the ex-
aminers In lunacy, and when DR. Robertson had
left the institution he had thought that he would
let the Medical Board run the whole thing g.,
HI.LIARD INQUEST ADJOURNED.
The inquest into the death of Louis F. Hilliard
at the insane pavilion of Bellevue Hospital, before
Coroner Fitzpatrick, adjourned yesterday until
December q at the request of Henry. b. Anderson.
counsel for the nurses. J. r. Davis, z. o. Dean
and G. L. Marshall who are charged with causing
billiards death.
John ". Keller president of the Board of Chari-
ties. absent when the hearing began. as
Thomas Minnock, styled by Mr.. Anderson 1.-The
chief prosecutor"
In asking for adjournment after the jury had
been sworn in, Mr.. Anderson said that the nurses
were all young men. the very outset Of their
careers and that hurried trial Of the matter be-
fore fore TIC Coroner was, most likely TO ruin their
the arrest OF the three nurses had been sworn out
= bellevue fegning insanity; that his shamming of
TIE malady had been detected by the physicians
and that he had confessed thereto. This man had
ieen charged with dsorderly conduct and had
@ ,-f" tyli scglltieg only after physician Belle
,b flospltal nae plesded for lenency to be shown
me accused u had been impossible TO find Min
-'oN.r Nilo ildu betI the prosecutor in the
against the nurses; that he was not in the court
room and that. furthermore. certain facts in the
IosSesslon OF Justice Hogan. before whom Min
iloch Aad been arraigned. would go to show that
-llinock was not competent witness-that A con-
fesson he had made 20 Justice Hogan would Vi
tate his testimony before the Coroner. Mr. Ander-
son had not been brought into the case until late
eonesday afternoon, ana therefore had little time
~ IN Nmch 10 prepare proper defence. A short
lime after the adjournment Minnock appeared
peading illness as the cause of his hardness.
a bhl which has been drawn by DE- Charles
ItenrE Brown. the managing editor Of The jour
nai OF Nervous and Mental Diseases" and whicn
Eropably VIII be introduced in the Legislature early
~ me coming session. is intended TO prevent abuses
sucn as have led to investigation at Bellevue Hos
gllal; IL provides for the establishment of a public
hospital Tor the treatment of acute nervous and
mental diseases in this city The hospital is 10 he
governed By Board OF Managers appointed by the
mayor New orkers who suffer from mental or
nervous disorders are 10 be received the hospital
LOT temporary treatment pending examinations to
osclee as TO their sanity. Persons suffering with